In my opinion, this Asian Rainbow Trout Slaw is an ideal weeknight meal: flavorful, quick, and ready in about 20 minutes including prep. It’s a fresh take on my earlier Quick-and-Easy Asian-style Rainbow Trout recipe, which was the first dish I ever shared on this blog. Years later, I still make variations of it and enjoy every bite.
This rendition keeps the trout as the star while surrounding it with a bright, crunchy slaw of different cabbages, fresh herbs, crisp vegetables, and an Asian-inspired vinaigrette. The result is hearty enough to serve as a main course yet light and refreshing so you won’t feel weighed down. Warning: this slaw is dangerously easy to overeat, so consider making extra.
The vinaigrette is especially addictive—make a double or triple batch if you like having dressing on hand.
Meal Prepping?
This slaw is great for weekly meal prep because the vegetables keep their texture in the fridge for several days. I usually eat the fish the first night, as I’m not fond of reheated fish; the slaw pairs equally well with leftover roasted chicken, grilled steak, or lamb later in the week.
For prep, I mix a large batch of the vinaigrette and store it in a mason jar in the refrigerator. I shred and toss the vegetables in a big bowl, then transfer the slaw to a zip-top bag. When packing lunches, I grab a portion of slaw, add a portion of protein, drizzle on dressing, and shake it in a container when I’m ready to eat.
From a budget perspective, cabbage is economical compared to many leafy greens: it yields a lot, lasts longer, and is versatile. For fresh herbs, I recommend shopping at an Asian grocery or Chinatown market, where you’ll often find better variety and lower prices than a standard supermarket.
I hope you enjoy this recipe—let me know how it turns out in the comments!
Cheers,
Ronny
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Asian Rainbow Trout Slaw – Whole30
Ingredients
Asian Rainbow Trout Slaw
- 1 lb rainbow trout, preferably wild-caught
- 1/2 head purple cabbage, shaved
- 1/2 head napa cabbage, shaved
- 2 med-sized carrots, julienned
- 1 cup snow peas, left whole
- 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, torn
- 12-15 sprigs fresh mint, torn
- 12-15 sprigs fresh Thai basil, torn
- 3 green onions, finely sliced on bias
- 1 red chili pepper, finely sliced on bias
- 1 tsp avocado oil
- pinch kosher salt
- pinch black pepepr
Vinaigrette
- 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1.5 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 1 tsp fresh garlic, finely grated
- 1.5 tbsp maple syrup, omit if whole30
- 1 dash fish sauce, compliant
Instructions
Rainbow Trout
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Preheat the oven to 400°F and place a rack in the center.
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Rinse and pat the trout dry. Brush both sides with avocado oil and season lightly with kosher salt and black pepper. Place the trout on a baking sheet skin-side up.
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Once the oven is preheated, switch to broil. Broil the fish 6–7 minutes or until cooked through and the skin is crispy. (This timing is for a filet about 1″ thick.)
Asian Slaw
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Combine red cabbage, napa cabbage, carrots, snow peas, cilantro, mint, Thai basil, and green onions in a large bowl and toss to mix.
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In a smaller bowl, whisk together rice wine vinegar, coconut aminos, toasted sesame oil, grated ginger, grated garlic, maple syrup (omit for Whole30), and a dash of compliant fish sauce until smooth.
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Pour the vinaigrette over the slaw and toss to coat. Transfer the slaw to a serving platter, top with the broiled trout, and garnish with sliced green onions and chili. Serve immediately.