Ramen Noodle Salad

Ramen Noodle Salad is a texture lover’s dream and a favorite side for potlucks, picnics, cookouts and all your favorite Asian recipes!

This Ramen Noodle Salad recipe is bursting with fresh ingredients, a flavor exploding dressing and tons of CRUNCH!  It’s beloved by salad lovers and non-salad lovers alike, the first to go at every potluck, prep ahead friendly (just keep the ramen separate), goes with practically everything and super customizable.  This Asian Ramen Noodle Salad is a dynamically addicting medley of crisp cabbage, crunchy Ramen, toasted sliced almonds, salty sunflower seeds, sweet dried cranberries, juicy Mandarin oranges, aromatic green onions and zesty cilantro all doused in sweet and tangy garlic, ginger laced dressing. Of course, you can customize the ingredients just how you like and even turn it into a main dish by adding chicken, steak, salmon or shrimp. No matter how you serve it, this Ramen Noodle Salad recipe is always a showstopper!

Summer cookouts mean summer salads! Don’t miss our favorite potluck side salad recipes: Italian Tortellini Pasta Salad, Strawberry Broccoli Salad, Creamy Bacon Pea Pasta Salad, Corn Salad, Perfect Fruit Salad, Grape Salad, Loaded Potato Salad, and on and

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Ramen Noodle Salad REcipe Ingredients

This ingredients in this Asian Ramen Noodle Salad recipe are very simple, each adding balancing flavor and texture to create a sweet, savory, tangy crunchy combo that is utterly divine.  Here’s what you’ll need:

THE SALAD

• Ramen:  you will need two (3 ounce) packages of dry ramen – the everyday kind with the seasoning packet.  For this recipe, you will discard the seasoning packet (or use it for something else). 
• Cabbage: this recipe uses a combination of green cabbage and red cabbage for a depth of flavor and texture.  Select 1 medium green cabbage that weighs about 45 ounces, which will give you 8-10 cups.  Use 3 cups thinly sliced red cabbage.  Remove the thick, dark, and fibrous outer leaves to reveal the softer leaves beneath. You can save the tougher out leaves for sautéing or for cabbage soup.
• Almonds: I prefer sliced almonds but you can also use slivered if you prefer.  They can be found in the bulk bins at sprouts or in small packages by the salad toppings or other nuts.
• Carrots: you will need two cups shredded carrots.  You can purchase matchstick carrots (or make them yourself) which tend to be a little thicker (which I prefer), or shed them yourself using a box grater or a food processor. First, make sure to peel and rinse your carrots to remove any debris. To grate your carrots ,use the coarse-teeth side of the grater. To use the food processor, fit it with the grating attachment, cut the carrots into halves or thirds, then push them down the chute.
• Mandarin oranges:  add sweet bursts of fresh juiciness.  I used two cans but you are welcome to use even more!  If you purchase them in heavy syrup, make sure to rinse and dry first.  Mandarin oranges are delicate, so toss them gently.
• Dried cranberries:  also known as craisins, are plump, sweet, juicy gems in the salad.  I definitely don’t recommend skipping the craisins, they are a key balancing component, or at least swap them for golden raisins or dried cherries. Craisins are often located next to the salad condiments/toppers at the end of the produce aisle or they’re sold in the bulk bins at Sprouts.
• Green onions: you will need 1 bunch to make ½ cup.  The green onions are less pungent than yellow or red onions with a sweet, onion-y fresh flavor.
• Cilantro: adds a tangy, zesty, citrus flavor.  If you’re one of the 4-14 percent who thinks cilantro tastes like soap, just skip it. If you love it, add more to taste.
• Sesame seeds: add a mild, sweet, and nutty flavor and a satisfying crunch.  Use toasted sesame seed for a stronger almond-like flavor.
• Sunflower seeds:  are a secret ingredient that I add to every salad.  They are addicting on their own which translates into addictive salad!  Make sure to purchase roasted and salted sunflower seeds for the best flavor.

THE DRESSING

• Olive oil: I suggest light olive oil for this recipe because you don’t want the oil flavor pronounced. Light olive oil is a refined oil that has a neutral taste and a higher smoke point. It can be used for baking, sautéing, grilling, and frying.
• Rice vinegar:  is a type of vinegar made from fermented rice. It is typically far less acidic and milder than pure distilled white vinegar and commonly used in dressings and Asian recipes. Look for it next to the other vinegars.  Make sure to use unseasoned/natural rice vinegar – the seasoned is potent!
• Asian sweet chili sauce:  is not to be confused with Asian Chili sauce/paste without the “sweet” – or your mouth will be on fire! Asian sweet chili sauce is sweet and spicy and packed with flavor from red chilies, onion, garlic, brown sugar and fish sauce.  It can be found in the Asian section of your grocery store.  It is sometimes labeled “Thai Sweet Chili Sauce.”
• Soy sauce:  grounds the dressing with its salty umami.  I recommend using reduced sodium soy sauce or reducing the salt in the recipe.
• Sugar:  balances the vinegar to create that sweet and tangy dressing.  Use more or less sugar to taste – some like it sweeter, some like it less sweet.
• Poppy seeds:  are optional but they just add that little something special.  They are nutty and slightly fruity with a pleasant texture.  You can usually find poppy seeds at the grocery store located next to the spices or on Amazon here. They are definitely good to keep stocked and come in handy in other dressings like in fruit salad, strawberry spinach salad, and watermelon feta salad.
• Ginger:  really brings the flavor!  It’s warm, pungent and peppery.  Use  2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger.
• Garlic:  adds a punch of garlicky goodness.   
• Salt and pepper:  round out and enhance the flavors.  Use more or less to taste. 

Recipe Variations

This Ramen Noodle Salad recipe can be as simple or as elaborate as you like. YOU also have the power to customize the dressing.  Here are a few ideas to make this recipe your own:

• Sweeten it up: with additional sugar in the dressing or swap the sugar for honey. 
• Add sweet heat: with additional Asian sweet chili sauce.
• Spice it up:  add sriracha sauce to taste.
• Amp up the garlic and/or ginger: for a stronger punch of flavor.
• Add more crunch: add swap the almonds for roasted peanuts or cashews; take care to purchase raw, unsalted nuts so your Ramen Noodle Salad isn’t too salty.  To elevate your cashews or peanuts, dry roast them in a skillet until toasted-YUM!
• Add chicken:  shred some store-bought rotisserie chicken to make this Ramen Noodle Salad recipe a complete meal. Shred about 2 cups and toss it in some of dressing before adding to the salad so it can soak up more flavor.
• Add vegetables:  you can add any vegetables to this recipe such as snow peas, cucumbers, edamame, celery, or bell peppers. I suggest julienning the vegetables, even the snow peas. Bean sprouts would also be tasty.
• Add edamame: edamame are a type of soybean with a buttery soft bite that are faintly reminiscent of peas with a hint of sweet nuttiness. They pair particularly well with Asian recipes.
• Add water chestnut: they’re delightfully crunchy and easy to find at any grocery store.
• Add or swap herbs.  Add mint, Thai basil or chives in addition or instead of the cilantro and green onions.
• Swap fruit:  swap the Mandarin oranges for pineapple or mangos to keep the fresh, sweet dimension.  Asian pears or Fuji apples would also be tasty sweet and crunchy additions.
• Use Napa cabbage: has a mild and slightly sweet taste. It’s softer and not as crunchy as green cabbage so make sure you eat the salad right away if using.
• Swap ramen:  you would need to call this Ramen Noodle Salad by a different name, but you can swap the ramen for wonton strips or chow Mein noodles.
• Simplify:  I am obsessed with the sweet juiciness the Mandarin oranges and dried cranberries bring, but you may omit them if you like or swap them with another sweet fruit. If you omit the fruit, you will be missing some sweetness so you may need to increase the sugar in the dressing.  You can also skip the sunflower seeds, poppy seeds and sesame seeds if you needed, or just choose one.  

how to make this recipe gluten free  

Ramen noodles are made with flour, wheat and kansui (かん水), but thankfully there are several gluten free options out there. To make this recipe gluten free, use gluten free ramen noodles made from sorghum or millet and brown rice like this one. Use gluten free tamari in place of the soy sauce and double check that the Asian sweet chili sauce is gluten free.

HOW to make ramen noode SALAD

Although the ingredient list is somewhat lengthy, don’t be intimidated by this Ramen Noodle Salad recipe!  It just requires some chopping and whisking the salad ingredients together.  Here’s how to make it:

• Make dressing.  Add all of the dressing ingredients to a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid or a small bowl. Shake jar or whisk dressing vigorously. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Toast ramen and almonds in a skillet or in the oven.  To toast ramen in the oven, spread the ramen and almonds out over a 21 by 15-inch rimmed baking sheet.  Toast in the oven at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes, or until golden, stirring every 3 minutes.  Set aside to cool.
• To toast ramen in the skillet: add half of the noodles and half of the almonds to melted butter in skillet.  Sauté while stirring frequently, until the noodle mixture is golden brown.
• Combine.  Add all salad ingredients to a large bowl. Whisk/shake salad dressing and drizzle desired amount of dressing over salad and toss until well combined. Dig in!

How to thinly slice cabbage

The texture of this Ramen Noodle Cabbage Salad is the star, so make sure to slice the cabbage as thinly as possible.  Here’s how I do it:

• Remove the tougher out leaves of the cabbage, then rinse and dry the cabbage well.
• Place the cabbage on a sturdy flat cutting board.  Locate the stem on the bottom, then cut the entire cabbage through the stem
• Cut the two halves in half to yield quarters. 
• You will now see the core/stem at the bottom of each quarter.  Cut the core out of each quarter.
• Now we’re ready to slice!  Make sure your knife is super sharp. It’s a good idea to sharpen it before slicing.  Lay each cabbage quarter on a flat side, and thinly slice into ribbons.
• Once the cabbage is cut into quarters, you can also use a mandoline to slice the cabbage instead of using a knife. This will yield even more uniform slices and it can be a little quicker than cutting with a knife.

How to Crush the Ramen Noodles

For this Ramen Noodle Salad recipe we want crushed ramen noodles – not tiny bits, but small broken up chunks. Crushed ramen more evenly disperses throughout the salad for maximum crunch. You can crush the ramen while it’s in the packaging with your hands, or I find the easiest method is use a rolling pin.  Remove the blocks of dried ramen from the packaging and transfer them to a freezer size plastic bag.  Use a rolling pin to gently crush the ramen into smaller pieces.

Expert Recipe Tips

• Customize the salad.  This Asian Ramen Noodle Salad is all about making it YOUR favorite salad!  Do this by adding more or less of any of the ingredients to your liking, or omitting some ingredients completely, as long as you have something sweet (like Mandarin oranges/craisins) and plenty of CRUNCH! 
• Chill dressing.  You’ll want to refrigerate your dressing for at least 30 minutes, preferably longer, so the flavors deepen and meld. Cold dressing is also much more appetizing than lukewarm dressing. If you are short on time, pop the dressing in the freezer for 30 minutes than refrigerate beyond that.
• Make the dressing more or less sweet.  Some prefer the dressing sweeter, some like it less sweet.  Do you best to adjust it before you add it to the salad, but it’s also easy to adjust after it’s added to the salad.  You can drizzle on a little rice vinegar for tangier or sprinkle on a little sugar for sweeter, and mix it directly into the salad.
• Don’t skimp on the CRUNCH.  The crunch is the most important part of this Ramen Noodle Salad recipe – so don’t skimp!  The noodles and almonds bring the crunch and I personally love adding sesame seeds and sunflower seeds as well for more diverse crunch.  I realize this is a lot of ingredients, however, so you can skip the sesame seeds and sunflower seeds if you don’t have them on hand and add additional almonds, or crushed peanuts are also awesome.  
• Hold the dressing.  The ramen will start to soften as soon as you add the dressing, so only add it once you’re ready to eat.  
• Serve immediately.  To that end, serve the Asian Ramen Noodle Salad immediately after dressing so it’s at peak freshness.
• Scale to your Needs.   This recipe makes enough for a family meal, but you can easily half the recipe if you prefer. 

HOW TO PREP Asian ramen noodle SALAD AHEAD

This ingredients for this Asian Ramen Noodle Salad can all be prepped ahead of time then combined when ready to serve, for a stress-free lunch or dinner win.  Here’s how:

• Toast ramen:  toast the ramen and almonds, let cool, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
• Combine salad:  most all of the salad ingredients can be sliced/chopped and stored together without becoming soggy; just hold the toasted ramen, almonds and Mandarin oranges.  Store the remaining salad ingredients together in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
• Dressing:  can be whisked together and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

HOW DO I SERVE this recipe so it doesn’t get soggy?

There are three ways to serve this Ramen Noodle Cabbage Salad:

• If not expecting leftovers:  add all of the salad ingredients to a large salad bowl.  You can toss everything together with the dressing or serve it on the side and let everyone dress their own salads.
• If expecting leftovers:  toss all of the salad ingredients together in a large salad bowl except the ramen. Serve the ramen and dressing on the side.  This will prevent the salad from getting as soggy when storing.

HOW TO STORE Asian ramen noodle SALAD

If you plan on storing leftover Asian Ramen Noodle Salad, do not toss the salad with ramen or the dressing otherwise you’ll end up with a soggy salad within a couple hours. Instead, store the salad, ramen and dressing in separate airtight containers. The salad without the dressing will last about 3 days in the refrigerator although the cabbage can soften just a bit.

To store the dressing, transfer it to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to one week. The dressing will separate as it sits so shake or whisk to recombine before using.

ramen noodle SALAD SERVING SUGGESTIONS

How many times have you wondered what side to serve with your Asian dishes besides rice and bok choy?  This Asian Ramen Noodle Salad is the answer!  It’s a bright, fresh addition to any Asian plate but it also goes with practically everything, even non-Asian recipes! It’s a favorite at potlucks, picnics and barbecues alongside all of your favorite cookout foods. So, I guess the more appropriate question is – what doesn’t go with Ramen Noodle Salad?  Here are just a few delicious pairings:

• Serve Ramen Noodle Cabbage Salad as a side to your Asian dishes such as Beef and Broccoli, General Tso’s Chicken, Sweet and Sour Chicken, Mongolian Beef, Chicken Satay, Kung Pao Chicken, Hunan Chicken and on and on.
• Serve Ramen Noodle Salad alongside your favorite grilled proteins or potluck/cookout main dishes such as: Hawaiian Chicken, Honey sriracha Chicken Marinated Flank Steak, Best Burgers,  Grilled Barbecue Chicken, Steak Kabobs, Buffalo Chicken, Marinated Pork Chops, Best Marinated Grilled Chicken and on and on.
• Serve Asian Ramen Noodle Salad as part of your potluck spread alongside other favorite side dishes such as Broccoli Bacon Salad, Potato Salad, Baked Beans,  Italian Tortellini Salad, Greek Pasta Salad, Strawberry Spinach Salad, German Potato Salad, Cucumber Tomato Salad, Corn Salad, Creamy Grape Salad and Perfect Fruit Salad. 

Asian Salad Recipes

If you’re loving this Asian Ramen Salad recipe, here are some more favorites to add to your Asian salad repertoire:

• Asian Salad with Sriracha Peanut Dressing: the crunchy medley of salad ingredients are similar to this Ramen Noodle Cabbage Salad, but the dressing completely changes the flavor profile.  The Sriracha Peanut Dressing is irresistibly creamy, nutty, savory, salty, tangy with a punch (of customizable) heat laced with ginger, garlic, honey, lime and sriracha.  
• Teriyaki Chicken Salad:  turns your favorite chicken into a salad! This to live for salad is loaded with juicy, savory Sweet Chili Teriyaki Chicken, cool, crisp veggies, sweet pineapple, salty macadamia nuts and toasted coconut all doused with fresh tangy Pineapple Sesame Dressing.
• Chinese Chicken Salad: is Ramen Noodle Salad’s adult cousin complete with shredded chicken! It is easy, quick, and refreshing layered with crisp, vibrant veggies, crunchy wonton strips and nuts drizzled with dynamite tangy Sesame Ginger Dressing.
• Vietnamese Noodle Salad:  a refreshing explosion of flavor and texture made with rice vermicelli noodles, juicy lemongrass chicken, fresh slivered vegetables, garnished with crunchy peanuts and fresh cilantro, and drizzled with bright and tangy Vietnamese rice vinegar dressing. 

Ramen Noodle Salad Facts