This Ramen Noodle Salad consists of toasted ramen noodles, slivered almonds, and shredded cabbage in a simple, sweet, and savory sesame dressing. It’s easily customizable and perfect for everything from lunch to dinner to potlucks.
About This Recipe
This Asian ramen noodle salad is a classic. It is a delicious fusion of textures, flavors, and unlikely ingredients that somehow work together...beautifully. There’s no going wrong here; everyone loves it. Time-saving shortcuts make this recipe quick and easy, making it ideal for weekday lunches or family gatherings.
- Taste and Texture: Crunchy, buttery toasted ramen with a tangy, sweet, and savory dressing.
- Difficulty: So easy!
- Related Recipe: This Chinese Chicken Salad contains a mixture of greens, shredded chicken, wonton strips, and loads of other crunchy veggies.
- My #1 Tip: Customize, customize, customize! Let this recipe serve as the base for your version of the perfect ramen noodle salad.
Table of Contents
Ingredients and Substitutions
Find the printable recipe with measurements for each ingredient in the recipe card below.
Butter: The dried ramen, almonds, and sesame seeds are toasted in butter before being added to the salad. This enhances their natural flavors, bringing out a deeper, more complex nutty flavor from the almonds and the noodles. If you prefer not to use butter, coconut oil is a good substitute.
Ramen noodles: This recipe recommends using chicken flavor instant ramen noodles, but you can use any flavor you enjoy.
Slivered almonds & Sesame seeds: Toasted with the ramen noodles, the almonds and sesame seeds add an excellent nutty flavor and a nice crunch. Possible substitutes include cashews and peanuts for the almonds and flaxseeds or pumpkin seeds for the sesame seeds.
Coleslaw Mix: For convenience, this recipe uses pre-chopped coleslaw mix, which includes primarily green cabbage and, in smaller amounts, red cabbage and carrots. If preferred, make your own up to two days ahead with a combination of green cabbage, Napa cabbage, red cabbage, Romaine lettuce, shredded carrots, and/or cilantro. For best results, keep the washed and dried greens stored in a ziplock bag with as much air removed as possible.
Sliced Green Onions: Sliced green onions are fresh and a little spicy. They help cut through the sweetness of the dressing. Chives are a great substitute.
Sesame Dressing: The dressing consists of vegetable oil, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, and the seasoning packet from the ramen noodle package. Use canola oil or light olive oil in place of the vegetable oil and substitute regular soy sauce for a gluten-free alternative (such as tamari), if desired. The seasoning packet adds salty, savory chicken flavor. Feel free to omit it from the dressing if you prefer not to use it.
Variations and Additions
Enjoy this salad exactly as written, or add a little bit of everything you love! Below are some recommended additions, but feel free to include whatever you have lurking in your refrigerator or pantry.
- Protein: Transform this ramen noodle salad into a satisfying main dish with grilled or baked chicken, shredded chicken, shrimp, teriyaki beef, baked salmon, or tofu.
- Veggies: Sugar snap peas, sliced cucumber, sweet bell pepper, blanched broccoli florets, bean sprouts, and edamame.
- Fruit: Canned or fresh Mandarin oranges are my go-to, but sometimes I’ll include grapes or apples for a touch of sweetness.
How to Make Ramen Noodle Salad
1. Toast the ramen and almonds. Melt the butter in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the crushed ramen noodles and slivered almonds and cook until they are toasted and golden about 3 minutes. Add the sesame seeds and cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously.
2. Set aside to cool. Remove the toasted ramen noodles, almonds, and sesame seeds into a large bowl. Set aside to cool for 20-30 minutes.
3. Prepare the dressing. Place the oil, vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, and sugar in a medium bowl or container with an airtight lid. Whisk well or shake vigorously until combined. Season to taste.
4. Combine. Gently toss the coleslaw mix, green onions, cooled ramen, almonds, and the prepared dressing in a large bowl. For softer noodles, assemble the salad up to two hours in advance and store it in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
5. Serve. Serve with sliced green onions and sesame seeds for garnish if desired.
What to Serve With Asian Ramen Noodle Salad
This salad pairs well with a variety of dishes. Here are some of my top recommendations:
- Serve it with grilled chicken, beef, pork, or shrimp. The smoky flavor of the grilled meats complements the tangy sweetness of the dressing and the freshness of the salad.
- Enjoy it with your favorite Asian side dishes and appetizers, including fresh spring rolls, fried egg rolls, potstickers (gyoza) with gyoza dipping sauce, and edamame.
- Soup! What’s better than soup and salad? Soothing miso soup or this easy egg drop soup are both excellent choices.
Storage and Leftovers
Store leftover ramen noodle salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. If the salad has already been tossed with the dressing, expect the cabbage and noodles to soften the longer it sits.
Make-Ahead Tips
- Prepare the dressing up to 5 days in advance. Store it in an airtight jar or container in the refrigerator and shake well before using.
- Toast the ramen noodles, almonds, and sesame seeds up to 2 days in advance. Store in an airtight container to maintain their freshness.
RECIPE CARD
Ramen Noodle Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon salted butter
- 2 (3-ounce) packages chicken-flavored ramen noodles - seasoning packet removed and reserved and the noodles crushed
- ½ cup slivered almonds
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 (16-ounce) bag coleslaw mix
- ½ cup green onions - chopped
For the Dressing:
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon sugar - plus more to taste
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the crushed ramen noodles and slivered almonds and cook until they are toasted and golden about 3 minutes. Add the sesame seeds and cook for an additional 1 minute, stirring continuously.
- Remove the toasted ramen noodles, almonds, and sesame seeds into a large bowl. Set aside to cool for 20-30 minutes.
- Place the oil, vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, and reserved seasoning packet in a medium bowl or container with an airtight lid. Whisk well or shake vigorously until combined. Season to taste.
- Gently toss the coleslaw mix, green onions, toasted ramen and almonds, and the prepared dressing in a large bowl. For softer noodles, assemble the salad up to two hours in advance and store it in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Serve with sliced green onions and sesame seeds for garnish if desired.
Jessica’s Notes
- Instead of butter, try using coconut oil.
- I recommend using chicken flavor instant ramen noodles, but you can use any flavor you enjoy.
- Swap the almonds for cashews and peanuts and flaxseeds or pumpkin seeds for the sesame seeds.
- You can make your own coleslaw mix up to two days ahead with a combination of green, Napa, and red cabbage, Romaine lettuce, shredded carrots, and/or cilantro. For best results, store the washed and dried greens in a ziplock bag with as much air removed as possible.
- For the dressing, use canola oil or light olive oil in place of the vegetable oil and substitute regular soy sauce for a gluten-free alternative (such as tamari). The seasoning packet adds salty, savory chicken flavor. Feel free to omit the seasoning packer from the dressing if you prefer not to use it.
- For softer noodles, assemble the salad up to two hours in advance and store it in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Prepare the dressing up to 5 days in advance. Store it in an airtight jar or container in the refrigerator and shake well before using.
- Toast the ramen noodles, almonds, and sesame seeds up to 2 days in advance. Store in an airtight container to maintain their freshness.
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
Are the ramen noodles cooked? Uncooked? Crumbled?
The uncooked noodles are crumbled 🙂