If it’s summer or a holiday meal, in the Midwest you are likely to find an Asian Ramen Noodle Salad adorning the food table. The cabbage slaw, toasted ramen noodles and sesame dressing of this Midwest classic lends well to mixing and matching any combination of salad add-ins. Warning, this Asian Ramen Noodle Salad recipe with 5 variations is quick, easy and highly addictive.
If you happen have a cookbook from a church or social club published in the 90’s, I bet you will find a ramen noodle salad recipe. If Tik Tok would have been a thing back then, I am sure the recipe would have gone viral.
These recipes usually call for a can of mandarin oranges, a dressing sweetened with sugar (and a lot of it), and butter to toast the ramen noodles.
I set out to recreate this Midwest classic for two people, and make it a bit healthier - by updating with fresh fruit and vegetables – all while keeping the iconic toasted ramen noodle taste and texture.
One more thing to love about this salad is it comes together in the same 10-minutes it takes to toast the ramen noodles in the oven.
Serve it as a side dish with Iowa loose meat sandwiches, Maple-glazed pork sliders, bbq pulled pork sliders or add some grilled spatchcock chicken to the salad and serve as an entrée. It is so addicting, this may become your go-to side salad and with 5 variations to choose from, it will feel like a new salad every time!
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What you'll need
This recipe comes together in no time, but let’s quickly review the ingredients needed for the cabbage slaw and the sesame dressing.
For the cabbage and ramen noodles:
- Cabbage slaw mix – keep it simple and purchase a package of slaw mix or grab a head of napa cabbage and slice it thinly for your slaw base.
- Ramen noodles – any packet of ramen noodles will work here. Don’t worry about the flavor as you will not use the seasoning packet. There are gluten-free ramen noodles available at most local grocery stores.
- Toasted black sesame seeds (optional)
Sesame salad dressing ingredients:
- Avocado oil or use any light cooking oil like vegetable oil or sunflower oil
- Honey – we are ditching the sugar and using honey to bring sweetness to this dressing. Of course, you can use any sweetener that you prefer.
- Apple cider vinegar – We are looking for a light fruit-infused vinegar to use in the dressing. Consider alternatives like a pear-infused or rice vinegar.
- Soy sauce
- Toasted sesame oil
- Salt and black pepper
Note: See recipe card below for quantities.
5 variations for Ramen Noodle Salad add-ins
Part of the fun is to mix and match what to add to the salad, here are some of our favorite combinations.
Mange, Edamame and Avocado Variation #1:
- Fresh mango – buying already pre-cut mango is a great shortcut. Want to peel and cut a fresh mango? Watch our video on how to peel and cut a mango.
- Frozen edamame that has been shelled. We will cook the edamame before adding to the salad.
- Green onion
- Avocado
- Toasted sliced almonds
Avocado, pineapple and sweet pepper variation #2:
- Fresh pineapple
- Sweet peppers – I like to use a combination of yellow, red and orange.
- Cilantro
- Avocado
- Red onion
- Sliced almonds
Mandarin orange, pistachio and spinach variation #3:
- Mandarin oranges – I like to use fresh but the canned mandarin oranges are a great shortcut
- Fresh baby spinach
- Red onion
- Toasted pistachio’s
Sweet pepper and cucumber variation 4:
- Cucumber
- Red, yellow and/or orange sweet peppers
- Fresh parsley
- Fresh mint
- Green onion
- Toasted and salted pepito’s – I find these in the bulk section at my local grocery store.
Apple and currant variation 5:
- Apple – a honey crisp is my go-to apple for any salad. Use a variety that you like best.
- Green onion
- Currants – no currants on hand? Use dried cranberries or raisins.
- Toasted and salted pepitas
How to make Asian Ramen Noodle Salad
So, gather your salad ingredients, and let’s get started!
Crumble and Toast Ramen Noodles. Before you open the ramen noodle package we will crush the noodles using a kitchen mallet or rolling pin.
Now open the package, discard the seasoning packet and spread the crushed noodles onto a baking sheet. Sprinkle the sliced almonds over the crushed noodles, toasting in the oven for about 10 minutes until the noodles are lightly golden.
Toss together salad ingredients. Add all your salad ingredients in a large mixing bowl, drizzle with the vinaigrette, toss until all the ingredients are evenly coated. Tossing the ingredients 30 minutes before serving allows the sesame dressing to soak into the cabbage adding a boost of Asian flavor.
Make ahead and storage
This salad is perfect to assemble ahead of time. You can toss all your salad ingredients (holding back the sesame dressing and ramen noodles) in a medium sized bowl, and store, covered, in the refrigerator. Store your undressed salad for no more than 3 days – after which ingredients will begin to lose their fresh taste and crisp texture.
30 minutes before serving, remove the chilled salad from the refrigerator, add the toasted ramen and nut mixture and toss with the dressing. This will allow enough time for the yummy sesame dressing to flavor the cabbage leaving the noodles crunchy. A dressed salad can be set out at room temperature for up to 3 hours.
You can refrigerate leftover dressed salad, but the noodles will begin to soften overnight.
Store the sesame dressing, separately in an airtight container, like a small mason jar in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Store the toasted ramen and nuts in an airtight container at room temperature, up to one week.
Tips to make this recipe
Want to know the secret to making the perfect crunchy Asian ramen salad? Here are some of my best tips that I’ve learned making all 5 of the variations again and again.
- Spread your crumbled ramen noodles and nuts on the baking sheet – dry (no butter, no oil) and toast them for about 10 minutes until lightly golden.
- Mix and match salad ingredients with confidence, but to get started use one of the 5 variations found in the recipe card.
- Use a package of shredded cabbage and pre-cut fresh fruit as time savers.
- Try using napa cabbage in place of the pre-packaged green cabbage slaw mix for a more delicate cabbage flavor and texture.
Common questions about this recipe
You’ve got questions... I’ve got answers! If you have a question about this recipe that isn’t answered below, feel free to leave it in the comments, and I’ll jump in there to help you out.
Napa cabbage is less firm than green cabbage with a more delicate taste and texture.
Yes, toss together all the prepared salad ingredients (holding back the dressing and toasted ramen noodles and nuts), in the refrigerator. 30 minutes before serving add toasted ramen and nuts then toss with dressing.
This salad can hold for 3-hours at room temperature. There are no dairy ingredients that require refrigeration. The only downside is the toasted ramen will begin to soften as it soaks up the sesame dressing – losing some of it’s crunch.
Yes, you can double, triple – make as much or as little as you want. This salad is perfect for one, two or when taking to a potluck. Adjust the servings in the recipe card and the measurements and quantities will update automatically, no mental math required.
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Related
Looking for other sides and salad recipes for two? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with an Asian Ramen Noodle Salad Variation:
Ramen Noodle Salad with 5 Asian Variations
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Equipment
Ingredients
Cabbage Slaw Ingredients:
- 8 ounces bag coleslaw mix or ½ head of finely chopped napa cabbage
- 3 ounces packaged ramen noodles, crumbled (you will not use the seasoning package)
Sesame Honey Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup avocado oil, vegetable oil, or any cooking oil
- 3 Tablespoons honey or desired sweetener
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar or pear-infused, or rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- ¼ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- Pinch of salt and black pepper
Mango, Edamame and Avocado Variation:
- ¼ cup thinly-sliced almonds
- ½ cup shelled and cooked edamame
- ½ avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
- ½ mango, peeled, pitted and julienned (or diced)
- ¼ cup thinly-sliced green onions
Avocado, Pineapple & Sweet Pepper Variation
- ¼ cup thinly sliced almonds
- ½ avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
- ½ cup pineapple, peeled cored and diced
- ¼ cup red, orange and/or yellow sweet peppers, diced
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
- ¼ cup red onion, diced
Mandarin Orange, Pistachio and Spinach Variation:
- ¼ cup pistachios, shelled
- 1 mandarin orange, peeled and segmented, or more, if desired
- ¼ cup baby spinach leaves, packed
- ¼ cup red onion, diced
Sweet Pepper and Cucumber Variation:
- ¼ cup pepitas or sunflower seeds
- ½ small cucumber, halved, seeded, diced
- ¼ cup mint, chopped
- ¼ cup parsley, chopped
- ¼ cup thinly sliced green onions
Apple and Currant Variation
- ¼ cup pepitas or sunflower seeds
- 1 apple, cored, diced.
- ¼ cup dried currants or raisins
- ¼ cup thinly sliced green onions
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Spread the crumbled ramen noodles and nuts out on a baking sheet, stir a bit to combine. Bake for about 5 minutes, or until the nuts and noodles are slight toasted and golden. Remove baking sheet and give the mixture a good stir to toss. Then return pan to the oven and toast for about 3 more minutes. Keep a close eye on the mixture to avoid burning. Remove from oven and set aside. Toasted ramen mixture can be cooled and stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Make the Vinaigrette. Whisk all the dressing ingredients together until combined. Store in airtight container and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 2 weeks.
- Add any variation of “add in” ingredients to a medium mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate until 30 minutes before ready to serve, or up to 3 days.
- To serve: 30 minutes before serving, remove chilled salad ingredients from refrigerator, add toasted ramen mixture, and toss with sesame honey vinaigrette. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, if desired.
Video
Notes
You can use any kind of packaged ramen noodles for this recipe.
Toasted Sesame seeds make a fantastic garnish! Note: Nutritional information is based on Mango, Edamame and Avocado Variation.
Your Notes, Tips and Tricks
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Martha Pomerantz says
This is fabulous. Pam made it one night and brought to our house. I can’t wait to make it for some upcoming dinners. It will be a big hit!!
Pam Werley says
Thanks Martha!