Quick and crunchy ramen noodle salad made from simple pantry ingredients in about 10 minutes. This crisp salad combines shredded green and red cabbage, matchstick carrots, green onions, toasted peanuts and sesame seeds for an addictive crunch and bright, savory flavor.
Simple recipes can be surprisingly satisfying. If you enjoy this Asian-inspired salad, try other light, fresh dishes like Asian cucumber salad, Asian slaw or a Thai-style chicken salad for more easy one-bowl ideas. For a bolder project, homemade kimchi adds a tangy, fermented punch to any spread.
How to make ramen noodle salad from scratch
- Make the dressing — Whisk together olive oil, rice vinegar, ramen seasoning packets, sugar, ground ginger and toasted sesame seeds until smooth.
- Add the salad ingredients — Toss shredded green cabbage, shredded red cabbage, carrots, green onions, broken dry ramen noodles and toasted peanuts with the dressing.
- Serve immediately — Enjoy right away to preserve the crunchy texture.
What to serve with ramen noodle salad
This salad pairs perfectly with Asian-style mains. Chicken dishes such as spicy jalapeño chicken, Szechuan chicken, bourbon chicken, sesame chicken, mango chicken, orange chicken, honey sesame chicken, black pepper chicken or honey garlic chicken complement the crisp salad well. It also works with beef dishes like ginger beef, Mongolian beef, beef and broccoli or pepper steak. Serve a light Asian soup—egg drop, chicken corn or a simple chicken noodle soup—to round out the meal.
Variations and add-ins
Make this salad your own with simple swaps and additions:
- Broccoli slaw — Substitute shredded broccoli for cabbage for a different texture and flavor.
- Protein — Add cooked chicken (shredded or cubed), shredded beef, steak bites or leftover roast for a heartier main.
- Nuts and seeds — Swap peanuts for cashews, slivered almonds or sunflower seeds.
- Extra vegetables — Add cucumbers, bok choy, bell peppers, broccoli or cauliflower for more color and nutrients.
- Fresh herbs — Toss in basil, parsley or mint to brighten the flavors; fresh herbs improve both taste and presentation.
- Grains — Mix in cooked quinoa to make the salad more filling.
Tips and techniques
Vinegar substitute — If you don’t have rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar makes a fine alternative.
Breaking ramen — Place dry ramen noodle blocks in a resealable bag and crush with a rolling pin to create bite-sized pieces.
Sesame seeds — Use black or white sesame seeds; black seeds add a striking visual contrast.
Toast nuts and seeds — Lightly toasting peanuts and sesame seeds deepens the flavor and increases the crunch.
Serve immediately — For best texture, toss and serve right away; the dry ramen noodles will go soggy if left dressed for long.
Sweetener options — Replace granulated sugar with coconut sugar, honey, maple syrup or agave to suit preferences.
Ramen flavor — Soy sauce or chicken-flavored ramen seasoning works best, but pick any flavor you enjoy. Do not cook the ramen — the raw noodles are the crunchy element.
Storage
Make ahead — For busy days, store the dressing, salad vegetables and dry ramen separately in the refrigerator. Combine and toss just before serving.
Fridge — Fully dressed salad will lose its crunch and is best eaten within a few hours. If left in the fridge, expect the noodles to soften and the vegetables to soften within a day.
Freezer — Do not freeze this salad. Freezing ruins the texture and results in a watery, unappealing dish.
More one-bowl salad ideas
- Mixed green salad
- Cucumber radish salad
- Simple kale salad
- Cucumber tomato salad
- Tomato avocado salad
- Cherry tomato salad
Recipe
One Pot Ramen Noodle Salad
Abeer Rizvi
10
10
6 People
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Ingredients
Ramen Dressing
- ½ cup Olive oil
- 1-2 teaspoon Toasted sesame oil (adjust to taste)
- ¼ cup Rice vinegar
- 2 packets Ramen seasoning packets
- 2-3 tablespoon Granulated sugar (or preferred sweetener)
- ½ teaspoon Ginger powder
- 2 teaspoon Toasted black or white sesame seeds
Salad
- 4 cups Shredded green cabbage
- 2 cups Shredded red cabbage
- 1 cup Shredded carrots
- ½ cup Sliced green onions
- 2 packages Dry ramen noodles, broken into pieces (do not cook)
- ½ cup Toasted peanuts (or slivered almonds)
Instructions
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In a large salad bowl, whisk together olive oil, rice vinegar, ramen seasoning, sugar, ground ginger and toasted sesame seeds until smooth.
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Add shredded green cabbage, shredded red cabbage, carrots, green onions, broken dry ramen noodles and toasted peanuts. Toss until everything is evenly coated with the dressing.
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Serve immediately to enjoy the best crunch. Leftover dressed salad will soften quickly.
Notes
- Follow the tips above for best results.
- For best texture, store dressing, salad and dry noodles separately and combine just before serving. Dressed leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 1 day but noodles will lose their crunch.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 25g
Protein: 7g
Fat: 13g
Sodium: 757mg
An automated tool was used to calculate the nutritional information; values are estimates and may vary.
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