Our Ramen Salad is crunchy, tangy, and packed with fresh cabbage, carrots, and sweet mandarin oranges. It’s the kind of easy salad that disappears fast, because that crunch from the toasted almonds and dry ramen mix keeps everyone going back for more.
One bite and you’ll get why this stays in my rotation.
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The first time I tried Ramen Salad at a cookout back in the 90s, it disappeared so fast I barely got a scoop. That told me everything I needed to know about this dish!
Since then, I’ve made it for countless parties and potlucks, and it’s never failed to win people over.
My version keeps it simple, with toasted ramen, almonds, and sesame seeds for crunch, and a tangy dressing that ties it all together. Fast, easy, and always a hit.
It’s a quick dish that’s perfect for weeknights but still has that special something you can show off at a family gathering.
And it’s made with simple ingredients you’ll find at any grocery store, so no hunting down anything fancy.
If you love salads that are a little out of the ordinary, don’t miss my Big Mac Salad, Pea Salad, Broccoli Salad, Tortellini Pasta Salad, and classic 7 Layer Salad. They’ve all got that same “not your average salad” charm, and you’ll want to make them again and again.
Ingredients
Gather the ingredients to prepare our Ramen Salad recipe. Culinary professionals call this the “Mise en Place,” which means “everything in its Place.”
Setting up your ingredients not only helps speed up the cooking process but also ensures you have all the necessary ingredients on hand to make the recipe.
Can I Make Adjustments to the Recipe?
We make our Ramen Noodle Salad recipe with green cabbage and carrots, but you can save time by using a bag of plain shredded coleslaw mix. You could also try red cabbage or purple cabbage for a pop of color, even adding some chopped red bell pepper, too. They’ll all work beautifully with the tangy homemade dressing.
If you don’t have honey, swap in maple syrup for a straight replacement. Sugar works in a pinch if that’s all you’ve got, but it won’t blend as smoothly.
Adding a splash of sesame oil to the dressing ingredients is another excellent addition that gives the salad a nutty depth.
And if you’d like to lighten it up, olive oil makes an easy stand-in for vegetable oil.
For extra crunch, toss in sunflower seeds, cashews, or swap the sliced almonds for slivered almonds if you like a chunkier bite.
You can make it a complete meal by adding rotisserie chicken or cooked chicken breast, turning this crunchy salad from a great side dish into a main dish your whole family will love.
Recipe Variations
- Southwest: Add black beans, corn, and a lime-cilantro dressing.
- Thai-Inspired: Toss with peanut sauce, cilantro, and chopped peanuts.
- Fruity: Add pineapple and/or blueberries.
- Nutty: Add sugared pecans and bleu cheese crumbles.
How to Make Ramen Noodle Salad
Follow along with my simple step-by-step instructions to learn how to make Ramen Noodle Salad in your home kitchen.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Add the rice vinegar, oil, honey, soy sauce, table salt, and black pepper to a small bowl.
- Whisk to combine and set aside until needed.
- Crumble the ramen noodles and place them along with the sliced almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Place the baking sheet on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 5 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle in the sesame seeds.
- Return the pan to the oven and bake for 1-2 minutes. Be careful not to let the mixture burn.
Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the mixture to a large plate to cool.
- Add the cabbage, carrots, scallions, toasted ramen, sesame seeds, and almonds to a large bowl.
- Toss to combine the ingredients.
- Add the dressing to the mixture.
- Toss to combine and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Our crunchy Ramen Noodle Salad is perfect for potluck tables, and it’s also a great addition to burgers on the grill or sandwiches at the park.
It’s the kind of side that’s always easy, tasty, and gone before you know it!
How to Store Ramen Salad
Store leftover Ramen Salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
The noodles and almonds will begin to lose their crunch after sitting in the dressing, so it’s best enjoyed soon after making.
Ramen Salad doesn’t freeze well because the fresh cabbage and carrots turn watery when thawed.
Recipe FAQs
Keep the parts separate until you’re ready to serve. Store the toasted ramen and almonds in one airtight container, the fresh vegetables in another, and the dressing in a small jar. When it’s time to eat, toss everything together, and you’ll get that fresh, crunchy salad just like it was made on the spot.
Cabbage naturally softens and releases liquid once it’s been mixed with dressing and chilled. That’s completely normal and doesn’t hurt the flavor. Just give the salad a good toss before serving, and it’ll still taste crisp and fresh.
I don’t recommend it. The flavor packet is packed with salt and artificial flavorings, which would throw off the balance of the salad. Our tangy Asian dressing gives you all the flavor you need without overpowering the fresh ingredients.
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Ramen Noodle Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or avocado, safflower, sunflower, or corn oil
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce -or regular
- ¼ teaspoon table salt -to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper -to taste
Ramen Salad
- 1 package ramen noodles 3 ounces
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 3 cups green cabbage -finely shredded and chopped
- 1 cup carrots -shredded
- 4 ea scallions -sliced thin (trim the scallion and cut the whole scallion down into slices)
- ¾ cup Mandarin oranges for garnish
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Instructions
Dressing
- Add the rice vinegar, oil, honey, soy sauce, table salt, and black pepper to a small bowl.
- Whisk to combine and set aside until needed.
Ramen Salad
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Crumble the ramen noodles and place them along with the sliced almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Place the baking sheet on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 5 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle in the sesame seeds. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 1-2 minutes. Be careful not to let the mixture burn.
- Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the mixture to a large plate to cool.
- Add the cabbage, carrots, scallions, toasted ramen, sesame seeds, and almonds to a large bowl.
- Add the dressing to the mixture and toss to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.Make sure to stir the dressing before adding it to the salad.
Notes
- Southwest: Add black beans, corn, and a lime-cilantro dressing.
- Thai-Inspired: Toss with peanut sauce, cilantro, and chopped peanuts.
- Fruity: Add pineapple and/or blueberries.
- Nutty: Add sugared pecans and bleu cheese crumbles.
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