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This ramen salad recipe is a crunchy Asian noodle salad with fresh coleslaw, crispy toasted almonds, and sesame seeds tossed in an umami-packed dressing. It’s a classic side dish, and a summer staple in our house!
I’m retiring cozy favorites like beef ramen and chicken ramen noodles as we move into warmer weather, making way for summer-ready recipes like this crunchy ramen salad!
Move over, macaroni salad. I’m all about ramen salad this summer. This fresh and crunchy Asian ramen noodle salad recipe is a Midwestern favorite, and it’s the definition of “loaded with flavor.” Ramen salad is very easy to make with a package of ramen noodles, seasoning, toasty nuts, seeds, and crispy coleslaw, tossed in the most mouthwatering sweet-tangy dressing. 🔥
Why You’ll Love This Ramen Noodle Salad Recipe
- Fresh and flavorful. I love the sweet-meets-salty honey soy dressing in this recipe. You make it with the seasoning packet from the ramen, and it’s an umami bomb paired with fresh crunchy cabbage slaw, toasted ramen noodles, pumpkin seeds, and sesame.
- Quick. I usually prepare the dressing while the ramen noodles and the seeds toast in the oven. By the time the noodles are ready, all that’s left to do is toss everything together in a bowl.
- All occasions. This ramen salad tastes better with a little time in the fridge. It’s a great candidate for potlucks, cookouts, holidays, and picnics this summer.
- Adaptable. There are plenty of ways to adapt this ramen salad recipe and the dressing to make it exactly how you’d like it. I often toss the finished salad with leafy greens to make it more of a green salad (that’s also my pro-tip for bulking it up for a party!).
What Is a Ramen Salad?
Ramen salad is a classic Midwestern recipe. Instead of pasta, you make it with packages of uncooked ramen noodles and a handful of easy ingredients tossed in a zesty dressing made with the ramen seasoning.
Ingredients You’ll Need
If you’ve never eaten ramen salad before, the idea of uncooked ramen noodles in a salad might sound a bit out there. But, I promise, it’s delicious! Plus, this recipe toasts the ramen to bring out the flavor. It’s downright addictive.
Below are some notes on the ingredients. Scroll to the recipe card where you’ll find the printable recipe followed by a photo step-by-step.
- Ramen Noodles – You’ll need a package of ramen noodles. Choose whichever flavor you’d like, keeping in mind that the ramen’s spice mix will affect the flavor of your salad. I usually go for the chicken-flavored kind.
- Slivered Almonds – Or whole almonds, chopped. Feel free to replace almonds with another nut, like crushed walnuts, peanuts, or pecans.
- Seeds – I use a combination of raw unsalted pumpkin seeds (pepitas) and sesame seeds. You can also use sunflower seeds.
- Coleslaw Mix – I usually buy the mix that has green and purple cabbage and carrots. If your mix doesn’t come with carrots, you can grate two medium carrots and stir them in. Another option is to use a broccoli coleslaw mix for a broccoli ramen salad.
- Spring Onions – Thinly sliced.
For the Dressing
- Seasoning – Save the seasoning packet from the ramen noodle package. You’ll also need salt and pepper to taste.
- Olive Oil and Sesame Oil – You can use olive oil or another oil as the base, but there’s really no substitute for sesame oil. You’ll find regular or toasted sesame oil in most grocery stores or Asian supermarkets.
- Rice Vinegar – You can also use white or red wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar.
- Soy Sauce – I like to use light or low-sodium soy sauce, but the regular kind works, too. Substitute tamari or coconut aminos if needed.
- Honey – Or another sweetener, like agave syrup or granulated sugar.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t break up the ramen noodles barehanded. Speaking from experience after doing so gave me blisters! 🤦♀️ Use the bag that the noodles came in, or transfer them to a zip-lock bag and THEN crush them up.
- Make it spicy. Add a little chili oil or sriracha to the dressing, or sprinkle over crushed red pepper flakes.
- Make it in advance. You can toss the coleslaw with the dressing up to a day in advance, though I recommend adding the toasted noodles, almonds, and sesame seeds just before serving.
- Turn it into a green salad. Serve this ramen salad over a bed of leafy greens like romaine, spinach, arugula, or mixed greens.
- More add-ins. Chuck in edamame beans, dried cranberries, and fresh fruit like chopped strawberries.
Serving Suggestions
I like to top my ramen salad with juicy canned mandarin oranges, and serve it as a side to dishes like chicken katsu, chicken teriyaki, and homemade maki rolls. And, just ask anyone in the Midwest, it’s also a refreshing side dish to non-Asian meals! Serve it as an alternative to pasta salad with salmon burgers or turkey burgers and grilled corn on the cob in the summertime. Or, take it along to a 4th of July BBQ with a pitcher of white wine sangria and strawberry crumble for dessert!
How to Store
The ramen noodles soften as the salad sits, so it’s best enjoyed on the day it’s made. Keeping this in mind, you can store leftovers covered in the fridge for a day or two.
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Ramen Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the ramen salad:
- 3 ounce package of ramen noodles, (chicken flavor)
- ½ cup slivered almonds
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 5 cups coleslaw mix, green and purple cabbage and carrots*
- 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
For the dressing:
- spice seasoning packet from the ramen noodles
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon sesame seed oil
- 4 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey, or agave syrup
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Break and bake the noodles. Crush the ramen noodles into small pieces, either in the bag they came in or using a zip-lock bag. Spread the crushed ramen noodles onto the baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the ramen noodles from the oven and give them a stir.
- Add the other ingredients. Add slivered almonds, pumpkin, and sesame seeds to the ramen noodles and bake for another 5 minutes. Set the ramen noodles aside while you make the dressing.
- Make the dressing. Whisk the spice seasoning (from the noodles package), olive oil, sesame seed oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Assemble the salad. In a large bowl, combine the coleslaw mix, spring onions, ramen noodles, slivered almonds, sesame seeds, and pumpkin seeds. Pour the dressing over the salad. Stir well to combine.
- Serve. Serve the salad as desired (briefly chilled or at room temperature).
Notes
- Do not break ramen noodles with bare hands. Use a bag they came in or a zip-lock bag. I got a blister on my thumb by doing it barehanded.
- You can use the desired flavor of the ramen noodles. The spice mix, which you’ll use to make the dressing, will affect the overall flavor of the salad.
- If your coleslaw does not come with carrots, you can grate two medium carrots*.
- To add some heat to this salad, add chili oil to the dressing.
- Fruits like oranges or mandarins are a great addition to the salad.
- This salad works well with mixed green salad.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make Ramen Salad
You can prep most of the salad ingredients at the same time. Toast the ramen and seeds in the oven while you whisk up the dressing and shred the carrots for the slaw (if needed). Follow the steps here:
- Break up the ramen noodles. Start by crushing the ramen noodles, either inside the bag that they came in or in a resealable zip-top bag. Spread the broken noodles onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake. Bake the ramen noodles in a 350ºF oven for 10 minutes. Afterward, stir the noodles and add the almonds, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds to the pan. Bake again, this time for 5 minutes. Set the toasted ingredients aside while you make the dressing.
- Mix the dressing. Next, whisk the ramen seasoning with the rest of the dressing ingredients in a bowl.
- Assemble the salad. Add the coleslaw mix and onions to a bowl with the toasted ramen noodles and seeds. Finally, pour over the dressing and fold everything together to combine. Serve right away, or chill the salad in the fridge until you’re ready to eat.
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