This simple Asian inspired coleslaw is packed with fresh flavors and topped with crunchy ramen and toasted almonds. It makes a tangy side dish or burger topping!
Ramen Noodle Salad (aka Asian Coleslaw)
Ramen Noodle Slaw salad was a very popular dish at potlucks and picnics where I grew up. I used to make it quite often but over the years had kind of forgotten about it.
I recently came across Granny’s handwritten recipe in her recipe box and decided to give it a try. Granny was a big fan, and this was her personal recipe that she made for years. Her recipe card was titled “Slaw Salad” and I remember it being delicious and a big hit when she made it. In fact, Granny’s friends always used to ask for the recipe!
In my first attempt to re-create the recipe, I tried to go gluten-free and use rice noodles instead of the traditional wheat ramen noodles. That did NOT work!
However, I made it again and followed the original recipe exactly and boy what a difference. It was exactly how I remembered it…AMAZING!
This Asian inspired coleslaw is a satisfying mix of crunch, sweet, salty, and vinegar flavors. It is also very easy to make if you are using bagged cabbage or coleslaw. Even with browning the noodles and almonds it only took me about 10 minutes of prep time to put it all together.
I included the proportion for the original dressing recipe. It makes a lot of dressing, so I halved the amounts and it still seemed like plenty. I have seen in other recipes that you can include the seasoning packet from the ramen noodles in the dressing. I haven’t tried that myself but it sounds like it could make the salad even more flavorful.
–Sara
Ingredients
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For the Salad
- 2 packages of Ramen noodles
- ¼ stick of butter
- 1 Bag of shredded cabbage or broccoli slaw
- 5 green onions, sliced fine
- ½ cup sliced almonds (or ¼ cup almonds and ¼ cup roasted sunflower seeds)
For the Dressing
- 1 cup of oil
- 2/3 cup of sugar
- 2 Tablespoons of soy sauce
- ¼ cup cider vinegar (rice vinegar would probably be great too but I know we didn’t have access to that back in the day.)
Helpful Kitchen Tools
- Medium or Large Skillet
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Small mixing bowl
- Whisk
Instructions
- In a large skillet, melt the butter. Crumble the Ramen noodles into the melting butter and sauté until the noodles are golden brown in color. Remove from pan and allow to cool.
- Now in the skillet, toast the sliced almonds over low to medium heat until light brown. Watch carefully so they don’t burn. Remove from the pan and allow to cool.
- In a small bowl, whisk together salad dressing ingredients.
- Add the coleslaw mix, green onions, toasted almonds, and ramen noodles to a large bowl or salad bowl. Pour in the dressing and toss everything together gently. Refrigerate for about an hour.
Prep Tips
- This salad is best eaten within a couple of days as the ingredients can get soggy.
- Want to spice things up? Sprinkle about a teaspoon of red chili flakes on top.
- Adding a Tablespoon of toasted sesame oil to the dressing creates a rich umami flavor to this dish. If doing so, I recommend removing an equal amount of regular oil from the dressing so it isn’t too oily. Alternatively, you can add a sprinkle of sesame seeds to the salad for a bit of this same taste.
- If you prefer not to purchase bagged slaw mix, and instead want to shred your own cabbage, a blend of Napa cabbage and purple cabbage works great for this recipe.
- Want to add more veggies and make it a hearty salad? You can add extra carrots, sliced snow peas, purple cabbage, sliced red peppers, or cilantro to load up on even more color and flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Best Type of Ramen to Use?
The best ramen for this salad is in those inexpensive packets found in most grocery stores. That ramen is precooked and freeze dried and so it sautés up crunchy and edible. Other types of noodles can just become hard and inedible.veg
Can You Make Ramen Noodle Salad in Advance?
You could probably make this the night before your plan to serve it and keep refrigerated, but I don’t recommend trying to prepare it too far in advance. Both the lettuce and the noodles will become soggy if they sit in the dressing too long. If you’re planning on making more than a couple hours a head of time, I recommend making the dressing separately and storing in a jar. When you’re ready to serve, shake the dressing, pour on the salad, and toss to coat.
More Potluck Side Dish Recipes To Try
- Creamy Grape Salad
- Southern Baked Beans
- Broccoli Bacon Salad
- Creamy Bacon Tomato Pasta Salad
- Homemade Potato Salad
- Granny’s 7 Layer Pea Salad
- Frito Corn Salad
Asian Coleslaw Recipe (Printable Recipe Card)
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Asian Coleslaw Recipe
Equipment
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 large skillet
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 2 packages Ramen noodles
- 2 TB butter 1/4 stick
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted or dry roasted sunflower seeds
- 1 bag coleslaw mix or shredded cabbage or broccoli slaw
- 5 stalks green onions thinly sliced
Dressing Ingredients
- 1 cup oil
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 1/4 cup vinegar can use cider, rice, or white vinegar
Instructions
- In a large skillet, melt the butter. Crumble the Ramen noodles into the melting butter. Saute until the noodles are tan. Remove from pan and allow to cool.
- Now in the skillet, toast the sliced almonds over low to medium heat until light brown. Watch carefully so they don’t burn. Allow to cool.
- Whisk salad dressing ingredients together until sugar is dissolved.
- Add coleslaw mix, green onions, ramen noodles, and toasted almonds to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the dressing and gently mix all the ingredients together. Refrigerate for about an hour.
Notes
Nutrition
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