Ramen Noodle Salad is a classic comfort food and side dish for any summer cookout or potluck. This Old-Fashioned Ramen Noodle Salad is always a big hit and perfect for BBQs and holiday dinners.
Ramen Noodle Salad
This is the kind of potluck recipe that I grew up on. Every church potluck had some version of it and every family reunion wasn’t complete without it. If you grew up in the midwest, it’s sure to bring back feelings of happy times and nostalgia for times past.
With crunchy ramen noodles, summer vegetables, raisins, nuts, and a sweet but tangy dressing, it’s a side dish that everyone will enjoy.
Why I like this recipe for Ramen Noodle Salad:
- It’s a recipe that stands the test of time – A true classic
- Full of delicious flavors and tastes
- Goes well with most summer cookout dishes
FAQ’s
Make-Ahead and Storage:
When the noodles are added this side dish is one that should be served right away. Otherwise, the noodles will start to absorb moisture from the dressing and other vegetables and get soggy
Making Ahead
If you want to make this ahead of time, you can prepare the salad with everything but the ramen noodles. Cover and refrigerate for a day or two. When ready, fold in the ramen noodles and serve
How Can I turn Ramen Noodle Salad into a Main Dish?
Add grilled chicken, shrimp, or pork to ramen noodle salad and serve it as a delicious meal
Is Ramen Noodle Salad a Healthy Side Dish?
Aside from oil, and sugar, most ingredients are quite healthy. Use olive oil in place of vegetable oil to make it an even healthier option
What Else Can I Add Ramen Noodles to?
Raw Ramen Noodles: Ramen noodles proved a great crunch and texture to most recipes.
- Add them crumbled to salads
- Use broken chunks as a crunchy chip for dips
- Add them to a homemade trail mix as a nice crunch
Cooked Ramen Noodles: Ramen Noodles are really a type of pasta. They cook up quickly and can be used in most pasta dishes the same way you would use other shaped pasta.
- Add them to the top of chili for a Cincinnati chili flair
- add butter and salt for a quick noodles and butter meal
- drizzle olive oil over cooked noodles, add chives, and feta or goat cheese
- mix in butter and cheddar cheese
Variations and Add-Ins to Ramen Noodle Salad
- sesame seeds
- red cabbage
- use shredded cole slaw mix in place of cabbage
- sugar snap peas
- shredded carrots
- chopped red onion
- walnut pieces
- slivered almonds
- pecan pieces and halves
- raisins
- chives
- mandarin oranges
- add cooked chicken
- mix in grilled shrimp
- grilled pork slices
- broccoli florets
- green bell pepper chopped
- sesame seeds
Tips and Tricks for making this recipe:
- This salad is a great base for experimenting with flavors – Add vegetables straight from the garden for the ultimate fresh summer flavors
- Hold off on adding the dressing until you are ready to serve this side salad
- Remember that once the raw noodles take on moisture from either the dressing, the fridge, or the vegetables they will start to get soggy, so serve this salad relatively quickly
What Ingredients do you need for Ramen Noodle Salad?
Ingredients:
- shredded green and red cabbage – you can use a shredded cole slaw mix or broccoli slaw instead
- green onions
- salted sunflower seeds – the salt pairs well with the sweet and tangy dressing
- slivered almonds or walnuts – you can toast the nuts, but it is not necessary
- raisins
- dry crunchy ramen noodles
- vegetable oil – you can use sesame oil instead
- rice vinegar
- granulated sugar
- honey
How do you prepare Ramen Noodle Salad?
Instructions:
- In a large bowl, mix shredded cabbage, green onions, nuts, and raisins
- Mix the dressing of oil, sugar, honey, and vinegar
- Pour the dressing over the salad and stir to coat
- Just before serving, add the Ramen Noodle bits and mix to coat
- Best if served immediately
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Old-Fashioned Recipe for Ramen Noodle Salad
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 10-12 servings 1x
Description
A delicious side dish that goes well with any summer cookout or BBQ
Ingredients
- 6–8 cups of shredded cabbage
- 3–4 green onions chopped
- 1/2 cup of salted sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup of slivered almonds
- 1 cup of raisins
- 1–2 packages of dry Ramen Noodles – broken up into bits
Dressing
- 1/4 cup of canola oil
- 3/4 cup of Rice Vinegar
- 1/4 cup of granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp. of honey
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, green onions, sunflower seeds, almonds, and raisins
- In another smaller bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, sugar, and honey. Whisk until everything has combined
- Pour the dressing over the salad, and mix until the salad is coated with dressing
- Just before serving, add the Ramen Noodle bits, and fold them into the salad
Notes
How do I add more Color to my Ramen Salad?
(optional for color) make 2 of the cups of shredded cabbage from purple cabbage or substitute a shredded coleslaw mix instead
Can I Use Nuts Other Than Sunflower Seeds and Almonds?
Yes. Feel free to substitute other nuts in place or in addition to sunflower seeds and almonds
Make-Ahead and Storage:
When the noodles are added this side dish is one that should be served right away. Otherwise, the noodles will start to absorb moisture from the dressing and other vegetables and get soggy
Making Ahead
If you want to make this ahead of time, you can prepare the salad with everything but the ramen noodles. Cover and refrigerate for a day or two. When ready, fold in the ramen noodles and serve
How Can I turn Ramen Noodle Salad into a Main Dish?
Add grilled chicken, shrimp, or pork to ramen noodle salad and serve it as a delicious meal
Is Ramen Noodle Salad a Healthy Side Dish?
Aside from oil, and sugar, most ingredients are quite healthy. Use olive oil in place of vegetable oil to make it an even healthier option
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: none
