This simple chilled Cabbage Ramen Noodle Salad with carrots, scallions and toasted almonds is made with crunchy uncooked ramen noodles, Napa cabbage and an easy Asian-inspired soy sesame dressing. It takes less than 30 minutes to make and is the ideal recipe to serve at potlucks, picnics and cookouts!
Why We Love This Recipe For Cabbage Ramen Salad
This recipe has been a long time coming. It all started a decade ago when I shared the first of my Asian-inspired coleslaws: Napa Cabbage and Cucumber Noodle Coleslaw, and a few years later I followed it up with this Asian Sesame Coleslaw. Well, today I’m completing the trifecta of Asian-inspired coleslaw recipes with this classic summer favorite!
This Napa Cabbage Ramen Salad is my go-to for summer picnics and barbecue parties because it “sits” so well. Meaning that it doesn’t need to be eaten the minute it is tossed and it doesn’t wilt. In my opinion, it is even better about 20 minutes after it is tossed with the dressing. The crunchy raw ramen noodles soften ever so slightly in the sweet and nutty soy dressing. They soak up the dressing a bit in the most delicious way.
This flavor pairing is perfection! I love the crunchy cabbage and carrot, sweet peppers and toasted almonds all mixed together. Whenever I serve this Napa Cabbage Noodle Salad, I always have people asking me for the recipe!
For a weeknight meal, simply top it off with grilled marinated chicken or serve it alongside burgers.
Ingredients for The Salad
Cabbage
Napa cabbage, is a variety of Chinese cabbage. It should be available in your local supermarket all year round. It’s a great vegetable to use as they have a tender and less dense texture than regular green cabbage. Feel free to use green cabbage in place of the Napa cabbage.
We also used red cabbage for color and crunchier texture.
Uncooked Ramen Noodles
The key to this salad is broken-up uncooked ramen noodles. Purchase any flavor, and discard the seasoning packet. I like to break the brick apart by hitting the bag with a rolling pin or meat mallet.
Toasted Almonds
Toasted almonds have been sliced and toasted on a stovetop. Toasting almonds brings out their nutty flavor so you can get away with using slightly less.
Chopped Veggies
In addition to the cabbages, I also added in chopped carrots, radishes and scallions for more texture, color and flavor.
Ingredients For The Dressing
- avocado oil
- soy sauce
- rice vinegar
- orange juice
- sesame oil
- maple syrup
- garlic powder
Step By Step Instructions To Make This Recipe
Step 1: Combine Salad Ingredients
Place Napa in a large salad bowl. Top with broken noodles, red cabbage, scallions, carrot, bell pepper, radishes, and almonds.
Step 2: Make Dressing
Combine avocado oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, orange juice, sesame oil, maple syrup, and garlic powder in a jar. Shake well to combine.
Step 3: Toss Salad
Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. After that, let it sit for 10 minutes, tossing occasionally to soften the ramen.
FAQs and Expert Tips
For thinly sliced or shredded napa cabbage cut the cabbage into long quarters, then remove the triangular shaped core. From there hold each section together and slice finely. Have a look at my detailed guide for preparing cabbage. Alternatively, you can use the leaves whole, so once the bottom has been removed, just peel the leaves off the body of the cabbage.
You can cook Napa cabbage just like any other vegetable. You can use it in soups, with noodles, or as a side dish.
You can eat Napa cabbage raw or cooked. In a salad it is more tender than green cabbage with a texture more akin to romaine lettuce. Try it in Napa Cabbage Caesar Salad and you’ll see just what we mean!
Napa cabbage salad is best enjoyed on the same day you make it. You can store leftovers in an airtight container or covered in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for the next day, though the seeds and noodles may lose their crunchy texture overnight.
Make-Ahead Tips
This salad can be assembled but not tossed 1 day ahead. Keep the dressing separately in the jar and refrigerate both. Once it is tossed, enjoy within an hour or so as the cabbage will start to let off too much water.
Additional Recipes To Try
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Description
This simple chilled cabbage ramen noodle salad with carrots, scallions and toasted almonds is made with crunchy uncooked ramen noodles, Napa cabbage and an easy Asian-inspired soy sesame dressing. It takes less than a half hour to make and is the ideal recipe to serve at potlucks, picnics and cookouts.
Scale
Ingredients
6 cups shredded Napa cabbage
1 brick of ramen noodle soup, seasoning packet discarded, noodles broken up
2 cups finely sliced red cabbage
1 cup sliced scallions
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks
½ cup thinly sliced radishes or watermelon radishes
½ cup toasted sliced almonds
¼ cup avocado oil
¼ cup soy sauce or tamari
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons orange juice
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Place Napa in a large salad bowl. Top with broken noodles, red cabbage, scallions, carrot, bell pepper, radishes, and almonds.
- Combine avocado oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, orange juice, sesame oil, maple syrup, and garlic powder in a jar. Shake well to combine.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Let sit for 10 minutes, tossing occasionally to soften the ramen.
Notes
Ingredient Note:
You can substitute green cabbage for Napa cabbage if you can’t source Napa cabbage. You could also use whole toasted almonds rather than sliced.
Make-Ahead:
This salad can be assembled but not tossed 1 day ahead. Keep the dressing separately in the jar and refrigerate both.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 Cups
- Calories: 249
- Sugar: 7 g
- Fat: 13 g
- Carbohydrates: 26 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 7 g