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This Asian ramen salad is the potluck dish that always disappears long before anything else on the table. Crispy crushed ramen noodles, crunchy sunflower seeds and almonds, and shredded cabbage come together in a sweet-and-tangy vinaigrette—no cooking required, and it only gets better as it sits.
The Potluck Legend Ramen Coleslaw Salad That Never Makes it Home
My aunt gave me this Asian ramen noodle salad recipe—she got it from her late husband’s family in Indiana—and I always think of her when I make it. I love that. A dish this simple carrying that much meaning is exactly why I keep cooking.
Every time we bring it to a potluck or get-together, it is the FIRST thing to go. We have never once gone home with leftovers, which is both the highest compliment and a little devastating when you were counting on having some for lunch the next day.
Unlike most salads, this Asian slaw with ramen noodles actually benefits from sitting out. Nothing in it will wilt or spoil, so it’s safe on the table at a party or potluck for hours. That’s what makes it such a crowd-pleaser for entertaining.
Why I Use Bagged Coleslaw
There’s no chopping here. No shredding cabbage. No julienning anything. That’s the beauty of making ramen noodle salad with bagged coleslaw. You grab a 16-ounce bag of pre-shredded coleslaw mix from the store, and you’re already most of the way there.
I know some folks might feel like using a bag is “cheating,” but I promise you, it’s not. The coleslaw mix gives you the perfect blend of green cabbage, red cabbage, and carrots, and since everything is uniform in size, every forkful has great texture and color. If you do want to go the homemade route, my cabbage slaw with creamy hummus dressing is a great place to start. But I recommend saving your knife skills for another day.
Someone once tried to scale this up for 100 people. Can you imagine? That’s a lot of coleslaw bags (13 by my calculations!). But I completely understand the impulse because this salad is just that good.
How to Make Asian Ramen Salad
This might be the easiest recipe on the blog: Place the dry noodle block in a zip-top bag and use a rolling pin to break it into smaller pieces. Add the coleslaw mix, crushed ramen, sunflower seeds, sliced almonds, and scallions to a large bowl. Whisk together the oil, vinegar, and sugar in a measuring cup (don’t worry if the sugar doesn’t fully dissolve; it’s fine). Pour the dressing over everything and toss well with a large spatula until coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
Why I Don’t Toast the Noodles & Nuts
People always ask me: Are the ramen noodles really supposed to go in dry and uncooked? The answer is yes. Absolutely yes. The crunchy, uncooked noodles are the signature texture of this asian ramen slaw. That satisfying snap when you bite in is kind of the whole point.
And no, you don’t need to toast the almonds or sunflower seeds either. It might seem like toasting would add more flavor, but raw is the way to go here. The dressing does the flavor lifting, and toasting can actually make the nuts go soft faster once dressed.
Dressing Tips
The dressing for this Asian ramen noodle salad is just three ingredients: vegetable oil, white vinegar, and granulated sugar. That’s it.
A few questions I get all the time:
- Can I substitute sesame oil? I wouldn’t use it as a straight swap. Sesame oil is potent and will completely take over the salad. If you love that flavor, add just ½ tablespoon alongside the vegetable oil, not instead of it.
- Can I reduce the sugar or make the dressing without it? The sugar is what balances the sharpness of the white vinegar, so I wouldn’t skip it entirely. You could try honey as a substitute—start with a little less since honey is sweeter by volume—but the texture of the dressing will be slightly different. The granulated sugar also doesn’t fully dissolve, which is totally fine and expected. Just whisk it well before pouring.
Ways to Make it Your Own
This ramen noodle coleslaw with sunflower seeds is wonderful as-is, but it also plays nicely with add-ins. A few that I think work really well:
- Shredded rotisserie chicken (turns it into a full meal)
- Mandarin oranges (a little sweetness and juiciness)
- Edamame (adds protein and color)
- Napa cabbage in place of some of the regular coleslaw mix (lighter, more tender)
- Sesame seeds (a small sprinkle goes a long way)
- A pinch of red pepper flakes if you want a little heat
- If you’re into that tangy crunch, my pickled cabbage would be amazing stirred in
And if you love a cold noodle salad as much as I do, check out my soba noodle salad with creamy peanut dressing, too!
The dressing can be made ahead and stored in a jar at room temperature for up to 1 week. Just shake or whisk again before using, since it will separate.
No. I leave it out entirely. The seasoning packets are high in sodium and add flavors that compete with the clean, sweet-tangy dressing. The vinegar-and-sugar dressing is all you need.
The ramen noodles do get “soggy” after they have been sitting in the salad for a while (since they soak up the liquid), so there are two ways you can go about this:
1. Don’t add the ramen noodles until right before you serve if you want the crunchy texture.
2. Add the ramen noodles in before you put it in the fridge to chill; you’ll get slightly softened/soggy noodles, but some people don’t like the extra crunch.
Make-Ahead & Storage Instructions
This asian slaw with ramen is one of those rare salads that’s actually better after it chills. The dressing has time to work its way into the cabbage, and the flavors meld beautifully. Make it up to the point of adding the ramen noodles, refrigerate for up to 2 hours (or overnight), and add the noodles right before serving if you want them crispy.
Once fully dressed, the salad keeps well at room temperature for several hours. Leftovers can be stored covered in the fridge for 1–2 days. The noodles will continue to soften, but honestly? A lot of people love the slightly softened version even more.
Ridiculously Amazing Asian Ramen Salad
Ingredients
- 16 ounce (454 g) bag coleslaw mix
- 1 cup (134 g) sunflower seeds, de-shelled/shelled/no shells
- 1 cup (237 g) sliced almonds
- 6 ounces (170 g) dried ramen*, (any flavor, you won’t be using the seasoning packets so it doesn’t matter)
- 5 stalks of scallions, sliced
- ¾ cup (177 ml) vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup (79 ml) white vinegar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl, place coleslaw mix, sunflower seeds, sliced almonds, crushed ramen (see note below), and scallions.16 ounce (454 g) bag coleslaw mix, 1 cup (134 g) sunflower seeds, 1 cup (237 g) sliced almonds, 6 ounces (170 g) dried ramen*, 5 stalks of scallions
- In a large measuring cup, add vegetable oil, vinegar, and sugar. Whisk together. Don’t worry if the sugar will not completely dissolve.¾ cup (177 ml) vegetable oil, ⅓ cup (79 ml) white vinegar, ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- Pour oil mixture over the coleslaw mix and toss everything together with a large spatula until everything is coated well.
- Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
- Serve cold or room temperature.
I love Asian ramen salads, and this version looks like a winner. But duh. It is called Ridiculously Asian Ramen Salad. :) Can’t wait to try it!
My mama makes this salad with chicken all the time for parties and potlucks (or when I request it, which is often :))… SO GOOD. So glad to hear your mouth is better — that’s seriously the worst feeling!
Way to power through for the coffee! Seriously, glad you are feeling better. I LOVE ramen salads. My mom brings a similar dish to every potluck, and people totally flip. I bet your aunt’s version is killer too!
So sorry to hear about you mouth. Mouth pain is the WORST! Glad it is feeling better!
This salad sounds amazing. I love the flavors!
I absolutely love ramen salad!! This looks great!
I love this salad! Oldie but goodie and I like your version because it’s healthier than some I’ve seen. Am making it today. As for shelled or unshelled, I think you both are saying the same thing – just coming at it from different points of view about what “shelled” means. Surely no one would think to put “shells on” sunflowers in this salad. Thanks for the recipe, Julie!
Haha, yes, you’re right. I think we both mean the same thing. I changed the wording so it’s less confusing. I thought “unshelled” would mean “de-shelled” but I can see how others are taking it the wrong way! Thanks Cathy!
Julie, next time just take a picture of the Planters Sunflower Kernels jar…LOL!
Seriously!! Lol!
This looks amazing, I love Asian slaw salads! Thanks for sharing.
This salad is always a hit!
I would Loooooove this salad. On my list to make asap :)
SO glad your mouth is better! You would’ve laughed at me yesterday. I could barely open my mouth to eat cereal. And seriously – this looks so fresh and just plain good!!
A couple of things that seem off about this recipe – why would you use unshelled sunflower seeds? i would certainly want them out of the shell if I was making this. Also, the sugar should dissolve in the vinegar solution if stirred well. Other than that, could be a good recipe.
Hi Jane, thanks for your comment. I don’t think there’s anything “off” about this recipe. I’m stating to use unshelled sunflower seeds because in my years of blogging, I’ve noticed if I’m not clear with my ingredient listing, I will get asked questions so I’m just trying to be as clear as possible. I said unshelled sunflower seeds because that’s how it was listed on my little jar of sunflower seeds and if folks bought the popular sunflower seeds in a bag, those are shelled and I was positive I’d get a question about de-shelling them or not. I also realize the sugar should dissolve in the vinegar solution, but I also know I will probably get comments about how someone’s sugar wasn’t completely dissolved, so that’s why I added the note there that it’s ok if it’s not totally dissolved.
I am with Jane…if you use Unshelled sunflower seed you either want people to eat the shells or you want them to have to stop at every sunflower seed to ‘de shell’ with their teeth (something my denist is NOT in favor of).
If you want to take this salad to a WHOLE new level, toast the ramen in butter. It is OUT of this world.
We do not combine all of the ingredients. We use cabbage, shredded carrots and diced red pepper in a big bowl, then set out smaller bowls with seeds including shelled sunflowers, and pumpkin, chopped green onions, almonds and the toasted ramen noodles. We usually wind up making twice as much ramen because it is by far the most poplar ingredient. Not combining the ingredients helps with leftovers plus everyone gets to add what they like. I make the dressing in a “good seasons’ dressing carafe and everyone adds to their liking as well. This is broccoli raisin salads are my GO TO potluck dish.
Yes, you’re right. I think we both mean the same thing (as in, the seeds not being in the shells). I changed the wording so it’s less confusing. I thought “unshelled” would mean “de-shelled” but I can see how others are taking it the wrong way! Thanks Janiece!
Ok, my apologies. I see what you’re getting at. When I said “unshelled” I meant that they should be “de-shelled” but my wording was off so I can totally see how people can take that the wrong way. I’ve clarified it in the recipe. Thanks for your feedback!
Deshelled, unshelled, geez. Everyone should know she means sunflower SEEDS (not pods). Why on earth would you add pods into a recipe unless you are making bird food. I think its a great recipe
Thank you, Laurie!! :)
Your recipe sounds delish I’m going to try it.
My problem is why is it so difficult to understand that the flower seeds would of course not have shells, seems like common sense to me, wether you say unshelled , deshelled,shelless, or naked.
This is a delicious salad. I don’t use sunflower seeds, I use sesame seeds, I brown them along with slivered almonds and crushed ramen noodles….amazing taste!! I also add Napa cabbage to the coleslaw mix, add grilled chopped chicken for a complete meal!!
Oh my gosh! You tried so hard Julie! I’m sure most of us knew what you meant but I guess there is just no getting around some people “misunderstanding”. At anyrate , I made the salad and it was fabulous!!! Thank you so much!
:) glad you enjoyed it!!
We make this salad a lot but with we always use the chicken flavor ramen and add the spice package to the oil, vinegar and sugar. It’s quite delicious that way. Give it a try and of course we use sunflower seeds with out the shells.
Hi, this recipe is great- I really didn’t even see the unshelled word in the recipe- cuz I knew better- however, i forgot to put the sugar i had measured out and I had toasted the ramen noodles, with the sunflower seeds and sliced almonds in a tiny bit of sesame oil. As well, i used rice wine vinegar instead of white and only a 1/2 cup of oil, even without the sugar this recipe was awesome. Thanks for posting it-
Also, i went ahead and used one package of the seasoning from the ramen noodles.
Great recipe!
I use broccoli slaw gives a better texture
Ladies, if you even thought about the sunflower seeds, better off you don’t cook. Very good recipe.
I know this post is several years old, but when you refer to the sunflower seeds, I believe the packages refer to them as sunflower kernals.