This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This ridiculously amazing Asian ramen salad will have you and your guests going back for thirds and fourths. Everyone will be asking for the recipe and you’ll want to bring this easy dish to every potluck!
This Asian ramen salad is so ridiculously amazing!
This salad is true to its name.
My aunt gave me this recipe from which she got from her late husband’s family in Indiana. Every single time we make this salad and bring it to potlucks, it is the FIRST to go. Every single time! There’s never a time we leave with some of the salad left in the bowl. It’s always devoured.
I’ve been eating this Asian ramen salad for years and years. I always think of my aunt whenever I have this salad and I love the memories it evokes. See? Food is always attached to a memory!
The best part is, this is probably the easiest thing to throw together. If you need a side dish to bring to a party or potluck, this Asian ramen salad has your name written all over it!
Bring this Asian ramen salad to a potluck or party. It is fit for a crowd!
It’s so easy to double, triple, or quadruple this Asian ramen salad for whatever size potluck or party you are going to. I have heard of someone trying to make this for 100 people.
Can you imagine?
That is a whole lot of Asian ramen salad to go around! Haha
But I think the most appealing part of this recipe is how easy it is and the fact that it’s okay if it sits out at parties and potlucks. Nothing will “go bad” in this recipe so after you take it out of the fridge from its initial chilling, it is fine to sit out at the table.
What kind of add-ins could I add into this Asian ramen salad?
So, my Asian ramen salad recipe is from my aunt and just like all recipes, there is a bunch of different ways that people make this recipe. There are so many variations and different ways it has been passed down!
In being passed down from generation to generation, there’s always little add-ins that I have heard of through the years that would make a great addition to this salad.
Here are some that I think would be great:
- Shredded chicken
- Mandarin oranges
- Edamame
- Napa cabbage
With or without the seasoning packet?
I get a lot of questions on this and my answer is no.
In my recipe below, I actually tell you to omit the seasoning packet from the ramen because it’s filled with not-so-good ingredients and so much sodium.
Would sesame oil work in this Asian ramen salad?
Using sesame oil would completely overpower the salad. I would say if you want to add in sesame oil, use like 1/2 tablespoon.
Are the ramen noodles supposed to be crispy/uncooked?
Yes. That’s the point. The crunchy ramen noodles give it texture and bite.
They do get “soggy” after they have been sitting in the salad for awhile (since it soaks up the liquid) so there are two ways you can go about this:
- Don’t add the ramen noodles until right before you serve if you want the crunchy texture.
- 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.
Alright, so now I’ve talked your ear off about this Asian ramen salad you should probably go grab the ingredients listed in the recipe below and get to making!
It’ll be gone soo fast and you’ll get requests from everyone for the recipe :)
Come back and let me know how it goes ;) That’s how positive I am that it’s THAT good!
Other great potluck recipe ideas:
- Honey mustard and onion pretzels
- Tangy potato salad
- Mexican Street Corn off the Cob
- Cabbage Slaw with Creamy Hummus Dressing
- Cowboy Caviar
- Broccoli Salad
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 was looking for an Asian Coleslaw recipe and came across yours. It is as delicious as you think it is and I will be taking it to potluck dinners myself, as well as any barbeque nights we have for family and friends. It is perfect!
can this coleslaw be made 12 house in advance?
Yes, you can, but your ramen might not be as crunchy so you might want to keep that separate and mix it in before serving.
Do you boil the noodles first?
You don’t boil the noodles at all. They’re there for the crunchy texture!
They are still wonderful after the soften. We prefer them softened from the dressing.
Hi, for the dressing try a raspberry vinegarette…. Yumm!
I can’t wait to try this one. It looks yummy. And so easy.
I must be your aunts age ,I got the recipe Sans sunflower seeds but instead with golden raisins in Nevada where I lived in the 80’s I think the seeds are a nice addition and think red wine vinegar might work well now instead perhaps with a light olive oil
~ Julie, I love your Amazing Ramen Salad! A family favorite. Just for me, I wanted to make half the recipe, so I just used a small Napa cabbage instead of the cole slaw mix. Worked fine. Also used rice wine vinegar. I’d like some advice: what if I used Stevia instead of sugar? I’m not brave enough to experiment without some expert help.
~ Oh, and I especially like your Salad with small shrimp!
Stevia would be just fine.
the recipe says white vinegar does that mean distilled or does it mean white wine vinegar
Distilled white vinegar
What if i used white wine vinegar?
You can
If you like Stevia, it’s fine, but it will have a different taste than sugar. If you don’t mind the aftertaste and different flavor, go for it. If it helps you, we just use one tbsp. of sugar, and it is perfect.
I love this recipe although I tweet it a little.
1. Add broccoli to my cabbage
2. Use Wasabi almonds
3. Use a combo of peanut, sesame and coconut oil instead of veg
4. Add the ramen flavor packet
5. Usually have a bag of frozen chicken breast that my husband pregrills so I pull a few out and add them in.
Great light summer meal, no heat needed!
I added a Tablespoon of soy sauce and a bag of Edamame to it. Toasted the nuts and Ramen noodles. Great recipe! Thanks
I actually cook the noodles an let them cool down a bit. also, i use the seasoning packets mixed in with the sugar, vinegar and oil. it just gives it alittle more flavor
This is what I do! The seasoning packet adds so much flavor and the roasting of the nuts makes a deep nutty flavor and crunch. In addition, I substitute half of the oil with sesame oil. This gives it a real Asian nutty flavor!
What flavor ramen is everyone using?
We use chicken flavored. We have tried oriental, but the ginger flavor is just too strong.
How was the salad after you cook the noodles im make it tommorrow