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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 make a salad with a similar dressing. For that recipe you mix the dressing ingredients in a saucepan and heat until it comes to a boil. That’s long enough to melt the sugar. Then let it cool and add just before serving. I think it’s well worth the extra time and effort.
Great recipe! I made it as a main dish for summer by adding the meat off one rotisserie chicken and a cup of low sugar dried cranberries. Delish! Thanks for the yummy meals!
When using the coleslaw mix do you use the coleslaw dressing or just the dry coleslaw mix? Thanks :)
The dry coleslaw mix
You can buy bags of coleslaw mix without the dressing, It’s cheaper, and you get more in the bag. It’s also great for making egg rolls. I make egg rolls with cooked pork sausage, a couple of tbsp oyster sauce, some garlic, and a few dashes of soy sauce.
I have been making this for a couple of decades and more. It is very popular at parties, gatherings. I add one Tbs sesame oil to the vinegar, veg oil and sugar. It gives more of an Asian flavor. Also, I do not refrigerate. I feel it is better to be eaten right away as I like the cruchiness of the noodles. They become soggy the longer the sit. I add the oil mixture just before serving
I add sesame oil.
I haven’t made this in a little while, but we are having a block party in our neighborhood tomorrow. I used to make it when some of us ladies from work would get together for a potluck. It was always a winner. Yummy and easy to assemble. Depending on when you are making this, you CAN throw it together the day you need it, or the day before…sort of depends on your preference. You can even put it in a bag and mix it in when you are serving it. Either way…IT IS AMAZING! No exaggeration, you will want more than just one serving.
And you can definately, change or add your own twist to this salad. I added shredded chicken. You can add bacon, dried sweetened cranberries, whatever you like.
This recipe circulated in the Midwest many years ago. It is always a hit!
Just wanted to know if you put in the raw ramen without first cooking it? Wont the raw uncooked ramen give digestive problems?
I haven’t ever heard of digestion problems with raw ramen but yes, you put in the raw ramen. It’s the crunch factor of this salad :)
I was given this recipe by a good friend and it is truly amazing. I like it best the day after I mix it when the noodles absorb some of the dressing and sometimes I kick it up a notch by adding peeled boiled shrimp to it.
By any chance do you know the nutrition facts for this salad and what is considered a serving size?
Hi, sorry! I do not. There are many nutritional calculators via Google that you could copy/paste the ingredients into. I would say a serving size is about 1 cup? Depends on how much you want to eat!
I came to a total of 4082 calories for all the ingredients, a lot of it coming from the oil. You could add chicken and make a pretty good main course.