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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.
Thanks for sharing! How far ahead of time can I make it?
a day or two but i wouldn’t add in the ramen if you want it to be crispy. i’d add it in right before serving
This looks so good! This is such a crowd pleaser & great to eat as leftovers!
Full disclosure I have not made this yet but giving it 5 stars because you’re trying to avoid unhealthy ingredients and I do plan to make it later today. A find I made last week was a healthy version of Ramen noodles at Costco they call them Tainan noodles but they appear to be the same thing and very short ingredient lists, nothing you can’t pronounce. Of course it’s always best to read the ingredients yourself to be sure you are ok with them but these pass my very stringent approval for both the noodles *and* the sauce. I’ll play with it. Planning to add a little shredded chicken as well and use the Kale salad mix including the topper packet. Easy breezy.
Recipe says 4 oz cream cheese. Then refers to a regular block of cream cheese. A block is 8 ounces. So which is it?
there is no cream cheese in this recipe. i don’t know what you are talking about.
@Julie Wampler, lol. I love to read through the comments bc they have great ideas to spice up a recipe. I came to this one and thought…wth! Omg too funny :) :)
My family and I loved the taste of this but added more slaw since there were just too many nuts. No specific type of oil was mentioned, but I used sesame oil and I think that really upped the great dressing the recipe mixture.
I use 1/2 shredded thin red cabbage , slivered almonds, raw sunflower seeds, scallions .2 packs of beef ramen crushed and I add the beef seasonIng to the dressing. It’s better the next day. For protein, i add rotisserie chicken. Love this recipe!
So many pop ups I had a difficult time reading. Really, what’s the point!
I don’t want the advertising or to see some else making another dish up in the corner. Could only read 3 lines at a time. And no, not 8mpressed with the little hearts floating over the page either.
I’m sorry you feel that way. You don’t want the advertising but you want free recipes. Just as an FYI – the website is paid for because of the advertising. Otherwise I wouldn’t have the money to run the website (web hosting, photography equipment, etc.) and develop recipes. Ingredients/food is not free. It costs you nothing to come to the website and scroll to get a free recipe. If you want to pay a monthly subscription, I’d be happy to add you to the list and you’d get no ads or anything bothersome.
you’re obviously new to the internet, NAN MILLER.
@Julie Wampler, such a turn off reading your reaction to this dear old lady expressing her frustration regarding the overwhelmingly bombarding advertising. It’s overkill.
I understand the need for advertising but is it possible to tone it down? There has got to be a happy medium. They need you just as much as you need them.
Anyway, love this recipe! Quick, easy, delish!
I don’t understand how my response was a turn off. It was very professional and way nicer than her attack at me for just having a website for her to get free recipes. I thoroughly explained why advertising is needed and how I have considered a subscription-only site for those like her who complain about ads. It’s not like I told her to f*ck off or anything rude. She was the one who came at me so of course I’m going to feel defensive yet also try to explain to her the reason for advertising and what kind of costs it covers. I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe.
@Julie Wampler, Love your reply to Nan Miller.
I’ve made this multiple times over the years. A friend had made it and I loved it. I’ve had the recipe since 2009 and have passed it on when asked for a copy. I don’t use the seasoning packet either. I do mix the dressing part ahead of time to give it time to meld together. I use slivered almonds and toast them for a little extra flavor. I really like the crunch of the ramen noodles.
Before making this salad I read thru a lot of the comments. I took the tip advice from some and let me just say….DELISH! I toasted the ramen n almonds til lightly browned, used the breasts, shredded from a rotisserie chicken (chilled meat before adding to salad mix, in the dressing I did add the packets from ramen, a few dash’s of Worcestershire sauce and used rice vinegar. I did use 1 1/2 bags of tri-color cabbage. At serving time I topped with mandarin oranges & lightly sprinkled fresh cilantro on top. This recipe is officially a keeper in my file! Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe and also, this is a great salad for spring & summer, very light and scrumptious!
Tina, yours sounds like the one I’d try.
I’ve made this salad before as well but the only thing different is that I add a seasoning packet into the mixture of the dressing, gives it a little more flavor and I also add cocktail peanuts as well.