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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 this all the time but I substitute most of the oil and sugar for 1 cup of pinapple juice. The juice is sweet without the added sugar and less calories without all the fat. Add 6 drops of sesame oil. My mom is a diabetic and the changes make it good for her. I also use one of the flavor packets that comes with the noodles. Love this recipe.
What a great idea to use pineapple juice in place of some of the oil and sugar, Julie! I was hoping to find a way to make it a little lower in calories, I think that will work perfectly. I have a covered dish at church tomorrow, now I know what I’m taking! Thanks!!
Hi Julie! this salad sure does look ridiculously amazing. Pinned! I think my family would LOVE this! :)
Julie, I have been looking for this recipe for over a decade! A former co-worker brought it to a potluck, and I fell in love with it. Made it today, and it was delicious. Thanks!
Yay! Glad you found it!
How big is one serving? One cup! 1/2 cup? Thank you!
I would say about 1 cup
hey this looks delish!! Do you think there could be a sub for the sugar to make this as tasty (or close to it) but also healthy? Wondered if you had tried any variation with that ingredient. Thanks for sharing this!
I haven’t tried subbing out the sugar but maybe try agave nectar or something?
I use 1 pack of splenda per 2 packs of ramen noodles. Gives it just the right amount of sweet and salty. I also shred carrots in the salad. YUMMY
Thank you for posting this recipe! I had something similar recently but couldn’t find a solid recipe that matched. This is it! Can’t wait to make it this week. Thank you!
Hope you enjoy!
Folks this is always devoured at any party. My way adds a tbsp. sesame seeds to almonds and noodles and brown all in some butter in a skillet. Also I add 1 tsp of soy sauce to dressing and few drops sesame oil. I like the Napa cabbage best. Don’t add the topping until ready to serve so it is crunchy.
Hi Julie! I’m not a Ramen connoisseur, so I’m a bit confused. Isn’t Ramen out of the package hard? Does the dressing help make it softer the longer it sits? Thanks in advance! I’m thinking of making this for a potluck!
Yes, it is hard. That’s the point :) it gives the salad an added crunch! And yes, overtime, the dressing does soften it! I hope everyone enjoys it!
I have tried this with boiled ramen….and it comes out fantastic too!!!!
Hello. Recipe looks great. I’m making it gor my daughter’s birthday party where there will be 20 Adults. Just wondering how many servings this makes? Should I double? And if I do is this salad still good the next day or does it get soggy? Thank you.
Hi Laurie, it’s stated in the recipe under “servings” that it is for 8-10. With that said, I definitely think you should double it! I would make it the day of because yes, it does get a little soggy but not terribly. I would save to add the ramen if you’re going to make it the day before and add in the ramen prior to serving. Hope this helps. Enjoy!
Haven’t tried this yet but a friend made one and I wanted the recipe and googled it and found yours. I look forward to trying. I have enjoyed reading all of the comments and yes, unshelled or shelled, I knew what you meant. Keep up the good work.
Thanks, Lisa! Hope you enjoy!