This Crunchy Ramen Noodle Salad recipe is quick and easy to make, tossed with a simple sesame vinaigrette, and perfect for picnics and potlucks!
Alright, show of hands.
Who else grew up eating ramen noodle salad?
Chances are that if you grew up in the Midwest, this salad crossed your path at least a time or two. My mom used to make it regularly when we were kids, and brought it along to every potluck, picnic, and church function imaginable. And we always, always came home with an empty bowl.
What can I say — people love this salad!
That said, the original version that we made back in the 90s was a little more full of processed ingredients and sugar than I like to eat nowadays. So a few years ago, I gave my mom’s recipe a few modern updates and shared it on blog. But even in the years since then, I’ve actually made a few more updates — including making it with healthier ramen noodles (and even gluten-free ramen noodles, if needed), and adding in some extra veggies. So since we’re entering the prime of potluck and picnic season, I thought I’d share it with you once more. Because no matter the decade, I’ve found that people go absolutely nuts for this salad. And it’s downright delicious.
Crunchy Ramen Noodle Salad Recipe | 1-Minute Video
Back in the day, this salad used to simply be made with:
- cole slaw mix
- sliced almonds
- sliced green onions
- a vegetable oil / white vinegar / white sugar vinaigrette
- canned mandarin oranges
- …and the noodles from those classic $0.29 ramen noodle packets
Nowadays, I still stick with the cole slaw mix (organic), green onions and almonds. But I also like using (affiliate links included):
- avocado
- fresh mango (instead of the mandarin oranges with added sugar)
- edamame
- …and then I like to use these healthier organic ramen noodles or these gluten-free ramen noodles
Plus, my yummy go-to vinaigrette for this salad now uses:
- avocado oil (or any mild-flavored oil you’d like)
- rice vinegar
- honey (or your desired sweetener)
- soy sauce
- toasted sesame oil
To make the salad, I recommend spreading the ramen noodles and almonds out on a baking sheet and toasting them for about 10 minutes until lightly golden. (<– Tip from my mom!) Then add all of your ingredients to a large mixing bowl, drizzle on the vinaigrette, give everything a good toss…
And in no time, this delicious salad will be yours to share and enjoy!
It’s still just as perfect as ever for picnics, potlucks, or church basement functions…or anytime you need a good salad in your life. ;)
Enjoy, everyone!
Crunchy Ramen Noodle Salad
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 0 About 8 servings 1x
Description
This delicious Crunchy Ramen Noodle Salad recipe is tossed with a simple sesame vinaigrette…and tastes absolutely delicious!
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients:
- 1 (16-ounce) bag coleslaw mix
- 2 (3-ounce) packages of ramen noodles*, crumbled (you will not use the seasoning packet)
- 1 cup shelled and cooked edamame
- 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
- 1 mango, peeled, pitted, and julienned (or diced)
- 1/2 cup thinly-sliced almonds
- 1/2 cup thinly-sliced green onions (scallions)
- Sesame honey vinaigrette (see ingredients below)
Sesame Honey Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup avocado oil (or vegetable oil, or any cooking oil)
- 1/4 cup honey (or your desired sweetener)
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- pinch of salt and black pepper
Instructions
To Make The Salad:
- Heat oven to 425°F. Spread the crumbled ramen noodles and sliced almonds out on a baking sheet, and stir a bit to combine. Bake for about 5 minutes, or until the almonds and noodles are slightly toasted and golden. Remove baking sheet, and give the mixture a good stir to toss. Then return it to the oven and toast for an additional 3 minutes. Keep a very close eye on the mixture so that it does not burn. Remove and set aside.
- Add ingredients (including the vinaigrette) together in a large bowl, and toss until combined.
- Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. (This salad is much better eaten the first day, as the noodles lose their “crunch” the longer it sits, and the avocado may brown a bit. Still, it’s perfectly edible and enjoyable even after a few days!)
To Make The Vinaigrette:
- Whisk all ingredients together until combined.
Notes
*You can use any kind of packaged ramen noodles for this recipe. If you’d like organic (and less-processed) alternatives to the classic $0.30 packets at the grocery store, I recommend these organic classic ramen noodles or organic brown rice ramen noodles.
**I also like sprinkling mine with some toasted sesame seeds (I used black sesame seeds in the photo), but that’s totally optional.
Your mom must have shared her recipe with someone i know (lol)…the day i moved to TX my friend made this for me (i’m the anti leaf person btw)…i shocked myself when i devoured it and continue to make batches weekly to live on! i love the edamame and mango suggestions and will try them for sure!
I just wanted to throw it out there the version i got and have now tweaked… we use red wine vinegar and i found at our grocery a combination oil of Canola & Coconut oils…i love your honey idea and will try it, but what i’ve been doing is using organic raw sugar at half what the recipe calls for and i don’t taste a bit of difference :)
the kicker in our recipe, which probably isn’t the “most healthy”, we sauté our nuts/seeds/noodles on the stove with butter (i use real butter)…this adds an amazing dimension of taste. that’s for the girls who like to live dangerously ;)
we also use organic canned chicken breast on top, just to make it a more rounded meal all of its own instead of a side salad.
i store the sauce, shredded chicken, sautéd crunch mixture and bagged coleslaw separately in the fridge. this is because i always make a double batch and eat it for days on end. (single person’s thrill)
yes, the sauce separates and congeals but i simply take it out of the fridge about 30 minutes before a meal to thaw, when mostly thawed i whisk it and voila! the crunch is even better cold when the salad is made up.
can’t wait to try the mango & edamame! putting in on my list as we speak! i’m thrilled you’ve shared such a wonderful salad with the world… hug your momma!! :)
For the ones of you wanting to add the mango, may I suggest using the frozen mango from TRADER JOES. I thaw it for 1 minute in the microwave. This leaves it still nice and cold and a little icy in the middle but perfect for this salad. Totally thawed buy the time you serve it. MUCH quicker than peeling a mango. I love the “revision” recipe. Thanks.
I had to comment as I am eating this salad for dinner, it is incredible!! Thank you for your amazing recipes.
Question – your notes said that you didn’t use the rice wine vinegar – you used white vinegar instead…. but the recipe doesn’t have this change. What is the correct recipe for the salad dressing? Thanks!!
Ah, maybe the wording didn’t make sense in the post. I used rice wine vinegar instead of white vinegar. Hope that helps!
Hands down best salad!! Thanks for all of your yummy recipes : )
Just made a double batch to take to a large 4th of July party, and wow, is this an amazing improvement over the original recipe(which I thought was delish and showy, too)! The mango really added another taste and color dimension. Variation: For the coleslaw mix I combined reg. coleslaw mix, red cabbage, and a Dole Asian cabbage mix (that included brocoli slaw and kale) for even more color and texture. Question: I used frozen edamame beans and cooked them first before adding. Was that your intent? Comment: Admittedly, I doubled the recipe, but it still took way more than 10 minutes preparation. (Just slicing the mango alone takes that long–at least for me!) Thanks for the great, reformed recipe and the beautiful photos.
I can’t wait to try this updated version! My grandmother made the original salad too, and toasted the ramen as well. Though in her case “toasting” meant browning it in a pan with some butter. Gram was wonderful, but not a health food cook.
The addition of the edamame and mango is exciting too. I’ll be making this this week!
Made this today for a work potluck…it was a huge hit!! I personally LOVED the addition of edamame, avocado, and mango to it! This is definitely a keeper :)
Been looking for a recipe that didn’t use seasoning packet! Hubby is very allergic to msg and I’ve been wanting this salad!
I discovered this type of salad a few years ago when i got a ton of cabbage in my CSA and now i make it every year. Love the additions of mango and edamame! I’ll have to try this next time.