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3 Comments

Crunchy Ramen Noodle Salad

Kathleen

by Kathleen Pope Apr 18, 2025

Jump to Recipe

An addictive, easy Healthy Ramen Noodle Salad, a coleslaw if you will. Loaded with bright flavorful veggies and with ramen noodle crunch along with cashews and sesame seeds, holds up well under heat and is dressed in a reduced sugar sweet-sour dressing.

A pinterest image for Asian Ramen Noodle Salad with a square bowl with a cabbage salad, mixed with ramen noodles, cashews, cilantro, mandarin oranges with asian dressing. Recipe via thefreshcooky.com
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure & privacy policy.

Make it for dinner or a luncheon, add shredded chicken, toss in some crunchy water chestnuts, peanuts, cashews or chow mein noodles to enhance it even further, I have even put in diced fresh avocado!

I love this wildly popular salad recipe, it holds up well in most types of weather and stays crispy and fresh long after other salads have wilted. So what makes this one different?

Photo of an asian ramen noodle salad with mandarin oranges, cashews, ramen noodles, parsley and coleslaw in a bowl ready to be served.

All-natural ingredients, that’s what! I have a personal vendetta against MSG and other ingredients I can’t pronounce, this recipe uses simple ingredients that you most likely have in your pantry or fridge without sacrificing taste!

A pinterest image for Asian Ramen Noodle Salad with a square bowl with a cabbage salad, mixed with ramen noodles, cashews, cilantro, mandarin oranges with asian dressing

How to Make Healthy Asian Slaw Dressing

Many of the recipes call to use the packet from the ramen noodles in the dressing. We call those “Cup O’ Sodium” in our family, have you read the ingredients?! EW! I have recently found these Organic Ramen Noodles and they work beautifully for this dish and they are a decent meal, in a pinch.

A pinterest image for Asian Ramen Noodle Salad with a square bowl with a cabbage salad, mixed with ramen noodles, cashews, cilantro, mandarin oranges with asian dressing. Recipe via thefreshcooky.com

But I digress back to the dressing, place all of your dressing ingredients into a mason jar with a tight fitting lid, shake wildly; it will still separate, but at least you have a start.

I used Bragg’s Liquid Aminos in place of Soy Sauce, but you can use any good Tamari or Soy Sauce (or GF).

You can use any mild oil, I do love Grapeseed Oil and Avocado oils.

dressing ingredients for Asian Ramen salad; Bragg's Liquid aminos, grapeseed oil, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar for Asian Noodle Salad from thefreshcooky.com

Please don’t replace the Toasted Sesame Oil — if you have never cooked with it, you are in for a treat!! And it stores beautifully in the fridge.

I love the mildness of Rice Vinegar, but it can be replaced with white wine vinegar, regular vinegar or apple cider vinegar (it will have a stronger vinegar taste with ACV).

All Natural Asian Salad Dressing

Small pitcher filled with all natural asian dressing.

Before you put that jar in the fridge though, use it to gently crush the ramen noodles, you don’t want them smashed to smithereens, but small, even chunks. Now go put the bottle in the fridge, sorry, I’ve been told I’m bossy!

Please preheat your oven to 350° — note, the please!

Mason jar full of dressing, crushing a bag of ramen noodles for salad.

Next for the BEST part, the “CRUNCHIES” as I call them.

Making Crunchies! 

Measure out the slivered almonds and the sesame seeds and place on a small sheet pan, I love (it’s well loved) my quarter sheet pan!

Toast in 350° oven for 5-7 minutes, shake them about half way through, you want them lightly toasted.

Toasting ramen noodles and slivered almonds.

Once your “crunchies” are toasted, set aside to cool completely, it won’t take long.

ASSEMBLING THE SALAD | COLESLAW

Place your shredded cabbage into the bowl. I like to go a little crazy sometimes using a package of larger shredded cabbage and a package of the angel hair cabbage. I’m kind of wild like that! Of course you are more than welcome to shred your own, I was going to put some purple cabbage in this and forgot to buy some! That would bring out some great color and nutrients!
 
Chop your green onions, and if your mandarin oranges are on the larger side like mine were, cut them in half, drain them before placing in salad.
Ingredients for Asian Ramen Noodle Salad | www.thefreshcooky.com #asianramennoodlesalad
I use one of my covered bowls for the salad, so it can marinate, then I spoon the salad into a pretty serving bowl when ready to serve. Although, if you are traveling with the salad, these bowls are tops!
 
Do you like water chestnuts? Now is a good time to toss them in the salad. I did a rough chop on mine, I love their watery crunch. And if you are adding chicken to make this heartier, add it now, shredding it a bit into bite size pieces.
 
Asian Ramen Salad Ingredients | www.thefreshcooky.com #asianramennoodesalad
Toss in your cooled “crunchies” and then pour your dressing over everything; like all coleslaws, initially it may not seem like enough, but as the cabbage shrinks and absorbs the dressing it will be more than enough.
 
Give it a good mix. Cover the container and refrigerate for about an hour before serving, it can withstand longer if need be, heck it’s even decent the next day, though starts bordering on leftovers for me.
 
Asian Ramen Noodle Salad in bowl | www.thefreshcooky.com #asianramennoodlesalad
When ready to serve, sprinkle a little fresh chopped cilantro and maybe some roasted cashews on top.
 
This is a wonderful side dish with or without the chicken and easily makes a full meal with the chicken. Wonderful for a luncheon, potluck, picnic, party, or barbecue!
Asian Ramen Noodle Salad | #thefreshcooky #asiansalad #sidesalad #cabbage #ramen #ramensalad #salad #easyrecipe
 
Want to make this even heartier? Add some shredded chicken, you’ll thank me later!
 
Asian Ramen Noodle Salad | #thefreshcooky #asiansalad #sidesalad #cabbage #ramen #ramensalad #salad #easyrecipe

Try these other delicious recipes along with this Asian salad:

  • Honey Bourbon Chicken
  • Easy Beef and Broccoli
  • Easy Cobb Salad
  • Coconut Lime Chicken

Like this recipe?

Don’t forget to give it a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating and leave a comment below the recipe!

Recipe Card
Asian Ramen Noodle Salad | #thefreshcooky #asiansalad #sidesalad #cabbage #ramen #ramensalad #salad #easyrecipe

Asian Ramen Noodle Salad (All Natural)

5 from 1 reader
Author: Kathleen Pope
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes minutes
Servings: 10 -12 servings
Print Pin SaveSaved!
Asian Ramen Noodle Salad is powered with crisp cabbage, organic ramen noodles, mandarin oranges, toasted almonds, sesame seeds, green onions, garnished with chopped fresh cilantro, cashews; dressed in a sweet-sour (reduced sugar) Asian dressing.

Equipment

  • OXO Good Grips Little Salad Dressing Shaker, Black
  • Eddington 50012 Italian Olive Wood Salad Server, Handcrafted in Europe, 2-Piece Set, 13-Inches
  • Mini Glass Pitcher 9 ounces

Ingredients 
US Customary – Metric

Salad

  • 2 bags shredded cabbage I use 1 bag regular mixed coleslaw and 1 bag angel hair
  • 1 pkg ramen noodles uncooked (I like Koyu, Organic Ramen Noodles), crushed, toasted
  • 1 can mandarin oranges small can, drained
  • โ…“ cup slivered almonds heaping cup; toasted
  • 2 tablespoons sesame seeds toasted
  • 3 green onions chopped
  • 1 can water chestnuts small can, optional
  • 1 cup shredded rotisserie cooked chicken breast optional
  • 3-4 sprigs chopped cilantro optional garnish
  • 2 tablespoons roasted cashews optional garnish

Dressing

  • 1 cup oil I use grapeseed or avocado
  • ½ cup rice vinegar or white wine
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce Tamari, Bragg’s Liquid Aminos or GF Soy all work
  • 2 tablespoons sugar I used, natural cane sugar
  • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar packed
Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Make your dressing. Pour all dressing ingredients into a mason jar, with a tight fitting lid and shake until combined. Use the bottle to gently crush the ramen noodles (in package), then store dressing in fridge until ready to use.
  • Place your almonds, sesame seeds, and crushed ramen noodles onto a baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for about 5-7 minutes, watch closely – you want them just golden. Remove from oven and cool completely.
  • Combine cabbage, noodles, almonds, sesame seeds, green onions, chicken and mandarin oranges, water chestnuts (optional) toss to mix up. Shake dressing until combined again, pour over salad, mixing well. Refrigerate for an hour or two for best flavors. Add chopped or shredded chicken for a meal.
  • Before serving, sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro and roasted cashews (optional). If you don’t plan on having any leftover, you can also add some chopped romaine, but it will get wilty if left over.
Last step! Leave a RatingRate this recipe here. This helps other readers and helps support this website.

Notes

OPTIONAL ADD INS
Shredded cooked chicken
Roasted cashews
Peanuts
Diced Avocado
Shredded Purple Cabbage
Chow Mein or Rice Noodles
© 2018 | This recipe for Asian Ramen Noodle Salad was featured first on The Fresh Cooky.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 342kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 220mg | Potassium: 181mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 257IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg
Asian Ramen Noodle Salad | #thefreshcooky #asiansalad #sidesalad #cabbage #ramen #ramensalad #salad #easyrecipe
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cabbage mandarin oranges ramen noodles slivered almonds

Kathleen Pope

Meet Kathleen

Recipe Innovator | Food Photographer | Food Writer

Hi, Iโ€™m Kathleen Pope. Here at The Fresh Cooky you will find easy, mostly from-scratch, trusted recipes for all occasions. From speedy dinners to tasty desserts, with easy step-by-step instructions. I am here to help teach you how to make mouthwatering recipes without spending hours in the kitchen.

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  1. Cameron

    Sat, Jun 15, 2019 at 7:14 am

    Yum! This is making me want a serving of Asian salad right now (and it’s 7am!). Making …
    We ordered the salad bowl and new wooden salad servers you linked to last month; they are perfect. So now it’s time for salad! Thanks!

    Reply
    • KathleenKathleen

      Sat, Jun 15, 2019 at 8:29 am

      Oh yay!! So glad you love them and the salad!!

      Reply
  2. Anonymous

    Fri, May 3, 2019 at 5:46 pm

    5 stars

    Reply

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Kathleen Pope

Meet Kathleen

Hey there! I'm Kathleen Pope, a proud wife, mom of two awesome college boys, and recipe nerd. Welcome to my world of easy recipes with a healthy twist! Join thousands who trust The Fresh Cooky as their go-to recipe source. Let's cook up some magic!

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