This Ramen Cabbage Salad with a simple soy dressing is packed full of colorful crisp veggies, crunchy ramen noodles, mandarin oranges, and salted cashews. It’s quick and easy, can be made-ahead of time, and is perfect for serving to a small family or large crowd.
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Crunchy Ramen Salad with Cabbage
This crunchy Ramen Cabbage Salad has so many fun textures, flavors, and colors all packed into a super simple recipe. Because this recipe uses a bag of coleslaw mix, canned mandarin oranges, and instant ramen noodles, there isn’t a whole lot of prep involved. Just toss everything together, mix up a 5 ingredient soy dressing, and serve. Feel free to top with toasted almonds and sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, or simply as is.
I like to serve Ramen Cabbage Salad as a side dish to Asian-inspired chicken recipes, like this Thai grilled chicken. It would also taste amazing alongside this Grilled Teriyaki Salmon or our Asian Beef Kabobs.
Ingredients in Cabbage Ramen Salad
- Coleslaw Mix - you could also use a bagged broccoli mix, shredded cabbage, or a combo of any of these.
- Green Onions - these should be thinly sliced.
- Instant Ramen Noodles - I like the chicken ramen noodles. If you want to add some of the seasoning packet to the dressing you can. Otherwise, toss or save for another use.
- Mandarin Oranges - these come in 6 ounce cans. Make sure and drain the oranges before using.
- Cashews - these should be chopped and lightly salted. If you want to toast them first, you can do so in a hot pan, tossing them and cooking until they are very fragrant and lightly golden brown. Peanuts or almonds would taste great, too.
Dressing
- Olive Oil - you can also use sesame oil, or a combination of both.
- Rice Vinegar - this balances out the sweet and salty flavors.
- Sugar - this recipe calls for granulated sugar.
- Soy Sauce - you can use regular, low sodium, or even gluten-free tamari.
- Lime Juice - fresh lime juice tastes best.
How to Make Cabbage Salad With Ramen Noodles
- Place salad ingredients in a bowl. In a large bowl, add the coleslaw mix, green onions, crushed ramen noodles, mandarin oranges, and cashews. Set aside.
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, and lime juice. Whisk until combined.
- Toss and serve. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
If you want to make this salad ahead of time, you can mix together all of the salad ingredients in a large bowl but keep the dressing and the ramen noodles separate. Store the salad ingredients and dressing in the fridge overnight. Once you are ready to serve, add the crushed ramen noodles and dressing and toss. Voila!
If you want to add a little extra flavor to your dressing, slowly add the seasoning packet to taste. Sure, there is a ton of sodium but it sure does pack a punch of flavor! You will likely not want to add the entire packet, so add slowly, mixing and tasting as you go.
You could easily turn this salad into a main course by adding grilled chicken, shrimp, or salmon. Otherwise, this salad pairs nicely with other Asian-inspired dishes such as Thai Marinated Chicken, Korean Ground Beef, and Teriyaki Beef Stir Fry.
The easiest way to to crush them right in the bag. Take a rolling pin or can and smack the noodles until they are crushed into pieces.
Flavor Variations for Cabbage Salad
- Ramen Cabbage Salad with Grilled Chicken: This variation of Ramen Cabbage Salad adds a protein punch with grilled chicken to make it a complete and filling meal. The smoky flavor of the chicken pairs well with the crunchy cabbage and the tangy dressing.
- Spicy Ramen Cabbage Salad: If you're a fan of spicy food, this variation of Ramen Cabbage Salad is perfect for you. Add chili flakes or hot sauce to the dressing, and toss in some sliced jalapeños for an extra kick of heat.
- Ramen Cabbage Salad with Peanuts: For a crunchy and nutty twist, add roasted peanuts to your Ramen Cabbage Salad. The peanuts complement the cabbage and the dressing, and add a satisfying texture to the dish.
- Ramen Cabbage Salad with Tofu: If you're looking for a vegetarian and vegan option, this variation of Ramen Cabbage Salad is perfect for you. Substitute the grilled chicken with tofu, and you have a protein-packed dish that's both healthy and delicious.
- Ramen Cabbage Salad with Shrimp: For a seafood option, add some cooked shrimp to your Ramen Cabbage Salad. The sweetness of the shrimp pairs well with the dressing, and the combination of textures is simply irresistible.
Storing
- Make-ahead: to make this ahead of time, combine the coleslaw mix, green onions, mandarin oranges, and cashews in a large covered bowl in the fridge. Store the dressing in a separate container. The next day, add the crushed ramen noodles and toss it all together with the dressing.
- Leftover salad: you can store leftover salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day. After that, it will begin to get rather mushy.
Ramen Cabbage Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 12-15 ounces Coleslaw Mix or about 5 cups
- ½ cup Green Onions sliced thin
- 1 package Ramen Noodles dry, crushed
- 1 6-oz can Mandarin Oranges drained
- ¼ cup Cashews chopped, lightly salted
Dressing
- ½ cup Olive Oil
- ⅓ cup Rice Vinegar
- ¼ cup Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add the coleslaw mix, green onions, crushed ramen noodles, mandarin oranges, and cashews. Set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, and lime juice. Whisk until combined.
- Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Nutrition
More Of Our Favorite Salad Recipes
- Thai Chicken Salad
- Thai Chicken Chopped Salad
- BLT Pasta Salad
- Italian Dressing
- Honey Mustard Dressing
- Caprese Pasta Salad
- Fall Harvest Salad
- Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad
- Grilled Chicken BLT Salad
- More Salad Recipes
- More Asian-Inspired Recipes
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This quick and easy Ramen Salad with Cabbage is full of fun textures, flavors, and colors. It's all tossed in a soy lime dressing and perfect as a side dish to all sorts of Asian-inspired recipes.
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