Ramen Noodle Salad Recipe
This ramen noodle salad recipe is ALL about the texture—crunchy noodles and almonds, crisp cabbage and carrots, and tender edamame make it a standout. A sweet, tangy, and zippy ginger dressing brings it all together!
Ramen noodle salad is a potluck favourite, but I thought: why save it for big parties? This is a salad that deserves to be eaten anytime, anyplace! So my vegan ramen noodle salad is designed to serve four, which means it’s perfect for meal prep lunches and weeknight dinners. It’s got the same crisp-and-crunchy texture of the original, a fabulous dressing with the perfect balance of sweet, savory, and tangy, and it’s easy to customise with your favourite veggies or add a plant-based protein to make it extra filling. (If you love ramen, be sure to check out my Spicy Ramen and Peanut Butter Ramen too!)
Why I Can’t Get Enough of This Ramen Noodle Salad
I’ve been making this on Sunday nights and portioning it out into meal prep containers to have for lunch during the week. Here’s why I love it:
- Stands up well to storage. Some salads go limp and lifeless on you after a few hours in the fridge, but this ramen noodle salad holds up quite well. The cabbage and carrots stay crunchy much longer than typical salad greens!
- Quick to throw together. There’s no cooking needed and the prep time for this salad is minimal, making it perfect when you need a meal in a hurry.
- Versatile. As mentioned before, you can easily customise this salad by adding your favourite vegetables or proteins. You can also serve it as a side for Asian-inspired dishes like Vegan Katsu Curry.
Notes on Ingredients
Here’s a breakdown of the key ingredients for this ramen noodle salad recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.
For the Salad:
- Instant ramen noodles – Discard the seasoning—we don’t need it here!
- Cabbage – I use a combination of purple cabbage and Napa cabbage.
- Shelled edamame – You can sometimes find fresh edamame in the produce section; otherwise, just pick up a bag of frozen edamame.
- Veggies – I add carrots, red bell pepper, and green onions.
- Fresh cilantro
- Slivered almonds
- Sesame seeds – Black or white sesame seeds both work.
For the Dressing:
- Rice vinegar – Also known as rice wine vinegar.
- Soy sauce – Tamari or liquid aminos also work.
- Maple syrup
- Toasted sesame oil – Be sure to use toasted, not regular sesame oil. Toasted has a fabulous nutty flavour!
- Olive oil
- Lime juice – Use freshly squeezed lime juice, not bottled.
- Fresh ginger and garlic – A one-two punch for warmth and bold flavour.
- Chili flakes or sriracha (optional)
Variations
- Add a protein. While the edamame is a great source of plant-protein in this recipe, you can also add Vegan Chicken or Crispy Air Fryer Tofu.
- Switch up the veggies. I like using carrots and red bell peppers because they stand up well to storage, but if you’re eating this right away, cucumbers would be excellent too.
- Give it some extra sweetness. Some ramen noodle salad recipes call for canned mandarin oranges. Feel free to give it a try!
How to Make Ramen Noodle Salad
This simple step-by-step guide will show you the process of making this ramen noodle salad recipe.
- Prepare the ramen. Break the dry ramen noodles into bite-sized pieces.
- Toast the almonds. Toast the almonds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, or until they’re golden and fragrant.
- Make the dressing. Whisk together all the ingredients in a small bowl.
- Assemble the salad. Add the ramen, cabbage, edamame, carrots, bell pepper, green onions, and cilantro to a large bowl.
- Dress the salad. Pour the dressing into the bowl with the salad, toss, and let it sit 15–30 minutes (or chill up to 1 hour) to soften noodles slightly.
- Serve. Add the toasted almonds and sesame seeds, then serve.
Tips for Success
- Avoid getting noodles all over your counter. I break up the dry ramen noodles into smaller pieces while they are still in the package, then carefully open the package and pour them into the bowl. If there are still some larger pieces, I break them up right in the bowl.
- Thaw the edamame fast. If you’re using frozen edamame, you can thaw them quickly by placing them in a bowl of hot water for a few minutes, then draining.
- Be careful when toasting the nuts. They can burn quickly! As soon as they’re fragrant and have darkened slightly, transfer them to a bowl or plate. Leaving them in the pan, even after you remove them from the heat, can burn them.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve this ramen noodle salad on its own for a light meal or make it a side dish for Air Fryer Orange Tofu or another dish with Asian flavours. I also love it as an addition to meal bowls, like this Nourishing Vegan Buddha Bowl.
How to Store
- Meal prep: If you’re meal prepping this salad, I recommend keeping the dressing and almonds separate and then assembling 15 minutes before serving.
- Leftovers: This salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3 days. The noodles will soften once you’ve added the dressing, but the salad is still fabulous!
More Tasty Vegan Salads
Enjoy friends! If you make this ramen noodle salad recipe, please snap a photo and tag #jessicainthekitchen on Instagram! We’d also love it if you would leave a comment below, and give the recipe a rating! Thanks so much!
Ramen Noodle Salad Recipe
Ingredients
For the Salad:
- 2 packs instant ramen noodles, discard seasoning packets – 6 ounces / 170 grams
- 2 cups shredded purple cabbage, 150 grams
- 2 cups shredded napa cabbage, 150 grams
- 1 cup shelled edamame, thawed if frozen – 150 grams
- ½ cup shredded carrots, 60 grams
- ½ red bell pepper, thinly sliced – 60 grams
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced – 20 grams
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro, 8 grams
- ½ cup slivered almonds, toasted – 60 grams
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, for garnish – 9 grams
For the Dressing:
- ¼ cup rice vinegar, 60 milliliters
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 30 milliliters
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 15 milliliters
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, 15 milliliters
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, 30 milliliters
- 1 tablespoon lime juice, 15 milliliters
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, 2 grams
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced – 3 grams
- ½ teaspoon chili flakes or sriracha, optional, to taste – 1 gram
Instructions
- Break the dry ramen noodles into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
- Toast the almonds (if not already toasted): In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the slivered almonds for 2–3 minutes, stirring often until golden and fragrant. Let cool.
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the rice vinegar, soy sauce, maple syrup, sesame oil, olive oil, lime juice, ginger, garlic, and chili flakes or sriracha, if using.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the broken dry ramen noodles, purple cabbage, napa cabbage, edamame, carrots, bell pepper, green onions, and cilantro.
- Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well to coat. Let it sit for at least 15–30 minutes (or chill up to 1 hour). This softens the noodles just slightly while keeping their crunch.
- Sprinkle it with toasted almonds and sesame seeds right before serving for a crunchy finish.
Notes
- Meal prep: If you’re meal prepping this salad, I recommend keeping the dressing and almonds separate and then assembling a few minutes before serving.
- Leftovers: This salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3 days. The noodles will soften once you’ve added the dressing, but the salad is still fabulous!
Disclaimer: Although jessicainthekitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, kindly note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on the product type, the brand that was purchased, and in other unforeseeable ways. Jessicainthekitchen.com will not be held liable for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your doctor first.
