Ramen Noodle Cabbage Salad

The 15-minute ramen noodle cabbage salad is fresh, crunchy, and tangy-sweet, packed with crisp cabbage and carrot, crunchy ramen noodles, fresh herbs, and optional nuts, tossed in a sweet-tangy dressing. It’s a crowd-pleasing slaw, perfect for potlucks, BBQs, parties, & more!

Fresh, Bright, Crunchy Ramen Noodle Cabbage Salad

Okay, it’s official. I think I’ve found my new favorite way to enjoy a pack of ramen noodles. I’ve already shared a sweet and savory vegan chicken mandarin noodle salad, but for those who want even more crunch and to stick to the savory side of things, this ramen noodle cabbage salad is an irresistible summery salad you can enjoy year-round.

This ramen cabbage salad is packed with bold flavors, the crisp and crunchy textures of fresh napa cabbage, carrot, and dried ramen noodles (the best crouton replacement ever!), and popular, delicious flavors like ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and rice vinegar.

While it’s technically a salad, it’s also very much like a coleslaw dish (with ramen noodles), and perfect for enjoying either as a main or side salad at parties, potlucks, and dinner parties as it ‘sits’ so well for several hours!

For anyone who prioritizes texture in your salads, this cabbage salad with ramen noodles is a perfect blend of flavor, color (especially with a mix of cabbage), and texture.

Not only is it simple to prep, but this cabbage salad with ramen noodles will be ready in just minutes, too. It’s also composed of simple and inexpensive ingredients, can be adapted or added to in several ways, and is a crowd-pleasing make-ahead salad, perfect for impressing guests. Keep the recipe on hand, though, as others will likely ask for it!

The Cabbage Salad Ingredients

This ramen cabbage salad recipe is a simple combination of fresh and crunchy shredded vegetables and herbs with a simple sweet and savory dressing—and all with under a dozen ingredients!

The Cabbage Ramen Salad

• Cabbage: I use napa cabbage for this cabbage salad. Alternatively, you can combine Chinese cabbage and red cabbage for more color.
• Carrots: Use any colored carrots. Buy them pre-shredded, if preferred.
• Instant ramen: You need one package of dry ramen noodles crushed into smaller pieces, with any seasoning packets removed.

For more flavor, you could add a small amount of the ramen seasoning to make a more flavorful dressing for the cabbage salad.

• Herbs: I use a combination of cilantro and green onions/scallions in this ramen coleslaw salad. Omit the cilantro if preferred.
• Nuts: (optional) Garnish the cabbage slaw with chopped nuts like peanuts, slivered almonds, or cashews (lightly toasted until fragrant is best) for extra crunch and heart-healthy fats. For a nut-free version, use sesame seeds or sunflower seeds.

The Dressing

• Soy sauce: Use dark or light soy sauce. Use tamari or coconut aminos if you're gluten-free.
• Rice vinegar: This is subtly sweet and perfect for slaw with ramen. If you don’t have any, apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar work.
• Maple syrup: Brown sugar would also work, or a sugar alternative (I recommend using a maple syrup or brown sugar alternative).
• Black pepper: Added to taste.
• Aromatics: I use a combination of garlic and ginger for this cabbage salad with ramen. Adjust the amount to taste.
• Oil: Use any neutral-tasting cooking oil, like olive oil, avocado oil, or vegetable oil. Use vegan butter for a richer flavor.

To boost the slaw dressing flavor: Add a teaspoon or two of sesame oil to the slaw dressing. Add a little lime juice or orange juice for a brighter, tangier flavor. You could also add some red pepper flakes or hot sauce for spice.

What could I add to this Ramen Cabbage Salad?

Add more color, texture, and/or flavor to this cold ramen noodle salad with any of the following ingredients.

• Edamame: (Frozen and thawed) For color, texture, and extra plant-based protein.
• Protein: To make this slaw into a main, I recommend adding your favorite protein, like a vegan chicken alternative, crispy tofu/marinated tofu strips, etc.
• Other vegetables: There are several fresh veggies you could add to the ramen coleslaw for more flavor, texture, color, and nutrients.
  • Red onion
  • Snow peas (thinly sliced)
  • Bell pepper (red or orange, thinly sliced)
  • Broccoli (shredded)
  • Cucumber (shredded or half-moons)
  • Celery
  • Radish (julienned or thinly sliced)
• Quinoa: Make a heartier coleslaw ramen salad with the addition of some leftover cooked quinoa.
• Add spice: You can add a pinch of red pepper flakes or even a small amount of hot sauce to the salad dressing.

How to Make Ramen Noodle Cabbage Salad?

Prepare this napa cabbage ramen salad in minutes following a few simple, low-effort steps.

• 1) First, prepare the various fresh ingredients. Shred the cabbage and carrots, slice the green onion, mince the cilantro, and transfer them to a large salad bowl. Also, mince the garlic and ginger.

• 2) Meanwhile, combine the dressing ingredients (minus the oil, ginger, and garlic) in a medium bowl or a jar, whisk/shake well, and set aside.

• 3) Then, sauté the garlic and ginger with the crushed ramen (and optionally nuts if using) in a small pan over medium-high with the oil for 2-3 minutes.

For crispy rather than crunchy ramen, you can deep fry them in oil. They’ll puff up and become super crispy.

• 4) Finally, pour the slaw dressing over the salad, add the aromatic ramen mixture, and toss to combine—enjoy!

I love serving this cabbage salad alongside vegan burgers or tacos or topped with a protein (like marinated tofu) to make a heartier main.

FAQs

Top Recipe Tips and Notes

• To save time and effort: Purchase pre-shredded carrots and cabbage (or a coleslaw mix - regular or broccoli slaw or sprout slaw). The cabbage salad won’t be as fresh, but it’ll take next to no effort.
• Leave it to marinate: I recommend assembling the coleslaw with ramen noodles at least 30 minutes before serving (leave the noodles out if you want them super crunchy) to allow the flavors of the dressing to meld with the veggies and herbs.
• Tweak the dressing: I recommend preparing the dressing in advance to meld. However, after that, give it a taste and adjust the ingredients to your liking. I.e., more maple for sweetness, rice vinegar for tang, etc.
• For texture depth: When assembling the ramen noodle cabbage salad, add half the ramen noodles immediately and half just before serving. That way, some noodles will be more tender, and some will be crunchy.
• Crushing the noodles: You can break it down into smaller clumps or crush it down into small pieces (this is easiest done inside a Ziplock/Stasher bag, bashed with a rolling pin).

Storage Instructions

Make ahead: I recommend preparing this napa cabbage salad with ramen noodles at least 30 minutes in advance to give all the flavors time to meld. However, you can assemble the entire dish the night before (the noodles will be softer, but soak up some of the dressing for extra flavor).

Alternatively, prepare the salad and dressing separately, and combine when needed for a super crunchy ramen cabbage salad.

Store: With the noodles mixed in, I recommend enjoying this cabbage and ramen salad within several hours. Without them, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days, adding the noodles when serving.

If you try this ramen noodle cabbage salad recipe, I’d love to know what you think in the comments below. I’d also really appreciate a recipe card rating!

Photos by Alfonso Revilla