4.93 from 28 votes

Ramen Noodle Salad

Name: Ramen Noodle Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 70 min
Ingredients: 24 oz shredded broccoli slaw (available by the pre-packaged salad mixes lettuce, etc., usually sold in 12 oz bags, so you will need 2); 2 3 oz packages chicken flavored ramen noodles (broken into small pieces (reserve seasoning packet)); ½ cup chopped green onions (about 6 green onions, sliced); 1 cup sunflower seeds; ½ cup canola, vegetable, or light olive oil; ⅓ cup sugar; ¼ cup apple cider vinegar; 3 Tablespoons rice vinegar; ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

By Sam MerrittUpdated Feb 28, 2023

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53 Comments

Servings: 8 people

1 hr 10 mins

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Ramen Noodle Salad is loaded with texture and flavor, and it’s SO easy to make! My recipe takes just 10 minutes to prep and is the perfect easy side dish for your next potluck or cookout.

Close-up shot of ramen noodle salad in a wood bowl.

Quick & Easy Side Dish

Maybe you’ve tried and loved ramen noodle salad before, or maybe it sounds bizarre to you (I was very skeptical too!). Despite its unusual ingredients, this is one of the easiest and tastiest side dishes I’ve tried and it holds its own beside traditional favorites like my pasta salad recipe and macaroni salad.

I know that ramen noodles–especially dry, uncooked ramen noodles–may seem like an unusual salad addition, but trust me! We’ll break them up into small pieces and toss them together with broccoli slaw, a few mix-ins, and an easy dressing. The final result is a crunchy, bright, and fresh salad full of texture and flavor!

This is a unique side dish (similar to my broccoli salad!) that goes well with everything from seared chicken to instant pot pulled pork (with a side of deviled eggs!). Bring it your next cookout and be prepared to share the recipe–everyone will be asking for the recipe!

What You Need

Overhead view of ingredients including broccoli slaw, ramen noodles, sunflower seeds, and scallions.

You need less than 10 ingredients for this easy salad. Let’s discuss a few of the most important ones:

Broccoli slaw. This consists of shredded broccoli stems, cabbage, and carrots. It’s typically sold right next to bagged coleslaw and salads.
Vinegar. I use a combination of rice vinegar and apple cider vinegar. If you can’t find rice vinegar (it’s usually in the asian food section of the grocery store!), you can substitute an equal amount of apple cider vinegar.
Sunflower seeds. These add a nice salty crunch to the salad. Chopped peanuts or toasted slivered almonds would also work well here.
Ramen noodles. I usually just break up my noodles by hand or smack them with a rolling pin. Chicken flavored ramen is my preference, but you could experiment with other flavors. Don’t forget to save the seasoning packets–we’ll use them for our dressing!
Red pepper flakes. I add a pinch just for a little kick, but you can always omit this (or add more if you want a lot of kick!).

This is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!

SAM’S TIP: While my recipe has always called for canola or vegetable oil, an equal amount of light olive oil or avocado oil works just fine here.

How to Make It

Dressing being poured onto a salad containing broccoli slaw, scallions, ramen noodles, and sunflower seeds.

Prepare the salad – Toss together the broken noodles, broccoli slaw, green onions, and sunflower seeds.
Make the dressing – Whisk the oil, sugar, vinegars, crushed red pepper, and seasoning packets in a separate bowl or liquid measuring cup, then pour over the salad.
Toss everything together until well coated and let sit in the fridge for one hour before serving.

SAM’S TIP: Some people like to toast their ramen before adding it for extra flavor. If you’d like to do this too, you can follow the directions in my how to toast coconut tutorial (just sub the broken ramen for the coconut!).

Overhead view of two bowls of an asian-inspired noodle salad.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can ramen noodle salad be made in advance?

I personally prefer to enjoy this salad immediately after the chilling step, but you can still enjoy it the next day. The noodles will soften over time, so you will lose some texture. The flavor will still be great though!

Do I have to add the seasoning packets?

I think this salad tastes best when prepared as directed below, but if you want to use less of or completely remove the seasoning packet, you can. If you do this, you may need to add salt or other spices to compensate for the missed flavor.

What can I add to ramen noodle salad?

I love my recipe as-is, but some people like to toss in shelled edamame, chopped snow peas or sugar snap peas, mandarin orange segments, sesame seeds, toasted almonds, or cilantro. Lots of fun options!

Brussels Sprouts Salad

Shrimp Pasta Salad

Broccoli Salad

Macaroni Salad

I hope you love this one as much as I do!

Enjoy!

Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook

4.93 from 28 votes

Ramen Noodle Salad

Ramen noodle salad is loaded with texture and flavor, and it's SO easy to make! My recipe takes just 10 minutes to prep and is the perfect easy side dish for your next potluck or cookout.

Prep: 10

Resting Time: 1

Total: 1 10

Servings: people

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Equipment

Mixing bowl

Ingredients

▢ 24 oz shredded broccoli slaw, available by the pre-packaged salad mixes lettuce, etc., usually sold in 12 oz bags, so you will need 2
▢ 2 3 oz packages chicken flavored ramen noodles, broken into small pieces (reserve seasoning packet)
▢ ½ cup chopped green onions, about 6 green onions, sliced
▢ 1 cup sunflower seeds
▢ ½ cup (120 ml) canola, vegetable, or light olive oil
▢ ⅓ cup (66 g) sugar
▢ ¼ cup (60 ml) apple cider vinegar
▢ 3 Tablespoons rice vinegar
▢ ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional

Instructions

Combine broccoli slaw, broken ramen noodles, green onions, and sunflower seeds in a large bowl. Set aside.
24 oz shredded broccoli slaw, 2 3 oz packages chicken flavored ramen noodles, ½ cup chopped green onions, 1 cup sunflower seeds
In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, sugar, vinegars, crushed red pepper, and reserved seasoning from both ramen packets.
½ cup (120 ml) canola, vegetable, or light olive oil, ⅓ cup (66 g) sugar, ¼ cup (60 ml) apple cider vinegar, 3 Tablespoons rice vinegar, ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Drizzle over salad mixture and toss well.
Chill in the refrigerator for one hour before serving to allow flavors to meld and noodles to soften. I prefer this salad best when served the same day that it is made as the noodles are still somewhat crunchy and offer a great texture, but it does taste good the next day with softer noodles, too.