This Cold Ramen Noodle Salad is packed with fresh veggies, edamame, and tender noodles. The crunchy ramen noodle topping adds fun texture, while the flavorful, 8-ingredient Asian dressing pulls it all together! It's a great side dish for sharing at parties and potlucks. We also like to meal prep it for easy weekday lunches!
Have you ever tried the Asian noodle salad from the Whole Foods salad bar? I've always loved that dish because it's SO flavorful and always satisfying.
What's not to love about the marriage of cold noodles, veggies, and the over-the-top, garlicky, sesame oil dressing with just the right touch of sweetness and acidity.
This cold ramen noodle salad is basically my homemade, slightly healthier take on that Whole Foods noodle dish. It's also inspired by my Vegan Sesame Noodles recipe, leaning more in the direction of a veggie-loaded summer pasta salad.
Why You'll Love It
- Endlessly versatile! Switch up the veggies, make it gluten-free, and tweak the flavors in the sauce to get it just right for your taste buds.
- A healthy way to enjoy fresh veggies AND get your carb/noodle, comfort-food fix at the same time!
- A crowd-pleasing side dish for parties and potlucks, and since it holds up well several days in the fridge, it's even great for meal prep!
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Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Ramen noodles: I used Hakubaku organic ramen noodles that I found at Whole Foods, but any type of noodle you have is fine. Go with regular or gluten-free ramen, or use soba, udon, rice noodles, or even spaghetti!
- Vegetables: I included green cabbage, carrot, cucumber, radishes, broccoli, and green onion. But there are no rules here! Use your favorite veggies or whatever looks best and freshest in the produce section. Cauliflower, red cabbage, snap peas, and red, orange, or yellow bell peppers would also be great.
- Shelled edamame (optional): I really enjoy the firm texture of edamame, plus the lovely green color and the extra protein are nice additions to Asian noodle salad. You can use a ready-to-eat edamame like the one from Trader Joe's, or frozen shelled edamame (you'll need to cook it first according to package directions). Green peas would also be delicious.
- Dressing: You'll need rice vinegar, olive oil, tahini, maple syrup (or agave or brown sugar), soy sauce (or GF tamari), fresh ginger, garlic, and toasted sesame oil. I also like to include a touch of spicy mustard for thickness and because it complements all of the savory flavors. Chili garlic sauce would also taste great.
See the recipe card below for amounts and step-by-step instructions.
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How to Make Ramen Noodle Salad
Make the crunchy topping: You can skip this step if you like, but the topping is SO easy to make and does add that little extra something to the dish.
Take approximately 1 ounce of the noodles and break into small pieces. Preheat a skillet over medium-low heat.
Stirring frequently so that they don't burn, cook until the noodles are slightly darker in color, about 3 minutes. Add the sesame seeds, stir well, and remove from heat. Set aside to cool.
Oven-Toasting Option :
If using the wavy type of ramen, you may prefer to toast them in the oven, since they don't make contact with the pan as well as straight noodles.
To do it, spread the broken noodles on a baking sheet and toast in a 380°F oven for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring at the halfway point.
Next, cook the remaining ramen noodles until al dente, about 1 minute less than indicated on the package. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water. While the noodles are cooling, make the dressing and chop the veggies.
Finally, combine the vegetables, edamame, and cooled noodles in a large bowl. Drizzle with about half of the dressing, and toss to combine. Add more dressing, to taste, and garnish with the crunchy sesame-ramen topping.
Serving Suggestions
- Side dish: Cold ramen salad is a fun and casual side dish for picnics, backyard cookouts, or any type of potluck gathering. The flavors pair well with many other foods beyond Asian-inspired dishes.
- Light entree: The edamame and generous amount of veggies make it more satisfying than your average pasta or noodle salad. To make it more filling, you can increase the amount of edamame, add another protein source, or serve it with a side dish.
Pair it with:- a simple baked or pan-fried tofu
- Baked Peanut Tempeh
- Air Fryer Tempeh
- Savory Tofu Pancakes
- sushi rolls
Variations
- Gluten-free: Traditionally, ramen noodles are made from wheat, but you can find many gluten-free options made from rice, millet, or other gluten-free flours. They are available online, and you may even find them at your local grocery store. To keep the dish gluten-free, you'll also want to use a certified gluten-free tamari instead of soy sauce, which contains wheat.
- Oil-free: If you avoid extracted oils in your diet, replace the olive oil with tahini. Keep in mind that this creates a thicker dressing. You can thin it with lime juice and/or a splash of water.
FAQs
Yes, ramen noodles are wheat-based and traditionally made with just three ingredients: water, flour, and an alkaline salt called kansui. Prepared ramen is often not vegan, but the noodles are.
Store ramen noodle salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Keep in mind that some vegetables don't hold up as well as others.
More Vegan Noodle Recipes
I hope you love this versatile ramen noodle salad as much as we do. Let us know in the comments if you give it a try!
Recipe
Cold Ramen Noodle Salad With Crunchy Ramen Topping
Equipment
Ingredients
- 9 ounces dry ramen noodles - gluten-free if needed
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 4 cups shredded green cabbage - about half of a medium head
- 2 cups broccoli florets - cut small; or cauliflower
- 1 large carrot - peeled and shaved into ribbons or julienned
- 1 bunch radishes, trimmed and sliced - optional
- ⅓ cup chopped green onion
- 1¼ cups cooked shelled edamame
For the Dressing:
- ¼ cup olive oil - or tahini for oil-free; see Notes
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce - or gluten-free tamari
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup - or agave
- 1 tablespoon tahini
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger puree
- 3 cloves garlic - grated or minced
- 2 teaspoons spicy dijon mustard - or a chili garlic sauce
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes - optional
Instructions
- Take approximately 1 ounce of the dry noodles and break into small pieces (if using wavy ramen see Notes below). Preheat a skillet over medium-low heat. Stirring frequently, toast the noodles for about 3 minutes, until slightly darker in color. Add the sesame seeds to the pan, stir, and remove from heat. Set aside to cool.
- Cook the remaining ramen noodles according to package directions but reduce the time by about 1 minute. You want the noodles to be just al dente. Drain in a colander and rinse well with cold water.
- While the noodles cool, whisk together the dressing ingredients in a bowl. Finish preparing the veggies if you haven't already.
- Combine the vegetables, edamame, and cooled noodles in a large bowl. Drizzle with about ⅔ of the dressing, and toss to combine. Add more dressing to taste, and garnish with the crunchy sesame-ramen topping. Serve now or refrigerate until chilled.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used.
Susie