“I thought this ramen noodle salad recipe was exclusive to the mom community of suburban Massachusetts,” writes BA editor Hilary Cadigan, who grew up eating it at neighborhood BBQs and potluck picnics in the ’90s. “When my colleague Shilpa Uskokovic informed me that her mother made a near-identical version for family parties in Chennai, India, I realized true culinary genius knows no borders.”
A sort of mash-up of coleslaw and pasta salad, there are countless versions of the easy recipe out there with a range of ingredients. Some are main dishes with rotisserie chicken, green onions, edamame, and mandarin orange segments; others are side dishes with bags of coleslaw mix or broccoli slaw, sliced bell pepper, and sunflower seeds. No matter which route you take, the key is the crispy and crunchy ramen noodles—yes, the kind college kids microwave by the boatload across the world. Instant ramen is cooked and freeze-dried, meaning it’s perfectly fine to eat right out of the package. Spring for good quality ramen here (such as Shin brand), as it’ll make the difference between deliciously crunchy or rock-hard ribbons.
Ingredients
6–8 servings
1
1
1
1
⅔
1
½
1
Preparation
-
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°. Toast almonds on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing halfway through, until golden brown, 8–10 minutes. Let cool.
Step 2
Meanwhile, remove seasoning packet from ramen noodles and set aside. Crush noodles with your hands or a rolling pin until pieces are peanut- to walnut-size.
Step 3
Vigorously whisk vinegar, oil, sugar, and ramen seasoning from reserved packet in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Season dressing with salt and pepper. Combine green and red cabbage, scallions, half of ramen noodles, half of almonds, and half of dressing in a large bowl and toss to combine. Add more dressing if needed (reserve any remaining dressing for another use). Top salad with remaining ramen and almonds.
Do ahead: Dressing can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.