Ramen Cabbage Salad

This ramen cabbage salad is one of those potluck recipes that gets requested again and again. Shredded cabbage and green onions form the base, then crushed uncooked ramen noodles, toasted almonds, and sesame seeds go in right before serving so they stay crunchy.

The dressing is the clever part. The seasoning packet from the ramen noodles gets shaken into a simple oil-and-vinegar dressing, giving you that concentrated savory, slightly salty flavor without any extra work. A tablespoon of sugar rounds off the acidity.

Toast the sesame seeds and almonds on a baking sheet in the oven, but watch them like a hawk. They go from golden to burnt in under a minute, and burnt sesame seeds taste acrid.

Timing is everything with this salad. Toss the crunchy elements in at the very last second. Five minutes sitting in the dressing and the noodles start going soft.

Pro Tips

• Crush the ramen noodles while still in the package. Less mess, more uniform pieces.
• Shred the cabbage fine for better dressing distribution and easier eating.
• Make the dressing ahead and refrigerate, but don’t toss with the salad until right before you put it on the table.

Variations

• Add shredded rotisserie chicken to turn this into a full meal.
• Toss in mandarin orange segments for a sweet, citrusy contrast.
• Use rice vinegar instead of white vinegar for a milder, slightly sweeter dressing.