This Asian Ramen Noodle Salad combines crisp romaine lettuce, tender broccoli florets, juicy Roma tomatoes, toasted slivered almonds and crunchy broken Ramen noodles, all tossed in a sweet-and-sour homemade vinaigrette. Bright, crunchy, and ready in minutes, this salad makes a versatile side or a light main and is especially popular in warm weather.
Why You’ll Love This Salad
This crispy, crunchy Asian Ramen Noodle Salad is addictive in the best way. The contrast of textures — crisp romaine, tender broccoli, juicy tomatoes, crunchy almonds and toasted ramen — makes every bite interesting. The dressing is a simple sweet-and-sour vinaigrette with soy sauce that ties all the flavors together: tangy, slightly sweet, and savory. It’s an approachable recipe that appeals even to people who usually reach for heavier dressings.
What Makes This Salad Great
This recipe is quick to assemble and relies on fresh, readily available ingredients. Toasting the slivered almonds and broken ramen pieces in melted butter is a small step with a big payoff — it deepens the flavor and softens the raw noodle texture while delivering a satisfying crunch. The dressing comes together in seconds with pantry staples and can be made ahead.
The salad scales well for gatherings and works year-round, though it’s especially refreshing on warm days. Serve it alongside grilled proteins or hearty mains to balance a heavier plate.
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
Romaine lettuce — I prefer romaine for its firm, dark green leaves that hold up well to dressing.
Fresh broccoli — use fresh florets, chopped to bite-size; frozen broccoli is not recommended.
Roma tomatoes — these are a good choice because they tend to be less watery.
Green onions — thinly sliced for a mild onion flavor; optional if you prefer no onion.
Salad Toppings
Ramen noodles — break the noodles into small pieces and toast them for crunch.
Slivered almonds — toasted for added texture and flavor; walnuts or pecans can be substituted.
Butter — used to coat the noodles and almonds before toasting.
Salad Dressing
Oil, red wine vinegar, and soy sauce form the base of the dressing.
Sugar adds a touch of sweetness that balances the vinegar and soy.
Freshly ground black pepper — a pinch or two to taste.
Easy Directions
This Asian Ramen Noodle Salad comes together quickly — most of the time is hands-off.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Break the ramen noodles into small pieces and place them on a sheet pan with the slivered almonds. Drizzle melted butter over the top and toss to coat. Bake 5–8 minutes, watching closely, until the noodles and almonds are lightly browned. Remove and let cool.
- In a small container or jar, stir or shake together 1/2 cup oil, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, 3 tablespoons soy sauce and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Adjust sugar or vinegar to your preferred balance of sweet and tangy.
- In a large salad bowl, combine torn romaine, chopped broccoli florets, quartered Roma tomatoes and sliced green onions.
- Just before serving, add the cooled toasted ramen and almonds, then toss the salad with 1/2 to 1 cup of the dressing, depending on how saucy you like it. Serve immediately for best texture.
Make Ahead Directions
The dressing can be prepared and refrigerated for a day or two in a sealed container. Toast the almonds and ramen ahead of time as well; cool completely and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. When ready to serve, combine the salad base with the toasted toppings and dressing, or offer the dressing on the side so the greens stay crisp.
Storing Leftovers
If the salad is dressed, it’s best eaten the same day because the lettuce will soften overnight. If you expect leftovers, store the salad components and the dressing separately in airtight containers and refrigerate; combine them just before serving. Properly stored, the dressing keeps for several days, and the toasted toppings stay crunchy if kept dry.
What to Serve with This Salad
This salad pairs well with grilled or roasted proteins. Consider serving it with grilled salmon, a simply seasoned steak, honey-garlic chicken thighs, or a classic meatloaf. It’s also excellent as a colorful side at summer barbecues and potlucks.
Recipe
Equipment
- Sheet pan (for toasting ramen noodles and almonds)
- Small bowl or jar (for mixing dressing)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Large salad bowl
Ingredients (Serves 4)
- 1 package Ramen noodles (discard seasoning packet)
- 1 cup slivered almonds (or walnuts, pecans)
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 head romaine lettuce, washed and torn
- 3 cups fresh broccoli florets, chopped (about 1 bunch)
- 2–3 Roma tomatoes, quartered
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Break the ramen into small pieces and combine with slivered almonds on a sheet pan. Pour melted butter over them, toss to coat, and bake 5–8 minutes until lightly browned. Allow to cool.
- Whisk or shake together oil, sugar, red wine vinegar, soy sauce and black pepper in a small jar or bowl.
- In a large bowl combine romaine, broccoli, tomatoes, and green onions. Add the cooled toasted ramen and almonds.
- Just before serving, pour 1/2 to 1 cup dressing over the salad, toss to combine, and serve immediately.
Notes
Serve the dressing on the side if you prefer to keep the lettuce extra crisp. The dressing and toasted toppings can be made ahead to streamline assembly on the day you plan to serve the salad.
Nutrition (approximate per serving)
Calories: 649 kcal (values are estimates and may vary depending on brands and portions).
If you try this recipe, leave a comment to share how it turned out and any variations you enjoyed.