Treat your guests to a crunchy, buttery ramen salad that’s perfect for gatherings. Top it with chopped green onions for a fresh, beautiful finish.
Why Buttery Ramen Salad Belongs at Your Next BBQ or Potluck
Bring a crunchy, buttery ramen salad to your summer BBQ or potluck for a crowd-pleasing dish. Finish with a sprinkle of sliced green onions for a fresh, beautiful touch. This dish works well when you prepare the ingredients and store them separately. Then quickly assemble on the spot by adding the ingredients to a large bowl and tossing.
The Secret to The Irresistible Crunch
What gives this salad such an irresistible crunch? Toasting the ramen noodles, sunflower seeds, and almonds in butter. Toasting adds a deep flavor, while butter adds richness. However, let the mixture cool before adding it to the salad to keep the cabbage crisp. Now that you know how to achieve the perfect crunch, let’s move on to the dressing that ties this salad together.
Dress It Up: Pour-Over Sweet and Savory Dressing
Once the toasted elements are ready, prepare the dressing. A sweet-and-savory soy sauce mixture brings this salad together. Whisk the dressing ingredients in a pan over gentle heat until the sugar dissolves. After it cools, combine it with the salad so the flavors can soak in.
Add Color and Crunch to Buttery Ramen Salad
For extra color and crunch, you can toss in julienned carrots or thinly sliced purple cabbage. These additions enhance the appearance and texture. If not, green cabbage can be just as eye-catching and delicious.
Serving Tips for Best Results
Serve ramen salad in a large bowl, mixing all ingredients just before serving to keep the noodles crunchy. Since the salad is best eaten right after mixing it, combine only the amount you plan to eat. For smaller gatherings, let guests mix their own bowls and add dressing individually. This allows you to save any unmixed ingredients for later.
Recipe Tips and Ingredient Notes
Any brand of ramen noodles will work for this recipe—just discard the seasoning packet, as you will not need it. To prevent wilting, let the toasted mixture and dressing cool completely before assembling the salad with cabbage. Next, let’s look at how to present your ramen salad for maximum impact.
Buttery Ramen Salad: Presentation
If taking this salad to a gathering or potluck, use a white or clear serving bowl to coordinate with most table decor and keep the salad looking appetizing. Prepare ahead, but keep the cabbage, toasted items, dressing, and green onions separate. Toss everything just before serving, then garnish with green onions. Follow these simple tips, and your ramen salad will be the star at your next gathering!
Other Salads You Might Like
Ramen Salad
Ingredients
Dressing
- ½ cup sugar
- 6 tablespoons olive oil (or another vegetable oil)
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- ¼ cup rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
Salad
- (2) 3-ounce packages of ramen noodles, broken into small pieces
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- ½ cup raw sunflower seeds
- ½ cup sliced or slivered almonds
- 16 ounces of packaged shredded cabbage (or cut your own green, napa, or Savoy cabbage into very thin strips
- 1 green onion, sliced (optional)
Instructions
Dressing
- Combine the sugar, vegetable oil, sesame oil, vinegar, and soy sauce in a small pan. Heat on medium-low until the sugar is dissolved. Cool.
Salad
- Squeeze the package to break the ramen noodles into small pieces before opening. Alternatively, chop on a cutting board. Discard the spice packet.
- Melt the butter in a skillet on medium heat. Add the sunflower seeds, almonds, and ramen noodles. Stir until lightly browned. Set aside to cool.
- Pour the prepared cabbage into a large bowl. If shredding cabbage yourself, cut it into thin strips to fill about 7 medium-packed cups.
- Assemble just before serving by adding the sunflower seeds, almonds, and ramen noodles to the cabbage. Toss to mix. Then add the dressing and toss. This salad is best when eaten right away so the ramen noodles remain crunchy. For an alternative, you can divide the salad among bowls and serve the dressing on the side for each salad if you prefer.
- Garnish with sliced green onion for a pretty presentation.
- Store leftover ramen and nut mixture, cabbage, and dressing in separate containers. Refrigerate the dressing and cabbage.