A pack of instant ramen noodles is a versatile food playground, and you should join me on the swings. The noodles can be pan-fried with an egg, boosted with melted brie, and served simply as soup. While these serving suggestions check off the “hot” and “savory” boxes, ramen noodles do surprisingly well in fresh-and-light scenarios too. For a chilled dish that leaves you feeling fueled-up and perky, try making a cold ramen salad.
Packet ramen noodles come complete with the dry, hard noodles, and usually a flavor sachet or two. It’s the pouches that contain most of those salty, spicy ingredients that flavor the broth. For a cold ramen salad, you don’t need these. Use the noodles and save the dry flavor packets for popcorn or french fries. You could use the packets if you wanted to, but I enjoy building a light dressing with different flavors to differentiate it from its soup personality.
Cook the noodles in a pot of boiling water until softened and flexible but not mushy, about two or three minutes. Immediately drain the noodles in a strainer and run cold water over them to stop the cooking. Drizzle them with a small amount of oil and toss them around in the strainer with your fingers to loosen up the noodles and coat them in oil so they don’t stick. Set the noodles in the fridge to chill while you make the rest of the salad.
In a large serving bowl, make your dressing. I made a dressing of toasted sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, white balsamic vinegar, and salt. Add your favorite salad components to the dressing. I like to start with any vegetables that could use some mellowing in the vinegar. This gives them a bit more time and access. Ingredients like sliced onions, cucumbers, carrots, or peppers will lose their sting and soften slightly. I added smashed cucumbers, sliced red bell peppers, some asparagus, and sugar snap peas.
Add the chilled noodles to the salad bowl and give everything a good toss in the dressing. Serve with sliced, grilled chicken, or keep it meatless with a handful of chickpeas. This is the salad that you end up eating fast without realizing it. The ramen noodles are the bulk ingredient and very satisfying with their springy, chewy texture, and they also absorb liquid readily. What started out as a neutral noodle becomes imbued with salad dressing ingredients. The noodles carry the flavor so there are no bland bites.
Tools to aid your ramen salad endeavors:
You can take the flavors of this salad as far as you want. Try a bold vinaigrette with tuna, olives, and green beans, or a subtle lime yogurt sauce with cucumbers, corn, and steak. Use this salad as a playful way to highlight seasonal produce, especially if you’re trying to keep up with a garden that’s bursting with veggies.
Cold Ramen Salad
Ingredients:
1 pack ramen noodles, boiled and drainedDrizzle of neutral oil for the ramen noodles1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar½ tablespoon white balsamic vinegar1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil½ teaspoon salt½ English cucumber, smashed and cut into 1-inch chunks¼ red bell pepper, sliced2 asparagus spears, sliced5-10 sugar snap peas, sliced2 chicken breasts, cooked and sliced (optional)Sesame seeds for garnishToss the drained ramen noodles with a drizzle of oil to keep them from sticking in a clump. Chill the noodles in the fridge.
In a serving bowl, combine the vinegars, sesame oil, and salt. Add the cucumber, pepper, asparagus, and snap peas. Toss. Add the chilled ramen noodles and toss until thoroughly combined. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve and top with sliced chicken.
