Ramen Crunch Salad

I am a huge fan of an Instagram page called Maxi's Kitchen.  I have tried several of Maxine Sharf's and they always seem to hit the mark. No hard to find ingredients, easy to assemble, and everything tastes good.  When I recently needed a healthy, vegetable packed side dish, I decided to try her Ramen Crunch Salad.  I could prepare all the veggies, the dressing, and the pan-roasted ramen noodles and almonds early, then finish assembling just before meal time.  Perfect. 

Honestly, this was super easy every step to pull together.  If there is one thing to watch, it is toasting the ramen noodles and almonds.  You can't really walk away or get distracted, as the mix can change from not toasted to over toasted quickly. You need to stir or toss the mixture regularly during the browning process. 

The only change I would make next time is with the dressing.  I enjoyed the flavor, but for my taste the salad needed either have just a tiny bit more dressing, or have an additional flavor note in the dressing to pull it all together. It was just a bit subtle for me. However, I would make this salad as written the first time as it might be perfect for you. Note - if you want it to be more of a complete meal, just toss in some nuts, or some leftover chicken/beef/pork.

Enjoy! And be sure to check out her IG page. I believe this recipe also is included in her debut cookbook - Maxi's Kitchen - released in the last year.

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Ramen Crunch Salad

Salad  - 

2 tsp                         Sesame Oil

2                              3.5 oz. Packets Chicken-Flavored Ramen Noodles, seasoning packet discarded

1/4 C                       Sliced Almonds (Could sub coarsely chopped cashews or peanuts)

3 C                          Thinly Sliced Napa Cabbage

2 C                          Thinly Sliced Red Cabbage

1                              Medium Carrot, half lengthwise and then slice crosswise into thin slices

3                              Scallions, thinly sliced 

1/2 C                        Fresh Cilantro, roughly chopped

1 T                            Sesame Seeds

Dressing -

3 T                            Sesame Oil

1/4 C                        White Vinegar 

 3 T                           Soy Sauce  

2 tsp                          Sugar

 1/2 tsp                      Garlic Powder 

1/4 tsp                       Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Instructions - 

Break the ramen noodles into bite-size pieces by crunching them with your fingers in the packet. Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the noodles and sliced almonds and toast, tossing and stirring frequently, until golden, 3 to 5 mins. Transfer to a plate and let cool.

In a large bowl, combine the Napa cabbage, red cabbage, carrot, scallions, cilantro, and sesame seeds. In a small bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, white vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, garlic powder, and black pepper until the sugar dissolves. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. 

Add the ramen-almond crunch just before serving and toss again so it stays crisp. Enjoy!