Okay, so I know that there are, like, a million-and-one recipes for broccoli ramen salad out there, but today I'm going to make it a million-and-two...
Why? Well, because my dad made it for our Christmas Day dinner last week, and while it was really good (and I ate more than my share), I couldn't help thinking about how I could improve on it as I was munching away. The onion seemed like it was just a little too prominent -- and I'm not a fan of raw onions to begin with. Plus, I felt like it could use a touch more sweetness to balance out all of the savory...
So I picked up the ingredients at Walmart the next day to play around a bit, and I'm super pleased with the results. It's a fantastically easy recipe that's perfect for sharing at parties!
I actually changed my dad's ramen noodle salad recipe up quite a bit by drastically reducing the amount of green onions and only using the green parts for a more subtle hint of onion. I also toasted the sliced almonds which is a simple way to quickly add more depth of flavor to any recipe. Finally, I threw in about a cup-and-a-half of dried cranberries for sweetness!
While I didn't change the quantities of ingredients in the dressing, I did change the ingredients up a little. I swapped in rice vinegar for the regular white vinegar, and I used a combination of half sesame and half canola oil in place of straight vegetable oil. Sesame oil is a pretty flavorful oil, so I don't think you'd want to try it full strength in a recipe such as this.
I debated for some time about whether or not to use one of the spice packets from the ramen noodles in the dressing -- I'm not a fan of the MSG and such in them. But in the end I decided to add a single packet, and I have to admit that it did add that little "extra something" to the salad.
I may try making up my own spice mixture in the future, in which case I'll update the recipe, but for now it's up to you whether or not you're comfortable adding it. The salad is still delicious without it!
Recipe Card
Broccoli Ramen Noodle Salad
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 1 bag (12-oz.) broccoli slaw salad mix
- 2 pkgs. (3-oz.) oriental instant ramen noodles
- ¼ cup chopped green onions (green parts only)
- 1 cup shelled, roasted sunflower seeds
- 1 cup sliced almonds, toasted
- 1 ½ cups dried cranberries
For the dressing:
- ½ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup rice vinegar
- ¼ cup sesame oil
- ¼ cup canola oil
- 1 oriental ramen noodle flavor packet (optional)
Instructions
- While you're toasting the sliced almonds, place the ramen noodles (reserving one flavor packet if desired) in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin.
- After the almonds are cooled, combine the broccoli slaw, crushed ramen noodles, green onions, sunflower seers, almonds, and dried cranberries in a large bowl.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the sugar, oriental flavor packet (optional) and vinegar until the sugar is dissolved. Gradually whisk in the sesame oil and canola oil.
- Drizzle the salad dressing over the salad and toss until well coated. Refrigerate covered for at least 30 minutes or up to two hours. Toss again before serving.
Feel free to change your ramen noodle salad up a bit by using a different flavor of ramen noodles. I really wanted to try the Maruchan Ramen Lime Chili Shrimp flavor (my fave in college!), but since I've developed an allergy to shellfish, I felt it was wise not to chance it. I've heard that the beef flavor is good, as well!
Did you make this recipe?
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If you like this broccoli slaw with ramen, you might also enjoy these other cookout side dish recipes:
- Classic Macaroni Salad With Egg
- Easy Orzo Basil Feta Salad
- Authentic German Potato Salad
- Crockpot Baked Beans With Bacon
Did you make this recipe?
Tag @unsophisticook on Instagram and hashtag it #unsophisticook.
Dawna riley
Could I substitute honey for sugar? If so how much should I use?
Tara Kuczykowski
Sure, you can substitute honey if you'd like. However, honey is sweeter than sugar, so I'd recommend only using 1/4 cup.
Vhoff
Question, can you add chopped chicken? And if so, how much do you recommend?
Tara Kuczykowski
Yes, chopped chicken would be a great addition! I’d probably add 2 cups or so.
Chelsie
I had a salad like this years ago, but this one is so much better than I remember. I eliminated the almonds because I didn't have any and I used half the oil. Sooo yummy! Thank you for the craisin idea. I think it makes all the difference.
Tara Kuczykowski
So happy you loved it, Chelsie! I agree, the Craisins add the perfect bit of sweetness to it.
Mel
Are the ramen noodles cooked? I haven't made anything like this before...
Tara @ Unsophisticook
Hi Mel! No, you don't need to cook the ramen noodles. They will soften up a bit when they sit in the dressing, so they'll just be slightly crunchy when it's served.