Cabbage Ramen Noodle Salad (Vegan!)

This Ramen Noodle Salad is a lightened up, healthier vegan version of a popular crowd favorite.  Cabbage, edamame, carrots, toasted almonds, and crunchy ramen noodles come together with an easy Asian-style dressing to make this salad full of nutrition and flavor!

Cabbage ramen salad

Always a hit at potlucks and picnics, crunchy cabbage ramen noodle salad is easy to put together ahead of time!  This recipe is a healthier version that is also naturally vegan and vegetarian, requires no ramen noodle packet seasoning (bye bye excess sodium!), uses a lower oil amount compared to traditional recipes, and has no refined sugar! 

It's my own twist on Asian ramen noodle salad, and my family and anyone who's tried it loves it!

Related recipe: Asian Cucumber Salad

Give this salad a try if you love:

• Easy, 15-minute vegan lunch salads
• Flavorful Asian-style dressings
• Super budget-friendly recipes (cabbage and carrots are very cheap, and ramen noodles are dirt-cheap!!)
• Loads of veggies and nutrients made delicious with a delightful crunch

Related recipe: Vegan Pasta Salad

Ingredients

For the cabbage ramen salad:

• 4 cups shredded green cabbage
• 2 cups shredded red/purple cabbage
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• 3 green onions, chopped
• ¾ cup frozen edamame (removed from shells), thawed
• ½ cup toasted slivered almonds (or use sunflower seeds for a nut-free salad)
• 2 (3-oz) packages dry ramen noodles (without the seasoning packet), broken into small pieces or crushed

Tip: You can use a bag of pre-shredded coleslaw mix instead of the cabbage and carrot, if you want to save time!

For the Asian-style dressing:

• 3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as vegetable oil or avocado oil
• ¼ cup rice vinegar
• 3 tablespoons agave nectar
• 1 tablespoon Braggs liquid aminos (or soy sauce)
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes

Related recipes: 12 Vegan Salad Dressings to Try

Related recipe: Stir Fried Bean Sprouts Side Dish

Optional salad add-ins:

• Fresh cilantro leaves
• Toasted sesame seeds
• Chopped cucumber
• Canned mandarin oranges, drained
• Diced avocado
• Sunflower seeds (toast these too!)
• Tofu cubes sautéed and then chilled
• Thinly sliced red pepper
• Chopped snow peas

Related recipe: Mexican Cabbage Salsa

Substitution tips:

→ If you don't have rice vinegar, you can use 1-2 tablespoons fresh lime juice. However, rice vinegar adds a nice tangy flavor, and it is pretty mild and delicious!

→ Use sunflower seeds instead of almonds for a nut-free ramen salad.

→ Sub the purple/red cabbage with regular green cabbage, if you can't find it.

→ Use finely minced red onion or regular onion instead of green onions, if you prefer. 

Related recipe: Vegan Egg Roll in a Bowl

How to make ramen noodle salad:

Step 1: Combine all the ingredients for the dressing in a small jar or bowl, and mix well (if using a jar, just close it tightly and shake it to mix!).

Step 2: Toast the almonds in a dry skillet for 2-3 minutes, or until they turn fragrant and start getting golden brown. Remove from heat.

Step 3: Finely chop or shred your cabbage, shred the carrot, and chop the green onion. Add to a large bowl along with the thawed shelled edamame and toasted slivered almonds. 

Step 4: Add the dressing and mix well.

Step 5: Just before serving, add dressing, and broken pieces of crispy uncooked ramen noodles, and toss well to coat. Garnish with fresh cilantro, extra toasted almonds, or any of the optional add-ins I suggested above!

Related recipe: Vegan Broccoli Salad

Is this ramen noodle salad healthy?

Ramen noodles are simply a carb, just like white pasta. While ramen noodles are not considered a health food on their own, this salad serves ramen noodles with LOADS of fresh healthy veggies!

This healthier salad does NOT use the seasoning packet that comes with ramen noodles - that packet is LOADED with sodium, MSG, and other preservatives. So using just the ramen noodles as a way to eat more veggies is actually a pretty great trick, as long as your diet allows for wheat noodles.

Related recipe: Vegan Pineapple Celery Stir Fry

Is cabbage ramen noodle salad gluten-free?

Ramen noodles are made from wheat, so they are not gluten-free. However, gluten-free ramen noodles are available, so you can easily use those to make this recipe gluten-free!

However, the gluten-free ramen noodles are not quite edible raw, as they are too hard and don't have a delightful 'crunch,' so please pre-cook these noodles to use them in a salad. Don't worry, it will still be delicious thanks to the tasty Asian-style dressing, it just won't have the same crunch as a regular ramen salad. 

Related recipe: Vegan Mexican Pasta Salad

Can you make Ramen Noodle Salad ahead?

Yes! This noodle salad stays quite nice for several hours after mixing it all up. In fact, I find that cabbage-style salads taste even better after they sit mixed with the dressing for a few hours.

However, the noodles do gradually become softer.  Since I love the 'crunch', I usually wait until just before serving to add the dressing and the noodles, so that everyone can enjoy that salad at its best.  Nothing will keep me from enjoying any leftovers for lunch the next day though!

More Salads to Enjoy:

• Caprese-style Chickpea and Artichoke Salad
• Easy Mexican Quinoa Salad
• Mexican Cabbage Salsa
• Favorite Black Bean Salad
• Vegan Chicken Salad

If you’ve tried this Ramen Noodle Salad recipe or any other recipe on my blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I LOVE hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more delicious food!!!