Napa Cabbage Salad Recipe {Asian Ramen Noodle Salad} (2024)

Asian ramen noodle salad, crunchy chopped napa cabbage with toasted ramen noodles and nuts in a sweet soy dressing.The best version of that slaw recipe with the ramen noodles you'll ever have ~ fresh, flavorful and a hit at gatherings.

Do you guys remember (or still make) Oriental cole slaw? I don't think that's PC anymore, maybe it's called Asian slaw now. Anyway, it had the ramen noodles from the soup packets crushed up in the salad. For some reason, I think that's strange. And then years ago, in Minnesota, a friend made asalad for a party and I had to know how he made it, it was so good. Over the recent Fourth holiday, I dusted off Timm's Napa Cabbage Salad andmade it for a BBQ. It's still so good.

When I say dusted off, I really mean I had to figure out how I made it as the recipe card Timm gave me is mostly illegible. As I do with most recipes, I have them on the counter as I'm cooking and they tend to get a little beat up, this one especially so, as it looks like the ink smeared with all the water and wet hands landing on it. See what I mean?

It came back to me though, I'm pretty sure I was able to decipher and remember how to make this. It does use those ramen noodles (not the seasoning packets!) but they're browned in butter with almonds and sunflower nuts. I had to keep swatting Meathead's hand away as the mixture was cooling on paper towels. He thought it wasgranola or something and said, "This is great!" as another handful wentinto his mouth. Jeez.

The cabbage is shredded and mixed with red bell pepper and scallions and in a large ziplock it goes to refrigerate over night. The ramen noodles, slivered almonds and sunflower nuts are browned in butter and they go into another plastic bag and into the fridge. Then, a couple hours before serving you mix both bags together in your serving dish, and right before serving, you dress it (with a really good dressing you already made in a jar). It's perfect for a crowd and doesn't tie you up when you're trying to get everything together, heck, you could even turn over the reigns on this salad to someone else, someone who asks how they can help!?

I'm going to have to send this post to Timm and see if he remembers giving me this recipe, I bet he will. I'm not sure how other salads like this stack up, I've only ever had it this way. I willventure to say this is probably one of the better ones, Timm is pretty gourmet and a top shelf kind of guy. I think he'd be tickled I'm still making his Napa Cabbage Salad. Try it, you'll like it. Best, Kelly

HUNGRY FOR MORE? Subscribe to my Newsletter and come hang out with me on INSTAGRAM, or give me a follow on FACEBOOK or see what I’m pinning on PINTEREST.