Potluck-Style Crunchy Asian Ramen Salad

This recipe is a throw-back to the hip-happenin' days when this salad was a staple at so many church potlucks, family gatherings, summer picnics and reunions. Perhaps it is still a mainstay in some circles at get-togethers today, but it's been quite awhile since I've seen it around. It happened to cross my mind the other day when I was cutting up cabbage for our St. Patrick's Day dinner. I had not eaten this salad in years, so I was excited to make it for my family to see if they'd love it as much as I remember loving it.

The salad is a marriage of thinly-sliced cabbage, lots of crunchy vegetables, sliced almonds, a little fruit for sweetness and crushed, toasted ramen noodles. The whole shebang gets dressed with a simple Asian-style dressing that probably uses ingredients most of us tend to keep on hand.

Many recipes call for inclusion in the dressing of the actual chicken-flavored seasoning packet from the ramen noodle package. I have had the dressing both with it and without. Both are good. I opted to make the dressing without it for nutritional reasons. {If you would like to include it as it does add a little something "extra" that isn't present when omitting it, I recommend lessening the soy sauce called for in the dressing to only 1 tablespoon and using only ONE packet of the chicken flavoring.}

TIME SAVING TIP:  If desired, packaged coleslaw mix can be subbed in for the hand-prepped shredded cabbage and carrots.

SERVES 6 - 8.


Ingredients:

FOR THE SALAD -

3 {3 ounce} packages ramen noodles, crumbled {see note above regarding flavor packets}
1/4 cup sliced almonds
5 - 6 cups shredded cabbage
1 large carrot, peeled, trimmed and cut into small strips or shredded
5 - 6 radishes, trimmed and thinly-sliced
1/4 cup diced red pepper
1/2 large apple, cut into thin strips or chopped
2 green onions, trimmed and sliced
2 tablespoons raisins

FOR THE DRESSING -

2/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
Black pepper and Kosher salt, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spread crumbled ramen noodles and almonds evenly onto a large baking sheet. Toast in the oven for around 5 minutes - tossing halfway through. Watch carefully to ensure noodles and nuts do not burn. Remove from oven. Set aside to cool.

In a large serving bowl, add remaining salad ingredients.

In a glass jar with a lid, combine dressing ingredients by shaking vigorously. {Dressing can, also, be whisked together in a medium mixing bowl.} Set aside.

Mix in half of the cooled ramen noodles/almonds to the salad. Drizzle with the dressing. Toss well. Sprinkle remaining ramen/nuts on top of salad. Best if served within a few hours of assembling salad.