Ramen Noodle Salad with Broccoli Slaw
This is a variation of the typical ramen noodle salad adapted from multiple online recipes. It uses broccoli slaw instead of cabbage slaw. The sauteed, dry ingredients add a robust flavor to the salad.
This is a variation of the typical ramen noodle salad adapted from multiple online recipes. It uses broccoli slaw instead of cabbage slaw. The sauteed, dry ingredients add a robust flavor to the salad.
- 1/2 cup sugar
- dressing:
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- greens:
- 1 package broccoli slaw
- 1 head of romaine lettuce (or 2)
- dry ingredients:
- 2 packages of ramen noodles (moderately crushed)
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds
- 1 tablespoons of butter or margarine or olive oil
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil or olive oil or 50/50 veg/oliveoil
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- Carbohydrate 50.2922683333333 g
- Cholesterol 15.1683333333333 mg
- Fat 24.26348 g
- Fiber 4.94386660210292 g
- Protein 8.70527333333333 g
- Saturated Fat 7.3259685 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (242g)
- Sodium 486.077833333333 mg
- Sugar 45.3484017312304 g
- Trans Fat 1.69972766666667 g
- Calories 437 calories
Step-by-step
- Wash and then cut up 1-2 heads of Romaine lettuce into a large bowl. Toss in 1/2 of the package of broccoli slaw. Use more or less of the greens as you prefer.
- Saute the crushed ramen noodles, sunflower seeds, and the almonds together in the butter/ oil for 5 minutes (or until they are turning golden brown). I have found that the almonds like to burn if not watched closely. Set aside in a bowl to cool after sauteing.
- Mix the oil, balsamic vinegar, sugar, and dry mustard, together in a shakeable container (I use a Mason jar with a lid). Shake well until all contents are mixed. The sugar will NOT dissolve, and its granular nature adds flavor/ texture to the salad. Occasionally, I microwave the mixture a bit to get the sugar more dissolved.
- Individuals are served bowls of greens with a bit of the sauteed, dry ingredients sprinkled on top. Dressing is poured over that.
- The greens, sauteed ingredients, and a moderate amount of the dressing, are mixed together in a large bowl. The salad is then refrigerated (or even brought to room temperature) for 30 min - 1 hour to let the flavors meld together. Individual bowls are then served from the mixture.
Preparing pasta salads that retain structural integrity requires managing moisture content and starch texture. Raw instant ramen noodles present a distinct pantry challenge due to their pre-fried state, which can turn mealy if exposed to excessive liquid too early. Toasting the crushed noodles alongside sunflower seeds and almonds in butter, margarine, or olive oil for five minutes drives off residual moisture and initiates Maillard browning, yielding a deep, nutty aroma and a brittle crunch that resists sogginess. Watch the pan carefully during this phase, as slivered almonds scorch rapidly once the butter foams.
Substitutions alter the foundational framework without compromising performance. Swapping traditional green cabbage for a package of broccoli slaw introduces sturdy fibrous strands that hold up to heavier dressings, while Romaine lettuce provides crisp water content. The dressing relies on granulated sugar suspended in oil and balsamic vinegar, utilizing dry mustard as an emulsifier to keep the mixture cohesive despite the undissolved sweetener crystals.
Scaling quantities upward for larger groups requires multiplying the dry elements proportionally while keeping the dressing addition moderate until just before service. Letting the fully combined salad rest in the refrigerator for thirty minutes to one hour softens the greens while preserving the toasted crunch of the noodles.
