Cold Ramen Noodle Salad with Peanut Dressing Recipe
This Cold Ramen Noodle Salad with Peanut Dressing is a refreshing and vibrant dish perfect for warm days or as a light meal. Featuring tender ramen noodles, crunchy red cabbage, sweet bell peppers, and a creamy, tangy peanut dressing, it combines fresh vegetables and bold flavors for a satisfying salad. Garnished with chopped peanuts and optional cilantro, jalapenos, and sesame seeds, it offers a delightful balance of textures and tastes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Asian
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Scale
Salad Ingredients
- 6 ounces ramen noodles (regular or gluten-free)
- 2 cups shredded red cabbage
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced
- ½ cup frozen edamame, thawed
- ½ cup peanuts, chopped
- Chopped cilantro, jalapenos, sesame seeds (optional garnish)
Peanut Dressing
- ½ cup peanut butter
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Cook Noodles: Prepare the ramen noodles according to the package instructions, making sure not to add any seasoning packets. Once cooked, drain and rinse with cold water to cool the noodles and stop the cooking process.
- Make Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together peanut butter, rice vinegar, soy sauce, lime juice, minced ginger, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes. Alternatively, blend these ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
- Combine Salad: In a large bowl, add shredded red cabbage, sliced red bell pepper, shredded carrots, sliced green onions, thawed edamame, and cooled ramen noodles. Pour the prepared peanut dressing over the salad and toss everything gently but thoroughly to coat all ingredients evenly.
- Chill and Serve: Refrigerate the salad for 20 to 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld and the salad to chill. Just before serving, sprinkle the chopped peanuts on top and add optional garnishes such as chopped cilantro, jalapenos, and sesame seeds for extra flavor and texture.
Notes
- For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free ramen noodles and tamari instead of soy sauce.
- Peanut butter can be substituted with almond butter for a different flavor.
- You can add cooked chicken or tofu for additional protein.
- Adjust the amount of crushed red pepper flakes to control the heat level.
- Make sure to rinse the noodles under cold water thoroughly to prevent them from sticking together.
Keywords: cold ramen salad, peanut dressing, Asian noodle salad, gluten-free noodles, healthy salad, summer salad, easy peanut dressing, edamame salad
