Kale Coleslaw With Ramen

This kale coleslaw with ramen has quickly become a favorite at our house! With kale, green onions, slivered almonds, toasted ramen, sesame seeds, and a simple sesame vinaigrette, this slaw recipe is easy and satisfyingly crunchy -- perfect for a nutritious side dish. It's also vegan and gluten free!

this recipe

Get ready to make your crunchy salad dreams come true! This recipe is inspired by a Midwest potluck classic -- a dish my family has made and loved for years, and one I remember helping making mom make frequently. It was a vinegar-based coleslaw with green cabbage, crushed and toasted ramen noodles, almonds, and green onions. When I came across a new brand of ramen noodles at the store, I knew I could find a way to adapt this slaw and pack in even more nutrients.

Enter my new version of ramen coleslaw, made more nutrient-dense with brown rice and millet ramen noodles (from Lotus Foods - so tasty!) and kale swapped for cabbage (though cabbage would also be just as delicious and nutritious). I also modified the flavors a bit by adding sesame oil, tamari, and rice vinegar to the vinaigrette, leaning more into Asian-inspired flavors. Let's make this slaw!

Ingredients

• Curly kale - Other kinds of kale would work too! I prefer the texture of the curly kale in this recipe.
• Green onions - For a mild onion flavor.
• Ramen noodles - From a package (but without the seasoning mix). We love the different kinds of ramen from Lotus Foods because they contain nutrient-dense, gluten free ingredients so that all can enjoy (e.g. brown rice, millet, forbidden rice, and buckwheat). They can be found at Target, Whole Foods, Costco, and Kroger grocery stores, just to name a few. That said, any ramen noodle you have access to will work great! Just remember that wheat-based ramen will no longer be gluten free.
• Slivered almonds
• Sesame seeds
• Toasted sesame oil
• Tamari
• Rice vinegar
• Maple syrup
• Fresh orange juice - We like to squeeze a fresh orange, but if you wanted to use orange juice you could.

Substitutions & Variations

Need to adapt the recipe to work for your dietary needs and available ingredients? Try one of the swaps below!

• Kale - You can totally swap kale for Napa cabbage or another cabbage mix! Or, you can add some cabbage in with the kale for even more crunch.
• Nut-free - To make a nut-free version of this Asian slaw, substitute sunflower seeds for the slivered almonds.
• Protein-packed - Add edamame or marinated baked tempeh for a vegan protein option! If you don't follow a plant-based diet, you can add other proteins like hard-boiled eggs, chicken, salmon, or pork.
• Potluck - If you're bringing this as a dish to pass for a large group, double it!
• Sweet - Add some mandarin orange or clementine slices for a juicy and sweet pop of flavor.
• Vinaigrette - You can swap apple cider vinegar for rice vinegar, or another sweetener for the maple syrup. Note, this recipe will no longer be vegan if you swap honey for maple syrup.

How to Make This Slaw Recipe

1. Step 1: Thoroughly wash and dry your kale, then chop it into bite-size pieces or use a kitchen shears to shred it. Then, slice your green onions (green and white parts), combine both into a bowl, and set aside.

2. Step 2: Use a butter knife handle to smash up the ramen noodles while they're still in their package. Next, heat a couple tablespoons of neutral or toasted sesame oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the crushed ramen and toast, stirring frequently. For rice-based noodles, you'll see that they change from darker-colored and dense to lighter-colored and puffy. This is your signal that they're cooked and safe to eat (not too hard on your teeth). When the noodles are close to being done, add in the almonds and sesame seeds, and toast until lightly browned and fragrant (~3 minutes). Remove the pan from heat while you make the dressing.

3. Step 3: For the vinaigrette, combine toasted sesame oil, tamari, rice vinegar, maple syrup, and juice from a fresh orange into a mason jar. Shake vigorously for several seconds to fully emulsify the dressing.

4. Step 4: Finally, add the slightly cooled, toasted ramen mixture to the kale and green onions, and toss to combine.

5. Step 5: Pour in the dressing and toss well to coat everything. Enjoy with your favorite protein or as a side dish to any meal!

Success Tips

• Massage your kale. For flavorful, tender kale, you can use your fingertips to massage some of the dressing into the kale leaves until they just start to break down. This is my favorite way to eat kale in a salad!
• Cook the ramen long enough. As someone who as broken a few teeth in her lifetime (eek!), I can't stress this tip enough! Make SURE the dried ramen is fully toasted. If you are using a rice-based noodle such as the kind from Lotus Foods, play close attention for the dried noodles starting to puff up slightly and become lighter in color. They will be much easier to chew and reduce the risk of hurting your teeth.

Coleslaw with Ramen FAQs