This is a yummy, crunchy napa cabbage salad with toasted ramen noodles and almond slivers. The bowl is always licked clean at potlucks!
We have been making this salad for years in my family. Instead of cider vinegar we use seasoned rice vinegar and instead of vegatable oil we use peanut oil. Never put dressing in the fridge. You must heat the dressing to a boil to make sure the sugar is dissolved. I always use at least 2-3packages of ramen noodles and slivered almonds. And to cook the crunchies I use 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter. Always add crunchies after you have mixed the dressing in. I have used coleslaw salad instead of napa in a hurry and no one ever complains. However napa is the best.
Read MoreDid not really like. Break up ramen noodles before you open them. Expensive for what you end up with. Highin calories low in flavor.
Read MoreWe have been making this salad for years in my family. Instead of cider vinegar we use seasoned rice vinegar and instead of vegatable oil we use peanut oil. Never put dressing in the fridge. You must heat the dressing to a boil to make sure the sugar is dissolved. I always use at least 2-3packages of ramen noodles and slivered almonds. And to cook the crunchies I use 2 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter. Always add crunchies after you have mixed the dressing in. I have used coleslaw salad instead of napa in a hurry and no one ever complains. However napa is the best.
I have just about had it with people changing the recipes and writing about it in the reviews/ratings. Just make it a new recipe and post it under a new name! This is a great salad! I have been making this salad for several years and always get rave reviews. I have had more requests for this recipe than I can count. I always use 1/4 cup of butter, melt it in a skillet and brown the almonds, sesame seeds and noodles. Increase the noodles to two packages, minus the seasoning package. The noodles are better if you break them up well, I put them in a plastic bag and break them with a rolling pin, just don't pulverize them. Use sliced almonds rather than silvered almonds. The dressing is much better if it is heated and boiled for the 1 minute, it dissolves the sugar. This salad is just not the same without the Napa cabbage. I cut the whole cabbage in half, cut each half three times lengthwise, then slice it across in about 1/2 inch slices. This works well for me. I must stress to let everything cool before mixing with the cabbage. Mix at the last minute before serving because the crunchies will get soggy, as stated in other reviews.
5-Stars just as written! No doctoring up required. I did feel there was a tad more butter than necessary for the crunchies (but maybe that's just me). I can see where this would be an easy "make ahead" dish to transport to an event and assemble just before serving. Adding this one to my "Favorites" List. UPDATE: I have found a way to "lighten" this salad without losing any of the flavors: I spray the crunchies with butter spray before I bake them & use brown sugar Splenda in place of the sugar. Other than the oil, you have a Weight Watcher's friendly meal on your hands. A regular in our house now. My teenaged son loves it too and the dressing is GREAT on baked chicken!
Hearing people rate this recipe, but switching everything only makes it sound confusing to me. My husband made this for me and he FOLLOWED the RECIPE EXACTLY! WE BOTH LOVED IT! We were both pleasantly surprised how well the ingredients blended together. WE WILL MAKE AGAIN, JUST AS IS! ~Thanks.
Perfect potluck dish for traveling! Here's how: make the dressing at home, let it cool and pour into a leakproof container, and seal the container in a ziplock bag. Gladlocks will leak! Toast the crunchies on the stovetop (in REAL butter, never the stuff in the tub!) and put crunchies in a container or quart-size ziplock bag. When you toast the nuts in real butter (not margarine), as the butter browns, the nuts become a little bit salty, and they offset the sweetness of the dressing. Do NOT use the seasoning packet; too much unhealthy sodium and MSG. Throw it away, it was only twenty cents and you're doing your body a favor. Nuts are heart- healthy; we prefer a mixture of pine nuts, sunflower seeds and sliced almonds because they look better and add texture. Use your nicest large bowl and tongs, and use the pre-shredded bag-o-cabbage to save time. When you arrive at your destination, put the cabbage in the bowl. As people line up to eat, add the dressing, a can of drained mandarin oranges, 1/2 cup of dried cranberries (Craisins), and the crunchies. Stir well to coat everything, but don't add the dressing too early or it gets soggy. This salad does not do well as a leftover. Thanks for the post!
Delicious! I didn't change a thing on the first try, but I will next time. I am in the camp that says "you can't have too much butter" but 1/2 cup really IS too much. I think 1/4 would be plenty, since with 1/2 I had to spoon the ingredients out of the butter and drain on paper towels. The sweet dressing is a refreshing change of pace. I'd like to add a sliced up grilled chicken breast and make it a whole meal and will try with peanuts for my almond allergic sibling next time.
This salad is delicious! The only 2 things I did different is cut the oil to only 1/2 cup instead of 3/4, and it did not change it a bit. I also cut back on the butter to mix the ramen noodles, almonds and seseme with. It tasted great to me. Everyone who has ever been served this loves it.
Really good. I used cabbage from my garden. I didn't have almonds so I added extra sesame seeds. I also used on 1/2 the butter and 1/2 the sugar. The dressing was still REALLY sweet. It was tasty but it would be great with less sugar, too.
This is an excellent salad! I brought this to a potluck at work and the bowl was wiped clean! I did make modifications, but I do that with almost all recipes. I used pre-shredded cole slaw mix instead of the cabbage. I doubled the recipe, and added shredded chicken and a can of manarin oranges. I also reduced the vinegar by an 1/8 of a cup and replaced it with Mandarin orange juice that I drained off the oranges. The crunchies were fantastic! The only thing that I did differently is that when toasting the crunchies, I sprinked about 1 teaspoon of the seasoning packet from the ramen noodles over it and mixed well (I used the chicken flavor). This added just a touch of saltiness to them, which matched perfectly with the sweet and sour dressing. This was a hit!
I made this salad for guests and got so many compliments. None of it was left at the end of the meal. My husband said that I can make it "any time". I used balsamic vinegar instead of cider vinegar for a change and the dressing was even better. This will definitely become one of my favorite recipes for guests and potlucks.
Oh my goodness! This is the BEST oriental salad I have EVER eaten!! I've had it for lunch every day for the last week and every time it's just as good as the last. I stored the crunchies in a separate baggie, put them on when I wanted some. Also kept the dressing in a bottle on the shelf. Keeps it fresh everytime you want some.
Great recipe. For those always complaining that people rate and make changes, I just have to disagree. Of course, if u change everything that's not right. I do, however, like ratings and comments of changes or tweaks that may make it more of a personal taste. So I'd like everyone to continue to voice their options even if they made changes or had to use what they had on hand. It helps me.
This salad was really good and easy to prepare. Instead of trying to shread the napa cabbage (which was very difficult), I trimmed the ribs and then cut the cabbage into pieces with kitchen shears. Much faster! Also, as I sampled the salad, I kept thinking it was missing something - it needed a kick. So, I threw in a small amout of fresh cilantro leaves and Wow! That was exactly what it needed. Every bit of the salad was devoured by my guests and I had about 8 who insisted I share the recipe with them. Will definitely make again with the addition of the cilantro.
While very delicious just exactly as the recipe is written, I did find it too greasy for my tastes. I then tried the dressing with only 1/2 c extra virgin olive oil, and it was better and the taste did not change at all. I will definitely make again and keep experimenting with the amount of oil in the dressing.
Did not really like. Break up ramen noodles before you open them. Expensive for what you end up with. Highin calories low in flavor.
I usually try to make a recipe the way it is written before I make adjustments. But I didn't reduce the butter to 1/2 cup and the oil to 1/2 (only because I ran out of oil). This was so delicious, my husband and I couldn't stop raving and I really wanted to lick my plate! I served it with asian tuna cakes and can't wait to make it again!
One of my all-time favorite recipes! We actually serve all three parts of this separately. That way people can have as much dressing/crunchies as they like, and since the cabbage & crunchies aren’t wet, they make good leftovers the next day. Just make sure to store your crunchies in an airtight container in a cupboard, not in the fridge.
Very tasty. Sweet and tangy. I used onion powder instead of green onion. This is a super crunchy salad. I skipped the saucepan step and put the butter in the baking dish and popped it in the oven to melt then I just stirred the crunchy bits in and baked them. I had trouble getting the dressing to mix, even with a whisk the oil kept separating. I waited the longest time for the crunchies to toast but they just weren't after about 8 minutes so I turned the broiler on and toasted them in a couple of minutes that way. Very good, Thanks!
Delicious! I cut the butter by a tad and only used about 2T of sugar. I can't imagine what this would be like with 1/2 c. Too sweet in my opinion. I also added about 1 tsp of sesame oil, chopped carrots and chopped cilantro. Used olive oil instead of vegetable. Left out the noodles because I didn't have them. I sauteed chicken breast in butter, sliced it up and served it over this slaw like a salad. Super summer dish!
Excellent Recipe. I omit the butter and just toast the noodles, sesame seeds and almonds in the oven. I have substituted agave or splenda for the sugar and both work well. I also have shredded leftover chicken to make a complete meal. Always yummy and a bit hit!
Wonderful. Everyone and I mean everyone loved it. I keep the dressing and the toastd crunchies made up and a bag of shredded cabbage in the frig and throw it together a couple night a week. Sometime I throw in some mandarin oranges or pineapple tidbits. Delicious. Really wonderful.
Really tasty salad! To cut the preparation time, I brown the crunchies over stove top and heat the dressing in the microwave. I used walnut pieces instead of slivered almonds because that is what I had. My husband loves tofu and sometime I will toss in some cubed tofu and it tastes great. Thank you for the recipe.
This salad was wonderful! I served it at a dinner party and everyone loved it! They all wanted the recipe. I used light olive oil verses the vegetable oil and it was wonderful!! Will make this one over and over again in the future!
A friend has a recipe almost identical to this that always receives rave reviews, so I gave this a shot and loved it! The only thing I did different is omit the soy sauce and include the noodle seasoning packet in with the dressing (I don't see that being called for in this recipe?)- I made it for a potluck at my daughter's preschool and it was a hit.
People always ask for the recipe when I take this salad along. I've used all kinds of cabbage for it, and it works fine (even though I have never shredded it), and a variety of oils and vinegars--I prefer rice vinegar over the cider called for. I also halve the oil.
So good, I almost ate the entire bowl myself. I just wish it wasn't so fattening!
We love this salad in my home. It's my husband's favorite. It tastes just like my grandma's. Mmmm!
Love this salad. Didn't use nappa cabbage as it was $6 a head! First time I used regular cabbage that I just boiled to soften a bit and then dried and cut up. The second time I used the pre-cut coleslaw mix and that was good too. I am in LOVE with the dressing though!
I love this salad. It's not necessary the healthiest salad, but it's so good and really filling. So, just because of the guilty factor I modify a bit. Reduce the oil to 1/2 cup for the dressing and 1/4 cup butter, which I am thinking that could reduce to bit more the next time. I cut up all the nappa and green onion and put it in the tappa wear. Then, just take as much as you eat on the plate + sprinkle crunchies +dressing. It get soggy quickly, so this works the best. I even add some canned mandarin oranges on the top. It add some colors and works out wonderfully. One more adjustment would be using rice vinegar instead of cider vinegar. To me it gives better tanginess rather than extra sweetness from the vinegar. Thank you so very much for sharing this recipe.
Our family has always called this "Dead Man's Salad" because we always take it to funerals. We also make it for most of our family holidays... and I always take it to work potlucks!!! It is always a rave and everyone asks for me to bring it again for the next function. Easy, easy...
This recipe was excellent. I prepared it as directed and took to work for a pot luck, I had none left and gave the recipe to 4 co-workers. I also left some at home for my family and they loved it too. I will definitely make this again. Thanks!!!
WOW! Had this for dinner last night and LOVED IT!! The suggestion to add some mandarin oranges and cranberries was brilliant. This was not only delicious, but beautiful as well! We'll be repeating this one! Thank you!
I made this salad for Thanksgiving and everyone loved it! The crunchies took a while to brown, but it was well worth the wait. You can't miss with this recipe for any family dinner or potluck party.
Absolutely awesome! I made all the seperate parts the night before a party, then combined just before serving and it was great! A little more work than some recipes I've received from friends, but it was well worth the extra work. I'll make this again and again!
Very good. Instead of sesame seeds, I used sunflower seeds, which gave it a nice salty bite.
I've used this recipe for the past couple of years and its always a hit! One shortcut, though, is to just saute the ramen noodles, sesame (I subsitute sunflower) seeds in butter in a saucepan and skip the baking. Be sure to cool thoroughly before tossing with the lettuce. It's different and great!
The salad was awesome but the dressing wasn't very exciting. The Asian Ginger Dressing from this site would be fantastic on this salad.
It was good. But, I've made much better, easier and lower fat versions of this recipe.
this is a great alternative to the traditional tossed salad at mealtime. I like to decrease the oil to 1/2 cup for my own preference. Just served last night with veggie chik'n nuggets. The kids ate it right up and thanked me for the delicious meal!!
Someone gave this a 1 because they pulverized their own cabbage in a food processor and got a watery mush. I think your own cooking might be a 1, but this recipe is a solid 5!
WOW! I brought this to a pot luck wedding (yes, thats right) and I had 5 people ask me for the recipe. SO GOOD!
I think that the crunchy stuff makes this recipe. The dressing was good too but that did not wow as much. Great recipe though. Thanks!
We use 1/2 the sugar and it still tastes fine. EVERYONE we serve this to wants the recipe!!! It's hard to stop eating this.
We have made this for years in our family. It is always such a hit. The kids love it because the crunchies are so fun! Mmmm....
This recipe is tasty, but it is a little on the salty side. Perhaps you could leave out the ramen noodle flavoring. That might help.
My mother made this today and it was amazing! Everyone loved it! A nice summer salad, that will be a hit anywhere!
This recipe is a FAVORITE .. everyone likes it! I cook the dressing in a clear bowl in the microwave so easy .. just watch for it to boil . after a minute take it out. Recently, I used splenda instead of sugar and it was wonderful tasting (couldn't tell the difference).. BUT .. the second time I did it, the contents exploded in the micro! I think the splenda boils at a faster speed so beware and watch it, I think 45 seconds is enough.
"crunchies" are way too greasy and dressing is way too sweet. Plus there is a step in here that is not necessary and just creates another pot to wash. This recipe needs work!
My mother-in-law makes a recipe like this. I knew what was in it so I looked it up on here. It is just excellent. I think I will take the advice of others and only put the dressing on what we're eating so leftovers don't get soggy. Also, I don't bake the "crunchies" either. I just toast them in a skillet with a little butter. Mmmmm. FAAAABULOUS!
This salad is absolutely delicious. I looked for a healthier ramen noodle that did not contain hydrogenated fat - but could not locate this at a standard grocery. Next time I'll visit Whole Foods.
YUM!!! Served topped with grilled chicken and made a meal of it! Delightful for summer. Thanks!
Perfect!! Exactly what I was looking for. Was delicious! Loved by all and not a single bite left!!
My husband loved this. I thought it was a little too sweet. I will prob. make again and cut down on the sugar.
Always a HUGE hit at potlucks. I really like using the napa cabbage because it looks more impressive... but I have used the cabbage mixture before too. I also add 1/2 packet or so of the flavor packet from the ramen noodles (chicken or oreintal flavor) to the crunchies while toasting in the skillet. I also skip the oven and just toast the crunchies to golden brown in the skillet... it saves time. The dressing in this recipe is also a little better than some of the other recipes... but it depends on how much time you have. Thanks for sharing!! YUM!
Excellent recipe! I did add one large can of drained manderin oranges and about 1 cup of dried cranberries. It received rave reviews from my co-workers, and many requests for the recipe!
This is a great salad that can be prepared ahead of time and mixed just prior to serving. I have used the pre packaged shredded cole slaw mix and it is great. I also cool the crunchies on paper toweling, to prevent them from being too greasy. This is a salad that I never have any left over!
This is a favorite of my family's and everyone who has some! Don't change a thing!
I also dry roast the noodles and nuts and it becomes very nice and crunchy. I add the noodles and dressing at the very end just before serving. Always a winner.
Yummy. Made this for my son's birthday. My brother in law loved it and he doesn't even eat salads.
WOW! This was seriously awesome, the dressing,the crunchy ramen noodles and sesame seeds, everything had so much flavor! I had leftover napa cabbage from another recipe and this was a great way to use it, thank you soo much!
This recipe is "THE BEST" My family of picky eaters love it. I did add mandarin oranges and some of the juice to the dressing, and shredded carrots, and very small head of red cabbage. This was so colorful. Next time I will add some fried chicken breasts cut up on top. This is a KEEPER I will make it often. Thanks for sharing!! :-)
Absolutely wonderful salad. The dressing is one of my favorite dressings I've ever had and the toasting of the noodles was great! I also added some clementines, some celery, and some lettuce (since I had those on hand). I will definitely serve it to more of my friends and family! Thanks for posting this!
The idea is good and the finished product is almost there, but I would make a few changes. Definitely go with olive oil, if not e.v.o.o., instead of the vegetable oil, as this gives the dressing a slightly bitter taste. Try baking the crunchies with 1/4 c instead of 1/3 c butter; they were a little greasy with 1/3 c. Other than that, it is a very good, refreshing salad!
Even though it's really good, it could still be improved by reducing the amount of butter in the 'crunchies'.
OMG,delicious!! As a new immegrant from Taiwan, I have tasted many "Asian food" created by creative americans and I have to say this one is definitely one of the best. Everything is balanced in a beautiful harmony: the crunchiness v.s. the tenderness, the nutty, buttery flavor v.s. the pungency of the herb and veg... And I love the rich and complex dressing, it really compliments the salad. Bravo!
This was very good. Took it to a potluck and it was the first dish gone. I used only 3 TBS of butter to cook the crunchies and did not bake them. I also cut down a bit on the sugar in the dressing and added a can of mandarin oranges to the salad just before tossing. I will be making this again and adding some shredded chicken for a main meal.
Just made this last night - it was great! I heeded some of the other users comments and reduced the amount of butter and oil (and used EVOO), made the crunchies in the skillet, and added mandarin oranges and orange-ginger glazed chicken chunks(made in wok). I kept the dressing, salad and crunchies separate and put together only when about to eat. But I would never substitute with the pre-packaged slaw mix - Napa cabbage is so much tastier!
I use Oriental flavor ramen noodles, and add a little of the flavoring packet into the crunchies mixture. I also add some chicken (or in my case, vegetarian chicken), cooked with the remainder of the seasoning. I usually cook the noodles/crunchies in a frying pan on the stove. We like to add sliced water chestnuts for extra crunch (without fat!), and some cilantro to the salad. A little sesame oil in the dressing is great, and canned mandarin oranges are also a fantastic addition to the salad!
Great!!! It made too much dressing and too much crunchies. However, I will solve problem by adding extra cole slaw mix since 4 adults polished off the entire salad in about 10 minutes.
Don't forget to add the ramen spice packet to the dressing (why waste a good thing--I prefer the chicken flavor). You may also consider adding a little sesame oil and pepper to the dressing as well. We love it.
We could not stop eating this salad last night. Well worth the effort, and a great use of fresh summer produce straight from the farm!
This salad is delicious! I took it to a party and and it was big hit. I used the packaged cole slaw mix which contains red and green cabbage and carrots. It worked fine and made it easier. A suggestion: put the dressing in a tightly closed jar and shake well before adding to salad.
I have prepared this salad numerous times, and always receive rave reviews. this recipe has been requested each time I have prepared it. Easy, tasty and appealing to the eye as well.
My daughter and I loved it, the guys not so much. I would make it again for us, maybe a little sweeter.
We ate this as a main course. My veggie shy kids ate it willingly. I made it twice and made some adjustments the second time. First of all I didn't put in the ramen seasoning packet. The first time I did, and after a few bites my kids and I agreed that it was too salty and left an unpleasant aftertaste, because of the msg. We didn't miss the flavor packet at all the second time. Secondly, I added two packets of ramen noodles, and 1/2 cup butter, and then I reserved some of the noodle mixture for sprinkling on top as the salad was served. I did this because the crunchy noodle mixture is my favorite part. I increased the rice vinegar and oil to 1/3 cup each, because the I didn't add the flavor packet it needed a little extra flavor. The last thing that I did different was add chicken. As another review said, this salad needs substance, and the chicken adds just the right touch.
This is a great quick recipe that everyone loves. I always use extra nuts and sesame seeds to give it extra crunch
This is a Great salad, I have made it about 10 times now. I changed a few minor things. I use half the packet of ramen seasonings to jazz up the noodle almond mixture, I also prefer sliced almonds to the slivered. Lastly, I reduced the amount of suger in the dressing to half. Everyone loves this salad!
As for all of you who tell me how you "changed" recipes I applaud you. Many times I take everyones changes into account... and it turns out great!!! As for this recipe I always add grated carrot for color. My husband also loves the noodles so I must double it. I've also used splenda for baking and even other types of healthier oils and it is always excellent!
This is definitely my favorite version of the recipe! A little bit time consuming, but definitely worth the wait!
This was a new vegetable experiment I was trying out for my family and, apart from using a seasoned rice vinegar substitute for the white vinegar, I followed the exact recipe and it turned out to be a really delicious and fresh salad. It was a hit for the entire family. But next time, I'll cut back a bit on the sweetness and on the amount of oil.
I substituted with Balsamic vinegar, olive oil, added 2 more Ramen packages. I used all the same measurements. It was good but not great. I think it was too sweet for my taste for a salad. I did enjoy making it. My hard to please husband said "it's good, I'm into it...but real sweet...the crunchies are good." I would make bring it to a potluck. It's inexpensive and easy to make. Overall I will rate this salad the way I made it a 3 regarding my own taste.
We used 1/2 head of cabbage and that was a large amount. The other ingredients were as directed and that easily served 8 Very good salad! Enjoyed by all of our guests.Will certainly make this again.
This is "The Best". My sister is asked to make this for every family function we have. When she brings it to gatherings, she brings the dressing in a container and shakes it well before tossing the salad, then adds the crunchies. I'm so glad she shared this recipe with me.
This didnt go over well. I have made this in the past and remembered how good it was. I used two packages of ramen as suggested. I found this to be too much ramen. When I try this again. I will not use butter or put them in the oven. The changes I will make are to cut cabbage and make the dressing. When I'm ready to serve, I will add the ramen and almonds out of the package. They are crunchy enough without the butter. Pour on the dressing and add the package from ORIENTAL ramen seasoning and noodles and almonds. Mix well and serve. This is how I remember it and I believe it only needs one package of ramen.
My brother introduced this recipe to our annual Christmas dinner. He made ONE change and it really makes a difference ... use the "Oriental" flavor ramen noodles. Add the oriental seasoning packet to your dressing and WOW is it delicious! My kids gave it rave reviews too!
We love this recipe and have had it multiple times and it is a delicious salad anytime of the year. I also pan fry the noodles, sesame seeds, slivered almonds and add sunflower seeds. We decided not pour to pour all the dressing over the entire salad, but take just what we need for each individual serving, as we usually have some leftovers for the next day and the cabbage does not wilt. If I'm taking it to a potluck, then I pour over cabbage, as directed.
