Ramen Noodle Salad
when you need to revamp your pandemmy food stock
Notice : I wont be releasing a recipe for the month of November and December. I’m taking the months off from the newsletter for the holidays and to work on my holiday gift boxes. I will see you all in the New Year! Enjoy your holidays!
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There isn't much to say about this salad besides how simple it is and filling. The make-up of the salad is, I guess, an amalgam of a few different salads. It takes inspiration from Chinese chicken salad, Ramen dump salad, and soba noodle salad. It’s a pretty average salad overall. It isn’t reinventing the wheel or special, really, but just something slapped together from salads that already exist.
So here's the story behind it. During the pandemic, we stocked up on Ramen noodles as they were one of the few things still available. People were hoarding everything else, but Ramen was like the unsung hero, waiting patiently on the shelves. We lived on Ramen for a while until the world regained its balance. But now we have all these Ramen noodles lying around, and I needed to do something different with them, something fresh and exciting. That's when the idea of incorporating them into a salad hit me.
I took cues from soba noodle salad, where cooked noodles are tossed into a refreshing salad without drowning in mayo like a pasta salad. I thought, "Hey, Ramen could work in a salad too!" But I didn't want that dry, crunchy Ramen that you find in Ramen dump salads. So I swapped out the dry Ramen for cooked Ramen noodles, bringing the best of both worlds. Chinese chicken salads are amazing. They're a personal favorite of mine. So I borrowed some elements from that dish to add more veggie goodness to the mix.
The Ramen seasoning packet does double duty here. It acts as the broth to poach the chicken and as the flavor bomb for cooking the noodles. Rotisserie chicken is used in Chinese chicken salad typically, but as I knew I would have to cook the noodles I went with poached instead. Much like using the Oreo cream filling in my pie recipe from a few months ago, I don’t like to waste ingredients when they can be used in a few different ways and not tossed.
Wontons are nixed since my carbs are coming from Ramen. We've got glorious crunch from crushed peanuts and black sesame seeds. And let's not forget about our veggies: cabbage, carrots, cilantro, and cucumber. They all come together to create a harmonious blend of flavors and textures.
The dressing, my ballistic amigos, is inspired by the incredible Asian-style dressings out there. I took hints from the peanut and miso dressings, because those are my personal favorites. It adds that extra punch of flavor that takes this salad to a whole new level.
Any Ramen pack can be used here as each can bring a different flavor to the dish. Chicken is the timeless star of the show, but let me tell you, when I used the Shin Ramyun pack, it ignited a spicy explosion like no other. Sadly, this fiery sensation may not be available everywhere, so chicken or veggie flavors step up as defacto choices.
And here's a little fun fact for you: according to the nutrition label, one block of Ramen is technically two servings. But come on, who eats half a block of Ramen? Not me. So let's just say this dish can serve two if we're being technical. But if you're anything like me, you'll devour it all in one glorious sitting. Who needs portion control when deliciousness is at stake, right?
Ramen Noodle Salad with Lime Miso Peanut Dressing
(technically) serves 2
Lime Miso Peanut Dressing
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, from 4 to 5 limes depending on size
2 tablespoons white (shiro) miso (can be made with all peanut butter if you’d like)
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter, preferably low to no added sugar
2 tablespoons agave nectar or honey
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, grated or minced
Salad
3 cups of water
one 6 to 8 ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast
one package of Ramen noodles, any flavor works but I prefer chicken or vegetable flavored
2 cups shredded purple or napa cabbage
1 medium carrot, cut into 2 inch long matchsticks
1 medium cucumber, cubed
3 scallions, sliced
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
sriracha or chili crisp, black sesame seeds, and crushed peanuts for garnish
Make the dressing
1. Place all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until evenly combined. Set aside
For the salad
1. Place the water in a small sauce pot set over medium to medium-high heat. Add the flavoring packet from the Ramen noodle package and the chicken breast to the pot. Bring the water to a gentle simmer with a few bubbles breaking the surface, not a boil. Turn the heat down to low and partially cover the pot with a lid to allow steam to release. Cook the chicken for 10 minutes.
2. After 10 minutes, turn the heat off and place the lid fully on the pot. Finish cooking the chicken until cooked through, about 12 to 15 minutes depending on size and thickness.
3. Once the chicken is finished cooking, remove it from the pot and set aside to cool. Place the dried Ramen noodle brick into the pot the chicken was in, cover with the lid, and allow the noodles to cook through, 4 to 8 minutes depending on the brand.
4. After the noodles are finished cooking, if you want the salad completely cold, rinse the noodles under cold water. If you would like it warm, just strain the noodles and move to a plate. Toss the noodles with a little toasted sesame oil to keep them from sticking together. Shred the chicken when it’s cool enough to handle.
5. Place a nest of the noodles on a plate with the shredded chicken, cabbage, carrot, cucumber, cilantro and sliced scallions. Top with the salad dressing and sriracha or chili crisp, black sesame seeds, and crushed peanuts for garnish