Ramen Cabbage Salad Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

Can I add romaine lettuce to ramen? ›

Combine browned ramen noodles and walnuts with chopped broccoli, and romaine. Whisk together red wine vinegar and sugar mixture, soy sauce and vegetable oil. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour dressing over romaine mixture and toss.

Spicy sautéed red cabbage and mushrooms make for a tender complement to the springy fresh ramen noodles. To round it all out, we're topping each bowl in traditional style with a soft-boiled egg.

Key ingredients for this Crunchy Ramen and Sesame Salad.

The lettuce- You can use whatever you want or have on hand. For the greens, I used a mix of lettuce for the texture. Super crunchy romaine and softer spring mix is a good balance.

Vegetable Toppings for Ramen

I like to add a mix of cooked and raw vegetables for added texture. Some of the veggies cook quick in the hot broth so you end up with a lovely al-dente texture.

Spinach. There are three reasons which makes spinach a well-liked topping for ramen. First, spinach has a lot of vitamins and is a great source of nutrition. In addition, the deep dark green color of spinach adds color to your ramen making it aesthetically tasty.

Prepare the ramen broth:

Cook for 5–7 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt. Add the shredded cabbage and cook for 5 minutes. Pour in the water or chicken stock.

The roasted purple cabbage and Japanese sweet potato coins became toppings for the ramen, along with the thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms, some squares of nori, and a dollop of yuzu koshou (citrus pepper paste).

Add vegetables: You can add some fresh or frozen vegetables like spinach, bok choy, mushrooms, carrots, or broccoli for some added nutrition and flavor. Add some seasoning: You can add some flavor to your instant ramen noodles by adding soy sauce, miso paste, sesame oil, chili oil, or hot sauce.

Ramen is not inherently unhealthy, but the flavor packet provided in instant ramen does contain high amounts of sodium. Diets high in sodium are associated with an increased risk of developing high blood pressure, a leading cause of stroke and heart disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Toppings like tortilla strips, croutons and nuts offer a pleasant crunch, while creamy, salty cheeses add unique flavor. Of course, meats, beans and tofu add a protein boost, and berries and dried fruits lend a touch of sweetness.

Does cabbage belong in ramen? ›

It's a great base to add to. Occasionally I'll add other vegetables if I fancy a more veggie-heavy ramen. Using cabbage of course is not traditional, but often pak choy and Asian-type vegetables are imported and not seasonal, so here you can achieve a similar taste with a seasonal vegetable.

Just think of lettuce, like Little Gems and romaine, as a fun substitute for cabbage in slow-cooked dishes.

You can honestly just add whatever vegetables you like, but we went with a handful of baby spinach, shiitake mushrooms, corn, green onion, and some extra little garnishes like Togarashi, red chili flakes, and some fried garlic. Then we added a soft-boiled ramen egg (more on that below).

The cold bath soaking method is the best way to wash large quantities of lettuce like romaine, green leaf, or butterhead.