Broccoli Ramen Salad

This Broccoli Ramen Salad is savory, sweet, and has the perfect amount of crunch! It’s simple to make and has an addictive dressing. It’ll be on repeat all summer!

Salad season is here! Here’s some more delicious summer salads you may enjoy: Black Bean and Corn Salad, Chilled Cucumber Tomato Salad, Creamy Strawberry Broccoli Salad, Creamy Broccoli Bacon and Cheddar Salad, or this Summer Cobb Salad.

Broccoli Ramen Salad

Hi! Natasha here from Salt & Lavender bringing you this tasty broccoli ramen slaw – the perfect Asian-inspired salad. This salad is probably a bit different than the ones you typically make, but it’s sure to be a hit at summer gatherings. When I was a kid, the “cool” thing we did during recess at school for a while was to eat raw ramen noodles mixed with the flavor packets. Looking back, it seems kinda ridiculous (and soo salty LOL), but this salad takes me back to those carefree days. This salad is more sophisticated and definitely more of a crowd-pleaser!

To make this salad extra special, I added dried cranberries and roasted cashews for great texture and a fabulous burst of flavor.

How to make broccoli ramen salad

1. Make the dressing (I find this easiest to do in a jar).
2. Break up the raw ramen noodles.
3. Add all the ingredients to a bowl.
4. Toss with the dressing and let it sit for a bit. Depending on how soft you want the noodles, you can let it sit for 15 minutes to a few hours prior to serving. I like having a bit of crunch.

Recipe notes:

• The broccoli slaw is typically found in the same place as the pre-bagged salad mixes in your local grocery store.
• Want to add some protein to this salad? Add some cooked/rotisserie chicken!
• Rice vinegar and toasted sesame oil can be found in the Asian aisle of most major grocery stores.
• When making the dressing, feel free to adjust quantities (e.g. add more oil, vinegar, or sugar) depending on personal taste preferences.
• This salad serves 8 or so as a side depending on how much people eat.
• This is totally optional, but one way to kick up the flavor even more in this salad is to toast the noodles. It’s a little more work, but all you need to do is put the crunched up raw noodles into a skillet with a bit of olive oil or butter over medium-low heat. Stir it occasionally, and once they’re lightly browned, let them cool prior to adding them to the salad.

More ramen noodle recipes you may like:

• Easy Homemade Ramen
• Asian Edamame Ramen Salad

Broccoli Ramen Salad

This Broccoli Ramen Salad is savory, sweet, and has the perfect amount of crunch! It's simple to make and has an addictive dressing. It'll be on repeat all summer!

• 2 (12 ounce) bags broccoli slaw
• 3 (3.5 ounce) packages ramen noodles ((flavor packets discarded))
• 3/4 cup roasted cashews
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup chopped scallions

Dressing:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil ((see note))
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon (packed) brown sugar

1. Add the dressing ingredients to a jar and shake it well until the sugar dissolves.

2. Using your hands, break the ramen noodles up into smaller pieces. It’s ok if some pieces are bigger than others.
3. Add the broccoli slaw, ramen noodles, roasted cashews, dried cranberries, and scallions to a large salad bowl.
4. Give the dressing another shake and pour it over the salad. Toss to coat. I like to give the salad at least 15-20 minutes to let the noodles soften up a bit, but it’s up to you how crunchy you want them. You can eat it right away or let them soften up even longer.

• Toasted sesame oil isn’t the same thing as regular sesame oil. It has a very distinctive flavor. You can find it in the Asian section of most grocery stores.
• If you don’t want to use rice vinegar (also found in the Asian section of most grocery stores), try white vinegar or cider vinegar. I’d start with 2 tablespoons and work my way up from there since rice vinegar tends to be a bit more mild.

from The Recipe Critic https://ift.tt/2Y2oVZW