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Easy Asian Coleslaw is filled with crushed crunchy ramen noodles and covered in a light yummy Asian dressing!
I love to pair this Asian coleslaw with something like Chinese lemon chicken or Steak on a bed of rice.
What is Chinese Coleslaw?
You may have seen recipes like this on Pinterest before – Asian Coleslaw, Chinese Coleslaw, Oriental Coleslaw – so what is it exactly? I’ll tell you what it’s NOT. It’s not your typical soggy, mayo-based slaw that you get as a side with a fried chicken combo meal.
It’s actually really light and refreshing, with some deliciously crunchy ingredients! The Ramen noodles, slivered almonds, and soy sauce add an Oriental twist to this coleslaw, hence its name. If you’ve ever had salads with ramen noodle bits in it, then you know they add a crunchy and delicious touch to the dish.
This recipe is SO easy to throw together and is one of our favorite side dishes/salads to make for holidays, barbecues, or get togethers. It’s always a hit, and because it’s so light, people often eat multiple servings. It takes coleslaw to a whole new level and is a great summertime recipe to try out.
How to Make Asian Coleslaw
As I mentioned before, this recipe only takes a few minutes to put together, which is why it’s such a great side dish for parties and get togethers.
RAMEN. Break up Ramen Noodles into small pieces and place them in a pan. Add 1/2 cup of butter, the almonds, and the sunflower seeds. Cook them for about 8-10 minutes on low-medium heat.
COMBINE. In a large bowl, combine the coleslaw, ramen noodle mixture, and cooked chicken cubes.
DRESSING. Make the dressing by combining the rice vinegar, sugar, olive oil, soy sauce, and mustard in a small bowl.
SERVE. Add dressing to the coleslaw and mix well. Serve chilled, and enjoy! Simple as that! You can make it a few hours ahead, and stick it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve it. It will keep in the fridge for a little while without getting soggy.
Note: In place of chicken you can add shrimp or char sui which is Asian barbeque pork
Tips + Storing Info
- I used a package of coleslaw containing shredded cabbage and carrots, but you could use any package of plain coleslaw that you find. Another option is to make your own. Just shred cabbage and add some shredded purple cabbage and carrots to equal 16 oz.
- I just buy the square blocks of ramen soup like the Maruchan brand. It doesn’t matter what flavor you get because you won’t be using the flavor packet.
- Use shredded/chopped rotisserie chicken as a shortcut to cooking your own chicken.
- Get more color by incorporating sliced purple cabbage
- For a zesty salad dressing consider adding some lemon/lime juice
To prepare this ahead to time, prep ingredients 1-2 days ahead of time. STORE the ingredients in separate airtight containers in the fridge. (The ramen and seeds do not need to be refrigerated). Heat the ramen with the butter and seeds 1-2 hours before serving. Toss all the ingredients together and enjoy!
STORE leftovers covered in the fridge for 2-3 days. Keep in mind the ramen will become soft. If you have another package, then you can add fresh ramen to give a little more crunch to your leftovers.
more favorite Asian salad recipes:
Asian Coleslaw Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- Break up Ramen Noodles into small pieces and place in a pan. Add ½ cup butter, almonds, and sunflower seeds and cook for 8-10 minutes on low-medium heat.
- In a large bowl, add coleslaw, ramen noodle mixture and chicken.
- Make dressing by combining rice vinegar, sugar, olive oil, soy sauce, and mustard in a small bowl.
- Add dressing and mix well. Serve coleslaw chilled.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe adapted from Jan D’atri.
Try adding char siu to this recipe instead of chicken! SOOOO good!
I found this to just be okay. It was extremely buttery (a whole stick) and very sugary. Next time I would not use 2/3 C maybe 1/4.
What type of coleslaw? and how much?
I can’t wait to try it.
I’m thinking the “missing ingredient” is a package of broccoli coleslaw!!!
Looks amazing! Pinned!
Did I miss the coleslaw mix?? I don’t see it on the recipe? Sounds yum!!!
What type of coleslaw mix do you use?
Yummy! Pinning 🙂
Yummy yummy!!!