Pioneer Woman Ramen Noodle Salad Recipe

The Pioneer Woman’s Ramen Noodle Salad sure packs a punch with its tasty blend of crunchy cabbage, chopped almonds, ramen, and fresh veggies.

With a sweet, tangy dressing that coats honey, ginger, and garlic, the salad is every household favorite.

This salad has been around for years because people can’t get enough of it, it’s a crave-able delight.

While the sesame oil in the dressing gives the salad an earthy flavor and the ginger makes it spicy, honey brings a balanced taste.

We love nuts for the crunchy bite, and that’s where sliced almonds come in.

This salad is delicious, healthy, and suitable for all.

History

Ramen noodles salad is a wheat and vegetable-based dish originally from Asia.

There’s been an unsettled debate on whether it originated in Japan or China.

Previously, the salad was common to students and was considered an inexpensive meal.

Today, it’s served in high-end restaurants including The Pioneer Woman.

Why You Should Try Pioneer Woman Ramen Noodle Salad

Ideal for weight loss- The noodle and almond in this salad keep you fuller for hours.

For that reason, it facilitates weight loss in that you won’t have to eat other foods during the day thus increasing your caloric intake.

Almonds are ideal for weight-watchers because they are made from monounsaturated fats.

They also contain protein which aids in lean muscle development.

This noodle salad also gives you the energy you need to last through a day.

You can make it ahead of time- Unlike other salads, you can prepare the Pioneer woman salad hours ahead of your party, picnic, or dinner.

Preparing it a day earlier ensures the ingredients marry, creating a flavorful blend.

It is versatile- If you don’t like protein, how about vegetables?

This salad just goes with everything, from a grilled chicken to sauteed veggies.

You can have it on its own, add it to your shrimp or have it with some baked chicken wings.

You have the option of adding different ramen noodle flavors for your desired taste.

When preparing at home, you can substitute some ingredients with your preferred ones.

You can modify it to make it gluten-free or vegan.

It’s rich in nutrients- This salad is filled with fiber which aids in bowel movement and maintaining a healthy digestive tract.

It aids in controlling blood sugar levels by slowing down the absorption of sugar in the body.

Red cabbage contains cyanidin, a natural organic compound that prevents cholesterol from clogging arteries.

It contains healthy spices- This noodle salad contains garlic and ginger.

Garlic is loaded with healthy antioxidants which prevent radicals from damaging body cells.

With just one clove of garlic, your body benefits from Vitamin B6 and selenium.

Ginger possesses anti-inflammatory properties, making it ideal for people with sore muscles.

It also clears nasal congestion and soothes sore throats.

How to Prepare Pioneer Woman Ramen Noodle Salad

Looking for a picnic-perfect recipe that’s healthy, filling, and easy to prepare with simple ingredients?

Look no further.

The Pioneer Woman ramen noodle salad recipe gives you the ideal crowd-pleaser dish that you can prepare ahead of time and which will leave your friends begging for more.

From nuts, vegetables, and noodles, the ingredients uniformly blend with each one complementing the other.

The textures comprise a duo of crisp and chewy, just the way a good salad should be.

Ingredients

Salad ingredients:

1.Dry ramen noodles: There are different types of dry ramen.

The hard and thin ones lack the crunchy texture salads need.

They are therefore perfect for making soup. In the pioneer woman ramen noodle salad, the purpose of dry ramen is to provide a crunch bite.

You won’t need to use the seasoning packet that comes with dry ramen, discard it or save it for another meal.

To crush the noodles, put them inside a zip-top bag and break them to your desired sizes using a rolling pin.

2.Fisher sliced almonds: When tossing almonds, you’ll know they’re ready when there’s a slight color change, mainly light brown.

Ensure you don’t burn them.

3.Green and red cabbage: These are either chopped or shredded.

They add a crunchy texture to the salad.

4.Matchstick carrots: To prepare matchstick carrots, peel and cut them into fine slices, then cut them into quarters or halves.

Alternatively, you can buy them pre-cut.

5.Green onions: Here, you have the option of using either the green part of the onion for a mild flavor or the white and light parts for a stronger, spicy flavor.

Dressing Ingredients:

1.Light olive oil: If you choose to substitute this with regular olive oil, add some bit of flavor.

2.Rice vinegar: Rice vinegar has a sweet and delicate taste, making it ideal for creating a balance in the taste of salad dressings.

3.Honey: Just a ¼ cup of honey is enough to bring out all the flavors in the dressing.

4.Ginger: Either fresh or dry ginger adds a spicy taste and aroma to the dressing.

5.Garlic: Use one clove of garlic for a less spicy taste but if you desire a stronger flavor, add two or three cloves.

6.Sesame oil: It is dark in color and is mostly along the Asian section of grocery stores.

7.Freshly ground black pepper and salt: Salt and pepper just add taste.

Directions for the dressing

●In a medium-sized bowl, put light olive oil, sesame oil, minced ginger, honey, grated garlic, and rice vinegar.

●Whisk to form an even mixture.

●Sprinkle salt and pepper and stir to taste.

●Keep the dressing in the refrigerator.

Directions for the salad

●Preheat the oven to 409 degrees F.

●On a rimmed 18″ by 13” baking sheet, spread almonds and ramen noodles.

●Toast the mixture in the oven for 2 to 4 minutes. Toasting the noodles helps to add flavor and prevents them from turning soft.

●Remove, mix and spread it out evenly.

●Put back in the oven for 5 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the color turns golden brown.

●Remove and leave to cool.

●In a bowl, put the ramen almond mixture, onions, carrots, red and green cabbage. Your pioneer woman ramen noodle salad is ready.

●Pour the dressing over it and mix well.

●Serve.

Is Pioneer Woman Ramen Noodle Salad good as a Leftover?

Pioneer Woman’s Ramen Noodle Salad is not good as a leftover.

The more it stays, the more the dressing soaks the noodles making them soggy and soft.

However, to avoid this, serve both the noodles and the dressing separately then mix them into each serving.

When storing, store the dressing and the salad separately.

What Can I Add Into Pioneer Woman Ramen Noodle Salad?

This is a meal on its own. However, you can serve it as a side dish or main dish for the following:

●Protein: An addition of grilled chicken, smoked shrimp, baked salmon, or tofu turns this salad into a main dish.

●Fruit: Add a nice touch to your salad by including chopped mangoes, sliced oranges, and pineapples.

●Vegetables: From zucchini, mushrooms, and snow peas, adding vegetables to this salad makes it more satisfying and healthy.

●Garnish: Use a vegetable garnish to add some freshness to your meal, for example, cilantro and sliced tomatoes.

What to Serve With Pioneer Woman Ramen Noodle Salad

Try out these dishes that complement this dish well:

●Baked teriyaki tofu

●Pineapple Pork Chops

●Grilled chicken wings

●Pork chops

●Fried rice

●Octopus Karaage

●Chicken Francese

●Honey garlic chicken

Storage Tips

Pioneer Woman Ramen Noodle Salad tastes better when eaten the next day.

The ingredients have enough time to fuse, creating more flavor.

It’s advisable not to add dressing to all the salad, in case you don’t finish it up.

Storing salad mixed with dressing will leave you with soft and soggy almonds and noodles.

Instead, store them separately in airtight jars when stored in the refrigerator and only mix when serving.

The salad can stay in the refrigerator for a maximum of 4 days while the dressing can last for two weeks.

Freezing Pioneer Woman Ramen Noodle salad will leave it soggy and watery.

The salad will lose all its flavor and taste.

Therefore, do not keep it in the freezer.

FAQs.

1. What can one use as a substitute for rice vinegar?

You can use apple cider vinegar and white wine in place of rice vinegar because they are both mild.

Rice vinegar has a sweet taste, if you opt to substitute it with white vinegar you’ll have to add sugar to match the taste.

Alternatively, you can use champagne vinegar or lime juice.

2. Is Napa cabbage ideal for Pioneer Woman Ramen Noodle Salad?

Yes, you can use Napa cabbage in place of the red and green ones.

For this dish, you’ll need about a pound of chopped Napa cabbage.

It’s a great substitute because of its crunchy and crispy flavor which is best for salads.

3. Is Pioneer Woman Ramen Noodle salad gluten-free?

This salad has gluten because ramen noodles use wheat as the main ingredient.

However, if making the salad at home, use gluten-free ramen and substitute honey with maple syrup and soy sauce.

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