Name: Healthy Ramen Noodle Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 2 packages ramen noodles (seasoning packets set aside); 1 package cole slaw mix; 1 cup slivered almonds; 1 cup sunflower seeds; 1 green pepper (chopped); 1 red pepper (chopped); 1/2 cup olive oil; 1/2 cup sugar; 1/2 cup vinegar

This post may contain affiliate links, see Disclosure.

Ramen noodles have a bad rap for being unhealthy or loaded with sodium, but they don’t have to be! Here’s a great dirt cheap Healthy Ramen noodle salad that tastes great and is very low in sodium.

Jump to Recipe Pin

✨ Jump to:

🥬 Ingredients
👩‍🍳 Instructions
💡 Tips
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
🧊 Storage
💸 Price Breakdown
🛒 Walmart Grocery List
❓ FAQ
📌 Pin Recipe
🖨️ Printable Recipe Card

Ingredients for Healthy Ramen Noodle Salad

2 Pkgs. Ramen Noodles, set seasoning packets aside for another recipe
1 Pkg. Cole Slaw Mix
1 Cup Slivered Almonds
1 Cup Sunflower Seeds
1 Green Pepper, Chopped
1 Red Pepper, Chopped
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Vinegar

This salad skips the salty seasoning packets completely and gets all its flavor from a simple homemade dressing. The crunchy cabbage, peppers, almonds, and sunflower seeds do the heavy lifting here, so you end up with something crisp, colorful, and cheap enough to make without flinching at the grocery bill.

🔗 Back to Menu

How to Make Healthy Ramen Noodle Salad

Break up the ramen noodles into pieces.
Add the broken noodles to the cole slaw mix.
Add the slivered almonds, sunflower seeds, and chopped green and red peppers.
Toss everything together.
Mix the olive oil, sugar, and vinegar in a separate bowl or jar until combined.
Pour the dressing over the noodle mixture and toss to coat.
Refrigerate before serving.

If you want a similar chilled noodle idea with a different flavor profile, try Asian Lime & Chili Salad with Ramen Noodles or Citrus Ramen Summer Salad.

🔗 Back to Menu

Tips for the Best Ramen Salad

Break the noodles into bite-size pieces instead of powdering them into crumbs. You want crunch, not ramen dust.

Chop the peppers fairly small so you get a little color and sweetness in every forkful instead of one big awkward chunk that tries to escape.

For the best texture, keep the salad cold after tossing. Food kept refrigerated at 40°F or below stays in the safe zone longer, which matters for a dressed cabbage salad like this one according to FoodSafety.gov cold food storage guidance.

🔗 Back to Menu

Serving Suggestions for Healthy Ramen Noodle Salad

Serve this as a chilled side dish with grilled chicken, burgers, sandwiches, or simple baked pork chops. It also works well for potlucks because it uses inexpensive pantry basics but still looks like you tried.

If you want to build it into a bigger meal, pair it with Chicken Noodle Salad for another make-ahead option or serve it alongside a hot skillet dish like Ramen Noodles Stir Fry for a cheap dinner spread.

🔗 Back to Menu

Storage for Healthy Ramen Noodle Salad

Store the finished salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. That window is a conservative estimate based on standard refrigerated leftover guidance for prepared salads and the fact that the bagged slaw and chopped peppers are both highly perishable once mixed and dressed.

Keep it refrigerated promptly and do not leave it out for more than 2 hours at room temperature. If your kitchen is hot or the bowl sat out through a party, trust your judgment and pitch what is left. Cheap salad is still cheaper than food poisoning.

You can make the components ahead by chopping the peppers and mixing the dressing separately, then tossing everything together closer to serving time if you want the noodles a little crunchier.

🔗 Back to Menu

💸 Budget101® Price Breakdown: Healthy Ramen Noodle Salad

Ingredient	Walmart Item	Pkg Price	Amount Used	Cost Used
Ramen noodles	Maruchan Ramen Noodle Soup, 3 oz	$0.28	2 packages ≈ 1 package/count = 3 oz = 85.049 g ≈ 0.654 cup	$0.56
Cole slaw mix	Tri-Color Cole Slaw, 16 oz Bag (Fresh)	$1.97	1 package ≈ 397g each	$1.72
Slivered almonds	Great Value Whole Almonds, 16 oz	$6.98	1 C.	$2.20
Sunflower seeds	Roasted & Salted Sunflower Kernels, 16 oz	$2.58	1 C.	$0.74
Green pepper	Green Bell Pepper, Each	$0.78	1	$0.78
Red pepper	Great Value Crushed Red Pepper, 1.75 oz	$1.44	1 ≈ a light shake	$0.01
Olive oil	Great Value Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 17 fl oz	$5.94	1/2 C.	$1.40
Sugar	Great Value Pure Granulated Sugar, 4 lb	$2.98	1/2 C.	$0.16
Vinegar	Great Value Distilled White Vinegar, 32 fl oz	$1.18	1/2 C.	$0.15

💸	Cost
🧾 Total Batch Cost	$7.72
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost Per Serving	$0.64

📅 Walmart prices last verified August 26, 2026. Prices may vary by location and are subject to change. Learn how to calculate the cost of a recipe on your own!

🛒 Walmart Grocery List

Not sure exactly what this batch costs you per serving? Here’s how to break down the real cost of any recipe so you know before you shop.

Frequently Asked Questions about Healthy Ramen Noodle Salad

Can you make Healthy Ramen Noodle Salad ahead of time?

You can, but for the crunchiest texture it works best if you prep the vegetables and dressing ahead, then toss everything together closer to serving time. If you mix it fully in advance, the noodles soften as they sit in the dressing, which is not a tragedy, but it is a different salad by day two.

Do you cook the ramen noodles first for ramen noodle salad?

No, you use the noodles dry in this salad. Breaking them up and tossing them with the slaw and dressing gives you that signature crunch without boiling a thing.

What can you use instead of sunflower seeds?

Pumpkin seeds are the easiest swap if you want the same kind of crunch. Chopped peanuts or extra slivered almonds also work, but they will change the flavor a bit more and usually push the cost up instead of down.

Can you replace the sugar in the dressing?

You can reduce it some, but do not skip it entirely unless you also cut back the vinegar. The sugar balances the sharpness, so if you want a less sweet dressing start by dropping it to 1/3 cup and taste before you pour it over the whole bowl.

How do you keep ramen noodle salad from getting soggy?

Keep the dressing separate until closer to serving, and refrigerate the salad as soon as it is mixed. Using very wet vegetables or letting the bowl sit out on the counter too long speeds up the softening, so cold storage is your friend here.

Can you use a different vinegar in Healthy Ramen Noodle Salad?

Yes, but it changes the personality of the dressing. White vinegar keeps it clean and sharp, while apple cider vinegar tastes a little rounder and slightly fruitier, so use the same amount and expect a softer tang.

How many people does this salad serve?

Plan on about 12 side-dish servings. That estimate assumes modest potluck portions, since the finished bowl is bulky with cabbage, peppers, noodles, and seeds even though the ingredient list stays wonderfully cheap.

Can you add protein to make this a full meal?

Absolutely. Shredded chicken, diced cooked pork, or even a handful of edamame turn it from side dish into lunch without changing the base recipe much. Add the protein cold right before serving so the salad stays crisp.

How long can Healthy Ramen Noodle Salad sit out at a party?

Keep it under 2 hours at room temperature, then get it back into the refrigerator. If the weather is really hot, cut that down to about 1 hour, because chopped vegetables and dressed salads do not improve with warm buffet treatment.

What goes well with Healthy Ramen Noodle Salad?

It pairs well with grilled meats, deli sandwiches, burgers, or simple rotisserie chicken. The sweet-tangy dressing and crunchy texture make it especially handy next to richer mains that need something cold and crisp on the plate.