Superfood Ramen Salmon Salad

Have you ever had a day where you just don’t have time to cook a full meal, but you still want something tasty and nutritious? If so, then this ramen salad recipe is for you! It’s quick, easy, and packed with healthy ingredients like vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. And best of all, it’s customizable, so you can make it your own!

This is great for meal prep for the week – it’s a healthy lunch that will keep you feeling full and energized.

My husband works from home and rarely has time to make something for himself – so he will grab a quick sandwich. He realized he was missing out key nutrients that he would get from veggies and fruit – so that’s where I stepped in! I made this salad for him to have for a few days to keep him feeling good.

And spoiler alert: he loved it 😊.

The rice noodles and salmon provide slow-burning carbs and protein, and the broccoli and peppers are full of vitamins and minerals, while the cashews give a boost of healthy fats. It’s really a perfect meal for anyone who wants to feel energized and satisfied. And it’s quick and easy too!

For the sauce I used a simple combination of a premade organic sesame miso dressing combined with sriracha. It’s a really smart use of pantry staples and fridge leftovers, which makes it so accessible for anyone to recreate at home.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Rice ramen noodles (lotus brand from Costco)
• Salmon filets (4 ounces each)
• Vegetables: I used a combo of steamed broccoli, peppers, onion, and carrot.
• Neutral oil
• Cashews
• Dressing: I used a combo of premade sesame miso dressing & sriracha.

Ok so first thing I did is boil the water for the noodles. Once the water comes to a boil, I added 3 rectangles of the ramen noodles to the water and boiled for 3 minutes – then removed from the heat, drained, and put under the cold water tap. This helps the noodles not congeal together while you are prepping the rest of the meal.

Simultaneously, I am prepping the vegetables. I used a Costco pack of frozen broccoli and steamed in the microwave for 5 minutes, sliced 1/4 of a white onion, 5 mini red and yellow peppers, and peeled and shredded one large carrot.

I added that to a pan with a Tablespoon of neutral oil, sautéed for 3 minutes. Careful not to overcook, so that they retain their nutrients and texture. Then I added the cooked vegetables to a bowl with the noodles, tossed with the sauce of 3 Tablespoons sesame miso dressing and 1 Tablespoon sriracha.

This recipe is so simple and straightforward, but that’s what you need in a busy week when you want to prioritize your health as well.  

I set that aside while I cooked the salmon filets, simply by searing with a neutral oil for 3 minutes per side, until cooked through. Then I assembled, by putting the noodle vegetable salad in the bowl, topping with a salmon filet, and crushing a few roasted and salted cashews on top for a crunch. I topped the salmon with additional sriracha and served. This makes 2 servings.

The roasted cashews add a nice textural contrast to the softer noodles and vegetables. And the sriracha on top makes it look so vibrant and eye-catching.

This makes 2 lunches for my husband, and I stored the remaining salmon separate from the ramen vegetable salad so it can be reheated separately. Easy to store and to reheat for the next day.

It’s very time-efficient, healthy, and filling, which can be priceless for someone who’s busy and wants to eat well.