Cold Noodle Crunch Bowl
Staying in solo tonight? You don’t have to travel to Chinatown to get the best of Asian cold noodle flavors right at home. This quick, tasty, and healthy Cold Noodle Crunch Bowl takes 15 minutes to whip up—so you can put your feet up, skip the ramen restaurant, and enjoy your dinner in peace. Just add ramen, soft-boiled egg, and edamame to our crunchy, portion-controlled mix of Asian greens and sesame dressing, top with sesame seeds and chili crunch, and you might think you’re the best new Asian-fusion spot in town. (But shh, we’ll keep your solitary secret.)
- Active Time:
- 10 minutes
- Total TIME:
- 15 minutes
- SERVINGS:
- 1
Ingredients
- 1 Taylor Farms Mini Asian Crunch Chopped Salad Kit
- 1 pack instant ramen noodles, cooked and chilled (no seasoning packet)
- 1 soft-boiled egg (jammy center preferred)
- ¼ cup edamame (thawed if frozen)
- Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
- Chili crisp or chili oil, to taste
Directions
- Cook the ramen noodles according to package instructions. (It’s up to you if you like them broken up or kept long!) Drain and rinse under cold water until fully cooled. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the contents of the Mini Asian Crunch Chopped Kit with the cold noodles. Mix until evenly coated.
- Transfer the noodle salad to a serving bowl.
- Top with a soft-boiled egg.
- Add edamame, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and finish with a drizzle of chili crisp.
What’s in a name? The Roots of Ramen
Let’s talk about this pasta’s linguistic roots. Why is it called “Ramen”? Is that just the Japanese name for a super yummy pasta-based soup?
Nope. It turns out the origin of the word “ramen” actually derives from the Chinese words “lā miàn”. “Lā” means “to pull” or “to stretch”, and “miàn” means “noodles”. “Lā miàn” therefore translates to “pulled noodles”, which refers to the hand-stretched noodle technique used in Chinese cuisine.
So, when and why did we start saying “Ramen”? When Chinese immigrants brought pulled noodle soups to Japan, Japanese cooks adapted the dish to local tastes and ingredients. Over time, ramen noodle soup became uniquely Japanese, with its own regional styles and variations. Meanwhile, “lā miàn” evolved into “ramen”, based on Japanese pronunciation.
Ramen noodles are not just culturally versatile. They’re great in a wide variety of dishes, including cold salads! Someone, please, try adding cold ramen noodles to our Asian Cashew Chopped Salad Kit, then smothered in peanut sauce to imitate a cold sesame noodle salad.
You can also add chilled, cooked ramen noodles to a classic American mix of kale, chopped vegetables, and chunks of grilled chicken for a mix of textures and nutrients that keeps you full through the day. These pulled noodles stretch beyond normal limits.
