This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you purchase through those links (at no extra cost to you).
Turn a beloved pantry staple, ramen, into Baby Bok Choy Salad for a crunchy, healthy appetizer. Loaded with vegetables, almonds, toasted noodles, and a nutty homemade sesame soy dressing, this makes for a great light lunch or dinner starter.
If you haven’t eaten or cooked with bok choy yet, don’t be intimidated. Also known as pak choi, pot choi, or Chinese cabbage, bok choy is a cruciferous vegetable in the mustard family; just like broccoli, turnips, kale, and cabbage. It tastes like a mash-up of cabbage and lettuce, and the baby version is so mild that it’s great raw (as it’s used in this baby boy choy salad). In my opinion, full-size bok choy is best enjoyed cooked in some way. Grilled bok choy and stir-fried bok choy are such a treat.
Ideal room temperature or chilled, this easy salad recipe is a hit at potlucks, as a dinner side dish, or a make-ahead lunch idea. The crunchy texture yet subtle flavor of the bok choy really allows the accessories, including a bold, Asian-style Sesame Dressing, to shine.
And in case you find yourself overstocked on grocery store ramen noodles, this 30-minute salad recipe is the perfect vehicle for the affordable pantry staple.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Baby bok choy: Usually found sold in big bags at Asian markets. Use mature bok choy (Chinese cabbage) or Napa cabbage instead. Cut and clean bok choy just like you would celery: Trim off and discard the end of the bulb and separate the stalks. Rinse the stalks in cool water, carefully brushing away any sand or dirt on the leaves. Use the bok choy, both the leaves and the stems, right away, or wrap in paper towels and store for up to 1 week in your refrigerator’s crisper drawer.
- Ramen noodles: Curly, raw ramen noodles, right out of the package. And no, you don’t need the seasoning packet for this recipe. (See optional ideas for how to put those spices to terrific use below in the “Recipe FAQs” section.)
- Sliced almonds: I like the blanched, skinless sliced kind, but skin-on almonds or slivered almonds are fine, too.
- Sesame seeds: Raw or toasted; take your pick. To toast sesame seeds, in a medium skillet over medium heat, heat the sesame seeds until golden brown and fragrant, stirring occasionally, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately transfer to a plate to cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the pantry for 6 months or freezer storage bag in the freezer for up to 1 year.
Step by step instructions
- To make the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk together brown sugar, olive oil, vinegar, sesame seeds, and soy sauce. Allow flavors to blend at room temperature while preparing the rest of the salad.
- In a large sauce pan over medium heat, heat olive oil until shimmering. Reduce heat to low. Add ramen noodles and almonds; sauté until toasted, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid scorching.
- In a large bowl, combine baby bok choy, scallions, and crunchy mix. Drizzle salad dressing over the top and toss until uniformly combined. Serve at room temperature.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes about 12 cups salad (or more depending on the size of your baby bok choy).
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator. While the salad is still safe to eat for up to 4 days, the noodles will soften over time.
- Make ahead: Make the salad dressing up to 7 days in advance. The toasted, cooled noodles and nuts can be stored in an airtight container for up to 6 months, or frozen for up to 1 year. Chop the bok choy and scallions the night before and refrigerate separately until serving time.
- More Asian flavors: Start off your next Asian meal with Crab Rangoon, Chinese Chicken Wings, or Korean Barbecue Meatballs. Try a side dish of quick Brown Fried Rice, Asian Cucumber Salad, or a hearty Chinese Chicken Salad with Asian Salad Dressing. For a delicious main dish, try Thai Peanut Chicken and Noodles or a hot bowl of Chicken Ramen.
Recipe FAQs
Just add protein! Top each serving with leftover or rotisserie chicken, grilled shrimp, or drained and rinsed white beans.
Definitely don’t just toss it; there are countless ways to put this savory blend to work. Dust ramen seasoning over popcorn, toss with vegetables before roasting, add a dash (or more) to the bread crumb mixture for breaded chicken, or fold it into perk up a previously-plain rice side dish.
More stellar salads
Salad Recipes
Kale Salad
Salad Recipes
Farro Salad with Peas and Feta
Salad Recipes
Mediterranean Chopped Salad
Salad Recipes
Broccoli Salad Recipe
Join Us
Baby Bok Choy Salad with Sesame Dressing
Ingredients
For the sesame dressing:
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (see note 1)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
For the salad:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 package ramen noodles crumbled, seasoning packet discarded (see note 2)
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds (see note 3)
- 1 bunch baby bok choy sliced (5 – 6 bulbs, see note 4)
- 5 scallions chopped
Instructions
- To make the dressing, in a small bowl, whisk together brown sugar, olive oil, vinegar, sesame seeds, and soy sauce. Allow flavors to blend at room temperature while preparing the rest of the salad.
- In a large sauce pan over medium heat, heat olive oil until shimmering. Reduce heat to low. Add ramen noodles and almonds; sauté until toasted, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid scorching.
- In a large bowl, combine baby bok choy, scallions, and crunchy mix. Drizzle salad dressing over the top and toss until uniformly combined. Serve at room temperature.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Sesame seeds: Raw or toasted; take your pick. To toast sesame seeds, in a medium skillet over medium heat, heat the sesame seeds until golden brown and fragrant, stirring occasionally, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately transfer to a plate to cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the pantry for 6 months or freezer storage bag in the freezer for up to 1 year.
- Ramen noodles: Dry, raw ramen noodles, right out of the package. And no, you don’t need the seasoning packet for this recipe (but see FAQs for ideas on what to do with it).
- Sliced almonds: I like the blanched, skinless sliced kind, but skin-on almonds or slivered almonds are fine, too.
- Baby bok choy: Usually found sold in big bags at Asian markets. Use mature bok choy (Chinese cabbage) or Napa cabbage instead. Cut and clean bok choy just like you would celery: Trim off and discard the end of the bulb and separate the stalks. Rinse the stalks in cool water, carefully brushing away any sand or dirt on the leaves. Use the bok choy, both the leaves and the stems, right away, or wrap in paper towels and store for up to 1 week in your refrigerator’s crisper drawer.
- Yield: This recipe makes about 12 c. salad (or more depending on the size of your baby bok choy).
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator. While the salad is still safe to eat for up to 4 days, the noodles will soften over time.
- Make ahead: Make the salad dressing up to 7 days in advance. The toasted, cooled noodles and nuts can be stored in an airtight container for up to 6 months, or frozen for up to 1 year. Chop the bok choy and scallions the night before and refrigerate separately until serving time.
Oh, my goodness, this is delicious! The second time I made it, I roasted salmon with teriyaki sauce on it to top the salad; and I included raspberries along with little gem lettuce, the baby bok choy and matchstick carrots. SO GOOD! I don’t keep ramen noodles on hand (try to keep to paleo/keto as much as possible) but any kind of toasted nuts bring this salad to a new level.. Thank you so much for this excellent idea! I used to roast baby bok choy but it’s fabulous raw in this salad!
We’ve topped ours with salmon as well, makes a great dinner. My husband can’t get by with no protein. When we’re able to get it, we also top with seared tuna, and that is such a treat!!
I decided to add some fresh bok choi to my lettuce and tomato salad. I found this recipe and made the dressing–and everyone thought it was terrific. Thank you.
Delicious! I added some sugar snap peas (blanched) and topped it with flank steak. Delicious meal and recipe!
Such a nice change for a salad. It’s the best.
We received baby bok choy in our local produce bag this week. I was determined not to saute it. This recipe was perfect. A wonderful update of the standard Asian cabbage salad I have been making for years. We had sugar snap peas in the bag so I blanched them and added them to the salad, as well as sliced tangerine pieces. We topped the salad with grilled chicken. Great dinner for a warm evening!
Made this tonight. Served with grilled chicken breast. It was outstanding! Will definitely be making this again!
Hi! I got this recipe (or a slightly different itteration of it years ago – around 1995 – from an old co-worker. She would make it for pot-luck luncheons and it was gone in seconds! The difference between hers and yours is that with hers you can eliminate the oil to fry the ramen noodles and almonds and also you don’t have to worry about toasting the sesame seeds – you do it all in one step. Simply place the crushed ramen noodles, almonds and sesame seeds on a rimmed cookie sheet and bake at 350 and stir every 5 to 10 minutes until everything is toasted. I’ve also substituted chinese cabbage for the bok choy and it’s still wonderful. Thanks for the recipe – I hadn’t thought about this for a long time until I found your website and started looking around!
Hi Jane, I love this idea. The oil doesn’t really add anything to the flavor, of course, so may as well just try-toast it all in the oven. I’ll definitely make it that way so I feel like I can speak to it personally, and then update the post with all of this info (and probably the recipe too – people who are eating bok choy salad likely won’t miss the oil!). Thank you so much for the idea, and I love your story. Wonderful stuff. Take care! -Meggan
Substituted suey choy and raspberry balsamic vinegar and it was great! Great recipe!
I use Paul Newman’s Own Light Sesame Thai Dressing with it and add shrimp. Perfect
loved the dressing! changed out the ramen noodles for crunchy chow mien noodles and added mandarins. great recipe!
Yum! That sounds like a great swap! Thanks Chris! 😀