Fried Cabbage Ramen

5 from 4 votes

Give your ramen a flavor boost with this Fried Cabbage Ramen! Smoky bacon, savory onions, and Parmesan make it an instant favorite in your recipe collection.

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Total Time30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Fried Cabbage Ramen

Servings: large servings

Author: Chelsea Lords

Cost: $8.32

Equipment

Large skillet 12-inch
Large pot

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil
9 slices bacon diced to 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium yellow onion cut in half and sliced as thinly as possible, about 1-1/2 cups
1 (10-ounce) package angel hair coleslaw see note 1
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper
3 (3-ounce) packages instant ramen noodles 9 ounces total, see note 2
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese see note 3
Fresh parsley optional
1 lemon optional

US - Metric

Instructions

Dice the bacon and thinly slice the onion. Heat the olive oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, add in diced bacon and cook. Stir frequently with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes before adding the sliced onion. Cook the bacon and onion, stirring often, until the onion is tender and the bacon is golden brown and fully cooked.
Add the unsalted butter to the center of the skillet. Sprinkle in garlic powder and season everything to taste with salt and pepper (I add 1/2 teaspoon each). Add the bag of coleslaw to the skillet and stir until it is tender and wilted, about 1–2 minutes. Turn off heat.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil. Season the water with 2 teaspoons of fine sea salt. Add in all 3 packages of ramen noodles (discard seasoning packets) and cook, stirring frequently, for only 2 minutes (or 1 minute less than indicated on package). Immediately drain the noodles, but do not run under cold water.
Add drained, cooked ramen to the skillet. Switch to tongs, and toss ingredients well, gradually adding in the Parmesan, about 1-1/2 tablespoons at a time, until smoothly melted. Season again; I add 1/2 up to 1 more tsp pepper (I love the subtle heat here—similar to a Cacio de Pepe!) and sometimes 1/4 tsp salt depending on how salty things are tasting. Flavors should sing!
Serve with fresh parsley if desired. Scoop onto plates and use a zester to grate a touch more Parmesan on top. Serve lemon wedges on the side—a squeeze of lemon is so delicious too.

Video

Notes

Note 1: Angel hair coleslaw is can be found in the produce section of your local grocery store, near other packaged salad mixes. Be sure to choose a mix that only contains green cabbage. If desired, you can slice your own green cabbage to get 6 cups, very thinly sliced.

Note 2: Any brand of instant ramen noodles work, but it's important to get 9 ounces of ramen noodles, which is 3 packages of standard-sized ramen soup mix. Discard (or save for another recipe) the seasoning packets and just use the noodles. Otherwise, the dish will be too salty.

Note 3: Use a block of Parmesan and grate it on the small holes of a grater and pack it into the measuring cup for the right measurement. Alternatively, use finely grated Parmesan cheese. Parmesan from the can will be too salty and won’t integrate well.

Storage: This dish is best enjoyed fresh. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. When reheating, add a splash of water (or chicken broth) and gently reheat over low heat, stirring occasionally.

Nutrition