Healthy Orange Shrimp Ramen Noodle Salad – Sticky, sweet and citrusy skinny orange shrimp served over an easy oriental pasta salad packed with ramen noodles, coleslaw, mandarin oranges and avocados.  This easy to make ramen salad is light, refreshing, full of flavor and sure to become a family favorite!

Hey there, friends!

Well, we are officially 10 days into the new year!

So tell me, if you made a resolution to eat better, or simply set small goals toward living a healthy lifestyle, how is it going?  Have you been eating nutritious meals, or have you already abandoned protein packed, veggie forward entrees for all the cookies and sweets?!

Well, healthy resolutions or no resolutions, diet or no diet, this Oriental salad I’m sharing today is something you are going to want to eat on repeat!  It’s the perfect balance of healthy noms with a ramen noodle crunch factor of 1,000% and you are absolutely going to love it!

Orange Shrimp Ramen Noodle Salad

Plump, succulent shrimp sautéed in a buttery, spicy, citrusy sauce served atop a bed of fresh, crisp Asian coleslaw loaded with crunchy, crushed ramen, juicy mandarin oranges, creamy avocado, nutty almonds, pungent cilantro and delicate green onions.

This Asian salad is healthy and loaded with protein and vegetables, yet packed with flavor and texture.

Crunchy, sweet, citrusy and slightly spicy, this Oriental salad is anything but bland or boring and perfect for lunches or healthy, light dinners!

What is orange shrimp?

Orange shrimp is a classic orange glazed shrimp dish commonly found in (American) Chinese restaurants.  Citrusy and slightly sweet in flavor, orange shrimp can be prepared either deep-fried or stir-fried.

How to make orange shrimp sauce?

Orange shrimp is quick and easy to prepare, making it an excellent option for busy weeknight dinners!

While some orange shrimp recipes require battering and deep-frying shrimp then preparing and reducing an orange sauce for coating, this skinny orange shrimp recipe calls for quickly stir-frying the shrimp in a hot skillet before adding the orange shrimp sauce and tossing to coat.

The orange shrimp sauce is made up of garlic, orange zest, orange juice, lime zest, lime juice, cilantro and a scant amount of butter.

Will orange juice cook shrimp?

Technically speaking, orange juice will not “cook” shrimp.  However, if you allow shrimp to soak or marinate in orange juice (or any citrus juice) long enough, denaturation will take place and the shrimp will turn firm and opaque, exactly as if the shrimp had been cooked with heat.

Ceviche is a popular dish in which raw fish or shrimp are marinated in citrus juice and served as an appetizer.

In this orange shrimp recipe, orange juice is not used to “cook” or marinate the shrimp, instead orange juice is used as an ingredient in the sauce (or glaze).

What is Asian noodle salad?

Asian noodle salad is an oriental-inspired pasta salad made up of noodles, vegetables and fresh herbs tossed in an Asian dressing or sauce.

The ingredients in an Asian noodle salad can vary greatly from recipe to recipe.

For example, the pasta in an Asian noodle salad can range from soba noodles or spaghetti to ramen noodles or rice noodles.

As well, a wide variety and combination of vegetables can be used, from broccoli and bell peppers to edamame and/or carrots.  Since Asian noodle salads are so versatile they are a great way to use up whatever pastas you have in the pantry and fresh vegetables you have on hand in the refrigerator!

How long will Asian noodle salad keep?

Asian ramen salad should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and will keep for up to 3 days.

While some Asian salads are served warm or cold, this Easy Asian Noodle Salad is served with both warm and cold components.  However, the shrimp can be made in advance and kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator which makes in perfect for easy meal preps or quick lunches on the go!

What goes with Asian noodle salad?

While you can definitely eat Asian Ramen Noodle Salad as a main meal on its own, this easy oriental ramen salad is topped with flavorful orange shrimp.

If you have a shellfish allergy or simply aren’t a fan of shrimp, here are some other great serving options to pair with Asian ramen noodle salad:

• Asian marinated chicken or plain, shredded rotisserie chicken
• Seared ahi tuna
• Thinly sliced grilled steak
• Seared, grilled or baked salmon

How to make Orange Shrimp Ramen Noodle Salad (Notes, tips & tricks):

1. While I used jumbo (16/20 count) shrimp in this orange shrimp recipe, you can use any size shrimp you would like.  If using smaller shrimp, make sure you scale the cooking time down as they will take less time to cook through!  Do not overcook the shrimp or they will become rubbery.  Shrimp are perfectly cooked when they have a curled “C” shape.
2. If you don’t want to use ramen, you can use crunchy Chinese chow mein noodles or crunchy wontons instead!
3. If you don’t want to use coleslaw, you can substitute 6-7 cups shredded lettuce of your preference.
4. The shrimp portion of the salad can be served warm from the skillet and on top of the salad, or they can be cooked in advanced and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
5. If time permits, the coleslaw salad tastes great if refrigerated for 1-2 hours before serving so the flavors have a chance to marry.  If making in advance, drizzle the noodles, shrimp, coleslaw, oranges and cucumber mixture with dressing and toss.  Wait to add the almonds and green onions until just before serving.  However, while the flavors taste best if given a few hours to marry, the noodles, slaw and veggies will get soggy if you dress the salad more than 3 hours in advance.

Easy to prepare and ready in 25 minutes or less, this orange shrimp Asian noodle salad is perfect for lunches, meal preps, potlucks and light dinners!  Healthy without sacrificing flavor or texture, this Chinese ramen salad is something you will want to eat year round!

Until next week, friends, cheers – to superb salads!

XOXO

Cheyanne

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The best Healthy Orange Shrimp Ramen Noodle Salad recipe👇

5 from 8 votes

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Orange Shrimp Ramen Noodle Salad

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

5 mins

Total Time

25 mins

 

Orange Shrimp Ramen Noodle Salad - Sticky, sweet and citrusy skinny orange shrimp served over an easy oriental pasta salad packed with ramen noodles, coleslaw, mandarin oranges and avocados.  This easy to make Chinese shrimp noodle salad is light, refreshing, full of flavor and sure to become a family favorite!

Course: entree, Main Course, Salad

Cuisine: Asian, Chinese, Oriental

Keyword: Healthy, noodle, orange, salad, shrimp, skinny

Servings: 6

Calories: 386 kcal

Author: Cheyanne Holzworth

Ingredients

Shrimp:

• 1 pound Jumbo Shrimp (16/20 count per pound), peeled & deveined*
• ¾ tsp EACH: garlic powder & red pepper flakes
• 1 Lime – Zest
• ½ Orange – Zest
• 2 TBS Neutral Oil, Canola, Vegetable or Grapeseed - divided
• 2 TBS EACH: Lime Juice, Orange Juice, Chopped Cilantro, Cold Butter (cubed)

Salad:

• 1 package Dry Ramen Noodles the instant kind, flavor pack discarded*
• 1 (16 ounce) bag Coleslaw Mix (with carrots) *
• 1 cup (Jarred or Canned) Mandarin Orange Segments - drained (1-11 ounce can)
• 2 Avocados - sliced
• 1/3 Cup Sliced Almonds or cashews
• 1/3 Cup Sliced Green Onions both white and green parts (about 6 onions)
• 3 TBS Fresh Cilantro - chopped

Dressing:

• ¼ Cup Rice Wine Vinegar
• 2 TBS Low Sodium Soy Sauce
• 2 TBS Honey
• 1 TBS Sesame Oil
• 1 Clove Garlic minced
• 1 tsp Fresh Ginger grated
• 2 TBS Vegetable Oil
• Kosher Salt & Ground Black Pepper to taste

Optional Add-ins: Black Sesame Seeds, Cooked Edamame Beans, Sliced Bell Peppers, Sliced Jalapeno & Cubed Cucumber

Instructions

1. Marinate the shrimp: In a medium sized bowl, toss the shrimp with the garlic powder, red pepper flakes, both zests and 1 tablespoon of the oil. Season generously with kosher salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl whisk together the rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, garlic and ginger. While whisking, drizzle in the oil. Continue to whisk until well combined and emulsified. Add in salt and freshly ground pepper to taste and whisk again. Taste and adjust dressing according to taste. Set aside. 
3. Place the ramen noodles (discarding flavor packet) in a large zip-closure bag. Seal and use a rolling pin to gently crush noodles. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
4. Cook the shrimp: Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high to high heat. Add the shrimp to the pan in an even, single layer. Cook the shrimp for about 1 -2 minutes undisturbed. Quickly toss the shrimp and stir in the lime juice, orange juice and butter. Swirl the pan to coat the shrimp. Add in the cilantro and continue to cook until the butter forms a sauce and shrimp are cooked through. (Shrimp should take 4-5 minutes TOTAL to cook through. Do not overcook shrimp.) Remove from heat and set aside.
5. Make the salad: Add the coleslaw, oranges and avocado to the bowl with the crushed ramen. Toss to combine. Top with the cooked shrimp and drizzle with dressing. Garnish the salad with almonds, green onions, cilantro and optional add-ins if using. Serve and enjoy.

Recipe Notes

1. While I used jumbo (16/20 count) shrimp in this orange shrimp recipe, you can use any size shrimp you would like.  If using smaller shrimp, make sure you scale the cooking time down as they will take less time to cook through!  Do not overcook the shrimp or they will become rubbery.  Shrimp are perfectly cooked when they have a curled "C" shape.
2. If you don’t want to use ramen, you can use crunchy Chinese chow mein noodles or crunchy wontons instead!
3. If you don't want to use coleslaw, you can substitute 6-7 cups shredded lettuce of your preference.
4. The shrimp portion of the salad can be served warm from the skillet and on top of the salad, or they can be cooked in advanced and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 
5. If time permits, the coleslaw salad tastes great if refrigerated for 1-2 hours before serving so the flavors have a chance to marry.  If making in advance, drizzle the noodles, shrimp, coleslaw, oranges and cucumber mixture with dressing and toss.  Wait to add the almonds and green onions until just before serving.  However, while the flavors taste best if given a few hours to marry, the noodles, slaw and veggies will get soggy if you dress the salad more than 3 hours in advance.
6.  

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