Name: Crunchy Ramen and Cabbage Salad
Yield: 6–8 servings
Ingredients: 1 cup sliced almonds; 1 3–4-oz. package any flavor instant ramen noodles; 1 cup distilled white vinegar; 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil; ⅔ cup sugar; Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper; 1 small head of green cabbage (about 1 lb.), thinly sliced; ½ small head of red cabbage (8 oz.), thinly sliced; 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced

salad in a bowl with red napkin and a few crumbs

Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Caroline Hwang, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime

Okay, bear with me here, but the best cookout side is my mom’s ramen slaw, made from uncooked ramen noodles (yes, the kind you ate at 3 a.m. in your college dorm room) mixed with shredded cabbage, sliced almonds, scallions, and lots of vinegar and sugar, which softens the ramen to crispy-yet-noodley perfection without a stove or microwave in sight. I thought this recipe was exclusive to the mom community of suburban Massachusetts until colleague Shilpa Uskokovic informed me that her mom made a near-identical version for family parties in Chennai, India. Turns out true culinary genius knows no borders.

Since instant ramen is already precooked it’s technically not raw and is perfectly fine to eat. Spring for good quality ramen here (such as Shin brand) as it’ll make the difference between deliciously crunchy or rock-hard ribbons. Make the dressing, toast the almonds, and shred your cabbage up to 1 day ahead for easy assembly on the day of. —Hilary Cadigan