At FreshDirect, we cheer on the arrival of various produce seasons all year long. But there’s something about Satsuma mandarin season in late fall that seems to really get people excited, perhaps because it’s an exceedingly joyful sign of the fresh citrus season to come.
Satsumas are the ideal winter snack, easily popped into your bag and reliably delivering a burst of bright, sweet juiciness. But a fruit this good deserves to be enjoyed every way it can. Enter this ramen salad recipe, which places mandarin segments atop a pile of dressing-soaked noodles and a pleasingly textured mix of veggies, tofu, and almonds.
While you will want to get started in advance to allow the noodles to soak, the actual effort involved in putting it together is pretty minimal. And an added bonus: the ingredients are pretty budget-friendly. That makes it a perfect trifecta when it comes to effort, cost, and deliciousness.
Get the recipe below and shop the ingredients on FreshDirect.
Ramen Noodle Salad with Mandarin Oranges Recipe
Serves 4
What You’ll Need:
2 (3 oz) packages ramen noodles, flavor packets discarded
1 cup Momo’s ginger dressing, divided
1 (12 oz) bag rainbow slaw
1 (14 oz) package extra-firm tofu, drained
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup sliced toasted almonds
Segments from 2 Satsuma mandarins, other small, sweet citrus, or 1 (15 oz) can mandarin oranges, drained
What To Do:
Break up the noodles into small chunks, taking care not to break up too finely. To a large serving bowl, add noodles, ¾ cup dressing, and the slaw. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or until noodles are soft.
When close to serving, slice the tofu into ½-inch-thick slabs. Lay slabs on a paper towel-lined plate and top with more paper towels. Place a cutting board or flat plate on top of tofu and weigh down with a pot. Let drain 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut pressed tofu slabs into ½-inch cubes. To a medium bowl, add the cornstarch, 1 tablespoon water, and remaining ¼ cup dressing. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Toss tofu cubes in dressing mixture to coat. Spread coated tofu cubes onto prepared baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes, until golden, shaking baking sheet halfway through.
To serve, add noodles to each plate and top with the sliced almonds and orange segments, if desired. Divide tofu among plates and serve.