Crunchy Polynesian salad is the dish I bring when I want people to actually talk about the salad bowl. Toasted ramen, roasted macadamia nuts, and grilled pineapple come together with a bright, gingery dressing that tastes like sunshine. It is sweet, savory, and crisp in every forkful.
Why This Polynesian Salad Stands Out
- Toasted ramen adds a crunch that holds up better than croutons
- Roasted macadamia nuts bring buttery richness and extra texture
- Grilled pineapple adds smoky-sweet bites you cannot stop eating
- A shake-in-a-jar dressing comes together in minutes
What makes this one sing is that the main players all get toasted, roasted, or grilled first. That little bit of heat coaxes out flavor you just do not get from raw ingredients.
Add the toasted ramen and nuts only at serving time so they stay crisp instead of going soft.
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Why You’ll Love This Crunchy Polynesian Salad
- Every bite of this crunchy Polynesian salad mixes sweet pineapple, buttery nuts, and that signature ramen snap
- The gingery soy and lime dressing is bright and a little spicy from fresh jalapeno
- It is a cookout favorite that looks as fun as it tastes, so expect recipe requests
Ingredient Notes
Consider these quick notes before you shop; the exact measurements are in the recipe card down below. The little details here are what give the salad its layered flavor.
- Fresh pineapple: cut into thick slices so it holds up on the grill and picks up char
- Ramen noodles: any flavor works since you toss the seasoning packets and toast the noodles raw
- Macadamia nuts: roasting deepens their richness and makes them crunchier
- Coleslaw mix: a bagged mix or shredded cabbage gives the salad its sturdy base
For equipment, you will want a grill pan or outdoor grill, a couple of sheet pans for toasting, and a lidded jar for shaking up the dressing. Nothing fancy required.
How to Make Crunchy Polynesian Salad
Making crunchy Polynesian salad is mostly about toasting and grilling a few things, then tossing it all with a quick dressing. Here is the friendly walk-through before the full recipe card.
- Grill the pineapple slices over medium-high heat until you see nice brown marks, then set aside to cool
- Toast the raw ramen on a sheet pan at 350 degrees for about 8 to 10 minutes until golden
- Roast the macadamia nuts at 325 degrees for another 8 to 10 minutes, then cool
- Toss the coleslaw mix with onion, bell pepper, and cilantro, then fold in the cubed grilled pineapple
- Shake all the dressing ingredients in a lidded jar, pour over, and toss to coat just before serving
This makes about 8 servings, which is perfect for a potluck. To make it ahead, combine everything except the nuts and noodles, then stir those in right before serving so they keep their crunch.
Storage Options
Because the crunch is the whole point, store the salad and the crispy bits separately. That way the leftovers still have some snap the next day.
- Keep the dressed slaw mixture refrigerated for up to 2 days
- Store toasted ramen and roasted nuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days
- Toss the crisp toppings in within 10 minutes of serving for the best texture
Variations & Substitutions
This salad welcomes a little improvising. Use what you have and lean into the flavors your crowd loves.
- Swap macadamia nuts for cashews or sliced almonds if that is what is in the pantry
- Add shredded rotisserie chicken to turn it into a main-dish salad
- Use canned pineapple rings, patted dry, when fresh is out of season
- Dial the heat up or down by adjusting the jalapeno in the dressing
What to Serve with Crunchy Polynesian Salad
Crunchy Polynesian salad shines at a cookout right alongside the grill. Round out the spread with a few sides that match its bright, fresh spirit.
- Grilled chicken, pork, or shrimp skewers cooked while the grill is already hot
- A cooling counterpart like this sweet and spicy cucumber salad
- Steamed jasmine rice to soak up extra dressing
- For a green option, set out a chopped kale and roasted corn salad
A few common questions tend to pop up with this one, so here are quick answers before you start.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make crunchy Polynesian salad ahead of time?
Yes. Mix everything except the toasted ramen and roasted nuts, then stir those in right before serving so they stay crisp.
Do I use the ramen seasoning packets?
No, skip them entirely. You toast the raw noodles plain and season the salad with the homemade dressing instead.
What can I use instead of macadamia nuts?
Cashews and sliced almonds both work well. Roast them the same way to bring out their flavor and crunch.
Is this salad spicy?
It has a gentle kick from fresh jalapeno and ginger. Leave out the jalapeno or use less for a milder bowl.
Once you taste that mix of grilled pineapple and toasty crunch, this salad earns a permanent spot in your warm-weather rotation. Bring extra copies of the recipe to the next cookout, because someone is going to ask for it. Toss, serve, and enjoy.
Crunchy Polynesian Salad
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Ingredients
- ½ lb fresh pineapple cut into 1″ thick slices
- 1 14 oz bag of coleslaw mix or shredded cabbage
- 2 pkgs ramen noodles raw and crushed any flavor as you are not using seasoning packets
- 6 oz macadamia nuts
- ½ cup Vidalia onion diced
- ½ red bell pepper diced
- ½ cup cilantro finely chopped
- ⅓ cup pineapple juice
- 5 Tbsp olive oil
- 4 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2½ Tbsp brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp fresh ginger grated
- 1 jalapeño pepper minced
- Juice of one lime
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 2 garlic cloves minced
Instructions
- Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Grill pineapple until it has nice brown grill marks. Set aside to cool.
- Preheat oven to 350º.
- Pour coleslaw mix into a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Spread ramen noodles onto a cookie sheet. Bake in a 350º oven until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Remove and transfer to a plate to cool.
- Reduce heat to 325º. Place macadamia nuts on a cookie sheet and bake until golden brown, once again about 8-10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.
- Once noodles and nuts are cool, add to coleslaw mix. Add onion, pepper and cilantro. Mix lightly.
- Cut the grilled pineapple into bite sized cubes and add to salad.
- Combine all dressing ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake hard for several minutes. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately.
- If you are making this ahead of time, combine everything but the toasted nuts and noodles. Add the nuts and noodles right before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Mel, that sounds phenomenal. I have never had anything like this, but I think it would be a huge hit with the fam, so I will have to make it for them at some point.
Good afternoon Melanie. Beautiful looking salad and I love macadamia nuts so I can’t wait to try this salad. And yes, already have used the potato salad for the side dish to bring, so this will be a change of pace crowd please for sure! I love the pix too!
Everything about this looks outstanding, from the grilled pineapple to the roasted macadamia nuts. This is a bowl full of yum!
Oh yum – I love everything about this salad!
Just the title of this salad makes me want to drool! I love the ingredients so I’m sure I’d love the salad too!
Oh yum! A crunchy salad sounds like so much fun! I love the ingredients in this I would really like to try this at our next picnic.
Oh wow. This looks like one awesome salad!
This looks so amazing. What a great salad option for summer that I can’t wait to try making!!
This looks great! I’m not a big salad person but my kids and hubby love salads. I will have to try this for them!
Ooh I think I’d love a salad like this. I’d really like to make this for my daughter and I.
This looks like a great recipe minus the ramen noodles. I would probably substitute chow mein noodles for the ramen.
This looks like a great recipe. I love the different things that are included in it too. I love the ideas in the comments too.
Ooh such a lovely tropical salad/ Perfect for summer.
I have never made a salad with ramen, but I would be all over that grilled pineapple! I may need to try this!
Now that’s a salad and it looks amazing. I can almost taste it. Must try asap.
That looks delicious! I’ve never tried a Polynesian salad before, but this looks like something my family would love.
Great pictures the food is really mouth watering. I like the pineapples, peanuts and cheese.
I’m always looking for new salad ideas. Love the sweetness and the crunch in this fantastic summer salad idea! Perfect for cookouts!
Thank you so much for this amazing recipe! I eat a lot of Ramen Noodles and never thought of using them like this. How great!
I haven’t tried ramen noodle salad ( gasp! ) and I’m just itching to try your recipe. This looks soooo good and it’s definitely a fresh twist to the usual salads that I see in restaurants. I’m trying this one super soon.
This looks very refreshing…perfect for summer
The name alone already sounds delicious. I love me a good salad, but I’ve never tried a Polynesian salad. I will have to make it.
Love this idea and I am absolutly going to get into the Ramen noodle salad craze. Thanks! Love your flavors.
I love anything with grilled pineapple! I have never heard of using ramen noodles in salads, but I just may give it a try.
This salad is very intriguing! I love all of the elements. Perfect for summer and pretty to boot!
You had me at roasted pineapple. I love pineapple and I think it tastes great raw, grilled, or cooked. I remember when my mom made chicken, onion, pepper, and pineapple kabobs. This recipe sounds good too, I might have to try it.
Oh man, that looks suoper delicious! Those ingredients are speaking to me so I might try this one day.
What an interesting take on a salad! I would never have thought to make something like that using Ramen noodles! I’ve never tried pineapple in a salad, but I know I don’t like it’s texture when its on pizza.
Whoa. I am saving this page, printing it out, and making it this weekend! It looks really really good.
This looks really good. I love grilled pineapple. I never thought of adding ramen to salads but it really looks like its becoming a popular thing.
omg this salad sounds absolutely delicious! Beyond perfect for summer. Definitely pinning to use at a pool party!
This salad looks so delicious. I am so excited to try it. I love making new recipes. This will be perfect for my next BBQ.
I still remember the first time I had (and become smitten with) a ramen salad. Your addition of pineapple is brilliant!
I’m blown away by the variety in this salad!! It looks breath taking – I would love to dig my fork into the big bowl and pig out 😉
I LOVE this! And grilled pineapple…can’t beat that!
This is my first time hearing about such salad! Sounds delicious. Perfect for summer time!
I’m totally a macadamia nut lover and a ramen lover! I’d be all over this!
Wow! This looks amazing! I would love to make this for a lunch sometimes!
I love the island foods – well, except maybe spam inspired stuff. This looks great.
I think this might be the first time that I have seen Ramen noodles as an ingredient in a salad. This is very different!
This looks like a wonderful Salad! I would try this recipe over the weekend. Thanks for sharing.
This looks really delicious. Thank you for the recipe.
http://chefmimiblog.com/2015/07/15/polynesian-salad/comment-page-1/#comment-14012
you don’t seem to respond to comments, so you might not see my post, but it was a great salad! Thanks!
I try to respond to comments as I’m able, but I’m a working mom of 4, so it’s a challenge. Thank you for the feedback. I appreciate it. This salad is one of my very favorites.
hi there! Jeez, and I thought 2 was a lot! Hang in there!