Noodle Journey Episode 109: Nongshim Soon Veggie Noodle Soup

I’m reviewing one of the most popular vegan instant noodle options out there: Nongshim’s Soon Veggie Noodle Soup. Since I tend to cover a lot of spicy, meat-based varieties, this feels like a good opportunity to check out something milder, vegan-friendly, and easy to find in the US. Vegans deserve solid noodle options too, and this one has been hyped online for years. It’s long overdue for a spot on my review list. As with most Nongshim products, my expectations are high, so I’m curious to see if it lives up to the praise.

Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 109: Nongshim Soon Veggie Noodle Soup

This one is widely available at local Asian grocery stores, larger US supermarket chains, and online for about $10 for a 4-pack. There’s also a cup version for around the same price per unit, along with a kimchi cup variant I have waiting in the review queue. The pack claims 2 servings, coming in at 1,630 mg of sodium (71% of your daily allowance) in total, which isn’t terrible compared to some others but still firmly in the pretty-salty category. Inside you get a round block of Nongshim’s familiar chewy noodles, a powdered soup base, and a vegetable packet containing choy sum (Chinese cabbage), carrot, and green onion. The soup base delivers a typical Korean chili broth seasoning blend but skips the meat or seafood extracts. Even though it’s labeled mild, it does contain chili pepper, so I have a hunch it will still register some spice by Western standards.

Noodles:

These are the same plump, chewy noodles I’ve praised in other Nongshim reviews. There’s a bit of the fried oil aroma that often comes with them, and here it pairs nicely with the vegetable-forward broth. They hold their texture well and deliver on that satisfying bite I expect from this brand.
• 8/10

Spiciness:

It’s labeled as “mild,” but in actuality it has a gentle heat. This isn’t the kind of heat that should scare you off. Even if you’re spice-cautious, you could probably handle it unless you are someone who avoids chili altogether. It’s not aggressive, just enough to liven up the vegetable flavors.
• 2.5/10

Overall:

The broth is a savory blend of vegetables that’s hard to pin down to any single note. Think of it as a light mushroom stock rounded out with onion, root vegetables, cabbage, soy sauce umami, a hint of garlic, and just the faintest touch of ginger. It’s salty, yes, but in a way that supports the veggie flavors rather than overwhelms them. The dried vegetables rehydrate better than expected, though the portion could be more generous for something labeled “veggie.” It’s a good standalone option, but also an excellent blank slate if you want to add fresh vegetables or proteins. While I think Nongshim’s Shin Green edges it out in terms of complexity, this is a more approachable flavor profile and a solid vegan option I’d recommend to anyone wanting a break from meat-heavy soups.
• 7/10

Notes since filming:

While Soon is really good and far more widely available, if you can find Samyang’s Vegetasty, I think it is a far superior vegan noodle product in the same style as this one.