Noodle Journey Episode 172: Nongshim Vegan Curry Noodles

I’m checking out Nongshim Vegan Curry Noodles, a new bowl that has been showing up in Walmart and Sam’s Club stores across the US. I’m always interested when Nongshim America releases a new flavor, because that’s how we ended up getting Shin Gold, Shin Green, and the tonkotsu bowls, all of which turned out really well. This vegan curry flavor is a new addition to that lineup, and the packaging doesn’t specify what kind of curry it’s trying to emulate. Since the ingredient list doesn’t offer many clues, the only sensible path forward is to cook it and find out.

Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 172: Nongshim Vegan Curry Noodles

I’ve been keeping an eye out for it ever since I got wind of it appearing in big-box stores, and I finally found it at one of my nearby Walmarts for a very reasonable $2.12 per bowl. You can also buy these in bulk from Amazon through third-party sellers, though the price tends to run higher there.

Sodium for the entire bowl is a surprisingly low 880mg, or 38% of your daily allowance. Inside are Nongshim’s standard bowl noodles, which aren’t quite as good as their pack noodles but still get the job done. You also get a powdered sauce packet and dried vegetable flakes. The flakes include carrots and both green and red bell peppers, while the sauce packet contains powdered coconut milk, garlic, lime juice, mushroom, parsley, soybean paste, and a vegetable powder made from corn, onion, cabbage, spinach, pumpkin, carrot, and tomato paste. The curry spices themselves aren’t specified.

Noodles:
These noodles are thinner than the ones in Nongshim’s pack products and have a light chew to them. They’re glossy, they hydrate quickly, and they’re serviceable for a bowl format even if they aren’t quite as satisfying as Nongshim’s pillow-pack noodles. Cooking them on the lower end of the recommended time keeps the texture a little firmer, and they absorb the sauce flavor well enough.
• 7/10

Spiciness:
Even though chili pepper isn’t listed on the packaging, it’s definitely present. The heat remains extremely mild, a faint warmth rather than anything approaching a serious burn. Anyone buying a curry flavor should expect at least some spice, but this stays comfortably on the lowest end of the scale.
• 1.5/10

Overall:
This turned out to be a genuinely pleasant curry bowl with more depth than the aroma initially suggested. Despite smelling sweet from the coconut milk and fenugreek-like notes, the flavor gets noticeably savory once the broth thickens into a gravy-like consistency. It reminds me loosely of a Thai Massaman curry, not because it’s an exact match, but because of its nutty, garlicky undertone combined with pumpkin-powder flavor. The curry blend is nicely varied, and each bite brings forward something slightly different. The dried vegetables rehydrate well, though the bell peppers could stand to be larger, and I found myself wishing for one more non-pepper vegetable element or a bit of leafy texture. Still, nothing here really detracts from the bowl’s overall appeal. It’s balanced, flavorful, and surprisingly satisfying for something with such low sodium, and it leaves plenty of room for customizing with add-ins.
• 8/10