Today’s review starts a countdown to episode 200 with five Nongshim reviews in a row, and this Nongshim Shin Ramyun Vegan variety is the first one on the list. Aaaall the way back in episodes 1 and 2, I reviewed Shin Ramyun and Shin Ramyun Black. Episodes 100 and 101 were Shin Ramyun Gold and Shin Ramyun Green. I like to give Nongshim a little spotlight on my milestone episodes because they really were the brand that got me hooked on instant noodles a few years back. For the countdown to 200, I’m going through the Shin products I haven’t reviewed yet.
The Verdict:
| Product: | Nongshim Shin Ramyun Vegan |
| Origin: | South Korea (Manufactured in the USA) |
| Noodle Quality: | 7/10 |
| Spice Level: | 6/10 |
| Overall Score: | 6.5/10 |
Shin Ramyun Vegan is essentially plain old Shin Ramyun but without any animal products. It’s certified vegan from Nongshim’s manufacturing facility in California, made for the US market. That means no beef fat or extract; all the meat flavoring is artificial, using mushrooms, yeast, and soy.
You can find this at your local Asian grocery store. It used to come in a red cup, which looked very close to the standard meat-containing version, but Nongshim has since replaced it with a green cup to differentiate it. One thing to mention: Shin Vegan only comes in this cup form; there are no packs or bowls for this flavor, which I think is a big oversight. Don’t confuse this with Shin Green either – that is a totally different product and recipe.
We’ve got 1,000 mg of sodium in here, which is very good for instant noodles, though keep in mind this is a smaller 2.6 oz cup. Inside, we’ve got a round block of wheat noodles, the thinner variety Nongshim uses specifically for cups and bowls. Also an assortment of dried vegetables: carrots, shiitake mushrooms, green onions, and red chili pepper flakes. The powdered soup base contains soy sauce, sugar, salt, high fructose corn syrup, yeast extract, onion, chili, and mushroom powder.
The aroma coming off this fresh out of the microwave is so close to regular Shin that I don’t know if I’d be able to tell the difference side-by-side. This might have an ever-so-slightly more mushroom scent to it, but I wouldn’t really notice otherwise. Like all Nongshim cup noodles, these come out of the microwave a little clumpy, so you want to give them a good stir.
Noodles:
These are a slightly thinner version of the great chewy noodles that come in the packs. They’re above average as far as noodle cups go, but they’re not as good as the pack versions. They come out less chewy when steeped or microwaved compared to the pillow packs.
• 7/10
Spiciness:
The spiciness is identical to standard Shin. It’s a robust medium heat that will kick you in the throat if you’re not prepared. It’s spicier than Shin Black or Green. I gave the original a 6/10 in my very first review, and while I’ve become more spice-tolerant, I think that’s still a fitting score here.
• 6/10
Overall:
This is a pretty reasonable approximation of the original recipe, but there’s a few minor quibbles. If the non-vegan Shin didn’t exist, I would say this was better than good. But comparing them side-by-side, you can taste the compromises. The artificial beef flavor, made from yeast and soy, has a little bit of a bitter aftertaste and a more noticeable mushroom flavor. Beyond that mildly bitter finish, it’s still a savory soy umami chili broth with a bit of sweetness, onion, and garlic. The flakes are nicely rehydrated and the ratio of flakes to noodles is actually better than Nongshim normally provides in their pack products. I find this to be just a slightly less good version of the original recipe. The other thing that will drive the score down minimally is the packaging format; if this were available in a bowl or a pack with better noodles, it would probably be a wash with the original. But since you’re forced into the cup format, it’s a bit disappointing. This is still a very good vegan option, just not a perfect substitute for Shin when factoring in the flavor difference, the less chewy noodles, and the smaller portion size.
• 6.5/10
Final Thoughts
If you’re seeking out spicy vegan noodles from Nongshim, you’ve also got Shin Green and Soon. While they’re all good, I think this is the weakest of that bunch. If Shin Green has too much mushroom for you, or Soon isn’t spicy enough, this is a fine alternative, but by comparison, I think Samyang Vegetasty and Shin Green are still my top picks for spicy vegan Korean noodles.
