Detailed instant noodle reviews and ratings – watch, read, and discover your next favorite.
Welcome to the Hall of Shame, my first-ever Bottom 5 Instant Noodles list. After reviewing hundreds of products, I’ve suffered through the bland, the boring, and the downright offensive so you don't have to. Unless you are morbidly curious, you should stay away from these five varieties.
Ramen Bae Spicy Garlic Mix launched on February 1, 2024, after months of teasing, and I grabbed a pack the second it became available on their site. I’ve recommended Ramen Bae countless times on Reddit whenever people ask how to spruce up their noodles, and I’ve reviewed both their Classic Seafood & Vegetables Mix and their Veggie Mix in past reviews. Both were solid products worth your attention if you like the ingredients.
Here's a new unboxing video from January 2024 containing some super unique goodies from Ramen Mall! Delivery took only 3 days and they carry a lot of stuff that I have never seen anywhere else. Check them out at ramenmall.com!
Trader Joe’s Thai Noodle Bowls come in three flavors, Garlic Sauce, Red Curry, and Peanut Satay, and I’m diving into all of them in this review. I’ve tried other Trader Joe’s instant noodle products before, like their Squiggly Taiwanese noodles and ramen cups, but those weren’t particularly impressive. Trader Joe’s usually rebrands products from established manufacturers, but I’m not sure who made these bowls. Each is sold exclusively at Trader Joe’s for about $2.50, although third-party sellers on Amazon list them for a steep markup.
Today I’m trying Trader Joe’s Mee Krob Snackers, a crispy noodle snack that takes its inspiration from the Thai dish mee krob for its sweet-and-sour profile. I do not get to Trader Joe’s often, so when I spotted these, I immediately grabbed a bag to see how well a cluster of crispy noodles works as a snack.
Time to continue my gluten-free noodle run with Lotus Foods Millet & Brown Rice Ramen with Red Miso Soup. It has been a while since I touched this brand because the white miso variety landed in my bottom five and the turmeric curry was only okay. The ingredient choices in the noodles were never the problem with this brand like you might think - it was always the flavor of the soup. I picked this one to review now because I recently saw it on a “healthiest ramen” list and I want to know if red miso, which is usually the most bold, funky of the miso varieties, finally gives Lotus Foods a broth with real character. Here's a quick primer on miso if you're unfamiliar: white is mild and sweet, yellow leans earthier, and red is the strongest and most pungent, the kind you often find in ramen shop miso soups.
Note: This product underwent a drastic overhaul several months after I reviewed it and earned a much better score! Check out the updated review for more info. I’m checking out another dried topping meant to dress up instant noodles, this time from a brand simply called Ramen Toppers. The thing that makes them unique among other dried topping manufacturers is clear: chashu pork and full-size narutomaki fish cake in the same jar, plus a pile of vegetables. It’s a neat idea if the proteins and textures hold up after rehydrating.
Here's the other currently-new product from Momofuku, their Momofuku Spicy Chili Noodles. Coming right after Sweet & Spicy, the obvious question is whether this feels distinct from that one or Tingly Chili or is more or less a spicier version of either. The packaging is certainly similar to Sweet & Spicy, but the ingredients list is certainly different, so I’m curious how it actually eats vs. the rest of the product line.
After an insanely long wait for new flavors, today's review is one of the two new flavors (as of August 2023) from Momofuku’s instant noodle lineup: Momofuku Sweet & Spicy Noodles. Unlike their earlier offerings, which mostly leaned on soy and sesame profiles, this one brings a gochujang-style sauce that promises a balanced kick with some sweetness. The noodles are still made by A-Sha, so I’m already expecting top-notch texture, but we're finally at a point where Momofuku is making their own sauce instead of repackaging an existing recipe from A-Sha. This feels like a smart pivot for Momofuku, moving into something with a different flavor profile and a fuller sauce compared to their original three flavors.
Today I’m reviewing another noodle supplement from Ramen Bae - this time, their completely vegan and gluten-free Ramen Bae Veggie Mix. I’ve covered Ramen Bae before in my review of their Classic Seafood and Vegetables Mix, which launched to a great reception after they sought feedback on Reddit. Many people immediately requested a vegetarian alternative without seafood, and this variety, released in June 2023, is the result. As with the previous version, this mix is designed to stir into any cup or bagged noodles for an extra boost of toppings.