Best Korean Instant Ramen and Noodles 2020

Love Korean ramen? But if you like cooking less and eating more, here are the best Korean instant ramen and noodles that are super-easy to make and also very yummy!

Winter is coming and we certainly deserve some hot, spicy Korean ramen to warm us up. Korean Ramen is my favourite among all instant noodles because the spice levels are absolutely unmatched! 

Not only that, they taste so different from the regular noodles out there and they make a good base to add on different veggies and meats. 

But, if you are the kind who likes it milder, don’t worry, there is something for you as well. Check out the reviews of the best Korean instant ramen and noodles below:

What is good Korean instant Ramen?

Good Korean instant Ramen is one that is easy to make and tastes good by itself, without the need to add on anything else to enhance the flavour. 

What is the most popular ramen in Korea?

I have tried over 10 Korean instant ramen and noodles from multiple brands. Depending on the flavor, quality and quantity – the best Korean instant ramen and noodles was the Shin Ramyun by Nongshim is the best Korean instant ramen and noodles. And here’s why: 

Shin Ramyun by Nongshim instant ramen noodles are spicy and a hot favourite for many across the world. This Korean instant noodles comes with a sachet of meat flavored broth mix and is cooked like a noodle soup. When cooked, the noodles and soft and chewy. Costing $39.99 on Amazon, the Shin Ramyun ramen noodles are packed with meat chunks and vegetable flakes.

Top Korean Instant Ramen and Noodles

Best Korean Instant Ramen and Noodles	Price	Link
New Samyang Ramen	9.91 (Pack of 5)	View On Amazon
Nongshim Shin Ramyun Noodle Soup	38.00 (Pack of 20)	View On Amazon
Soon Noodle Soup, Veggie	20.16 (Pack of 10)	View On Amazon
Paldo Fun & Yum Ilpoom Jjajangmen Noodles	23.71 (Pack of 8)	View On Amazon
Ottogi Jin Ramen Spicy	9.83 (Pack of 5)	View On Amazon
Samyang Carbo Spicy Chicken Fried Noodles	11.99 (5 pack)	View On Amazon
Paldo Hwa Ramyun	50.98 (20 count)	View On Amazon
Ottogi Jin Jjambbong Spicy Seafood Noodle	21.00 (Pack of 4)	View On Amazon
Cheese Spicy Hot Chicken Flavored Ramen Noodles	24.99 (Pack of 5)	View On Amazon

Check out the detailed reviews of the best Korean instant ramen and noodles below!

New Samyang Ramen

The first one on this list of best Korean instant ramen and noodles is the New Samyang Ramen. There is something different about the flavours in noodles with fried or roasted chicken, and New Samyang Ramen manages to bring us the exact taste of this dish.

The noodles with the chicken flavoured seasoning has a very spicy taste that can literally clear your sinuses, but surprisingly has sweet undertones as well. This blend keeps you craving for more and more cos as your tongue tastes the spice, the sweetness sets in putting out the fire!

The firm and smooth texture of the noodles makes this simply perfect.

Key Features:

• Firm noodles with a smooth texture

• Contains flavours of chicken, soy sauce, onion and capcisum
• Very spicy base with sweet tones

Pros:

• A super spicy dish with sweet undertones

Cons:

• Contains artificial flavours

Nongshim Shin Ramyun Noodle Soup

Shin Ramyun by Nongshim another one of the best Korean instant ramen and noodles. One of the best-sellers across South Korea, this Korean instant ramen is imported into many parts of the world. If you are wondering what makes this such a favourite, you gotta try it.

And I’m sure you’ll be hooked. This is best enjoyed in the form of noodle soup as the heat of the spices warms you up. It comes in many flavors and they have real chunks of meat and veggies in a nice meaty broth.

Key Features:

• To be cooked as a noodle soup
• Comes with a meat flavoured broth
• Thick noodles
• Contains chunks of meat and vegetable flakes
• Hot and spicy taste

Pros:

• Has a hot soupy base

Cons:

• Spice levels can be too high to the extent where you may not be able to experience the other flavours

Soon Noodle Soup, Veggie

All the veggie lovers and vegetarians out there, best Korean instant ramen and noodles for you! The Veggie flavoured Soon Noodle Soup is deliciously satisfying. It comes in a flavour that is just mildly spicy, not the kind that burns you.

It contains flavours from real carrots, choy sum and shitake mushrooms, garlic, ginger and green onions that blend in for the tasty broth that warms you the instant it touches your tongue. You can add more mushrooms or vegetables finely chopped to make the dish more filling.

And, if the noodles aren’t spicy enough for you, simply add some green chilli sauce to up the levels! 

Key Features:

• Vegetarian Korean Ramen
• Contains extracts of shitake mushrooms
• Contains powdered forms of ginger, garlic and green onions
• Has dehydrated carrots and choy sum
• Mildly spicy

Pros:

• Mildly spicy vegetarian noodles with real ingredients

Paldo Fun & Yum Ilpoom Jjajangmen Noodles

Here’s another one of veg options for the best Korean instant ramen and noodles. The Fun & Yum Ilpoom Jjajangmen Noodles is my pick for all you veggie lovers out there. These are also not very spicy and make a good choice if you like keeping your tongue safe.

What makes these noodles is the black bean sauce, something I haven’t come across many brands producing this for ramen. What makes it even better is that this is a versatile sauce and using this as a base, you can add any veggies, eggs or meat to it.

You can even more beans to make it more filling and convert it from a snack to a meal. 

Key Features:

• Contains a noodle base with a black bean sauce
• Versatile sauce, can add any veggies or meat to this
• Mildly spicy
• Can add more spice to make it hotter

Pros:

• A good option for vegetarians

Ottogi Jin Ramen Spicy

The next one on this list of best Korean instant ramen and noodles is the Ottogi’s Jin Ramen Spicy. This spicy instant noodle has a delicious beef broth blended with onions, garlic and mushroom extracts, spiced with peppers and chillies.

Easy to cook and even easier to enjoy, this is one of those ramens that will become your favourite during the monsoon. The texture of the noodles is also something that I have to mention. These are smoother and don’t get too mushy once cooked.

There are loads of vegetable flakes that get juicy once boiled. It’s also a good base to make cheesy noodles!

Key Features:

• Comes with a soupy base of beef broth
• Contains flavoring from mushroom extracts, onions and garlic
• Very Spicy
• Contains dehydrated vegetable flakes

Pros:

• Spicy but not to the extent where you cannot taste the other ingredients

Samyang Carbo Spicy Chicken Fried Noodles

Try the Samyang Carbo Spicy Chicken Fried Noodles and you will thank me! These are hands down some of the best Korean instant ramen and noodles I have ever tasted, and the credit goes to the yum chicken plus spice plus cheesy taste they have.

These noodles have quite a kick in them, the heat builds up slowly, and as it takes over, you will keep eating more and more. If you love the taste but want to reduce the heat level, add some grated cheddar cheese or some parmesan cheese to it. 

Key Features:

• Comes with a soupy base of chicken
• Has cheese powder in the seasoning
• Quick and easy to make
• Very spicy

Pros:

• Meant for non vegetarian, spice lovers

Cons:

• The price is much higher than other instant ramen

Paldo Hwa Ramyun

Paldo is a popular Korean instant noodles brand with many interesting flavours, and ranging from moderately spicy to “burn your tongue” hot spice levels.

One of the best Korean instant ramen and noodles, the Hwa Ramyun is for all those spice lovers out there, who simply cannot get enough of just any spicy dish.

These vegetarian noodles are to be cooked into a soup, and contain dried vegetables in the ingredients for real flavour. You can serve these with a couple of fried eggs to enhance the taste.

Key Features:

• To be cooked in a soupy noodle version
• Contains a soybean sauce base
• Very spicy taste
• Versatile sauce- can add more veggies or meats
• Contains dehydrated vegetables

Pros:

• A super spicy version for vegetarians

Ottogi Jin Jjambbong Spicy Seafood Noodle

Yummmm seafood! Just the thought of these Korean noodles is making my mouth water and my tummy rumble. This is one of the best Korean instant ramen and noodles for you if you love seafood flavors!

The Jin Jjambbong Spicy Seafood Noodle has a delicate flavour of shrimp, cuttlefish, cod, mussels, crab and much more in a spicy sauce to boggle your senses.

What I enjoy about these noodles is that, while the seafood flavour comes through, it is not overpowering. Ottogi is a leading brand in Korea for Ramen and has several flavours but this one tops the list, in my opinion. 

Key Features:

• Contains extracts of shrimp, cuttlefish, mussels, crab and cod
• Contains kelp extracts and beef bone extracts for the flavouring in the sauce
• Has a spicy base

Pros:

• A good flavour to try for seafood lovers

Cheese Spicy Hot Chicken Flavored Ramen Noodles

The next one on this list of the best Korean instant ramen and noodles is a chicken and cheese flavoured instant noodle. YUM.

Try counting on your fingers the different flavours you can find in Korean Ramen, and I bet, you will run out of them on both your hands. This chicken flavoured ramen is crazy amazing with the unique blend of flavours – cheesy, spicy and it’s got chicken in it! 

The Cheese Spicy Hot Chicken Flavoured noodles by Samyeng is something you simply have to try if you’re the kind who’s always looking for something out of the box. My suggestion- add a handful of grated cheese on top to make this better than it already is!

Key Features:

• Has a spicy base
• Contains cheese powder as one of the seasoning
• Easy to cook
• Contains chicken flavoured seasoning

Pros:

• A unique flavour to try

What to add to Korean instant ramen?

The sky’s the limit when it comes to what you can top off your Korean instant ramen with. Start with simple veggies that you may have at home like carrots, green beans, brussel sprouts and green onions, and move on to Kimchi and a variety of mushrooms. Baked eggs are very popular in Korea, but if you can’t get some in your neighbourhood, substitute it with boiled eggs. If you want some crunch, add some crushed fried onion fritters. For meat lovers, chopped up sausages or spam, roasted in the oven or pan fried first is a great topping.