Introduction
It is no wonder that instant Japanese ramen noodles have become a boom because these have corresponded to the hustle and bustle lifestyle our modern generation lives in. They do not only satisfy your hunger, but they’re also unsurprisingly easy to make!
Instant Japanese ramen noodles are a staple for everyone, most especially college students. They only take within ten minutes to make and still deliver the delicious taste it promises.
Getting hungry at midnight, and you have no time to spare to wait for the doorstep delivery? Then, these instant noodles can be your holy grail. They’re just really great in taste and simply insatiable!
Since these instant Japanese ramen noodles are popping everywhere, it is quite challenging to choose which is the best, most especially when they all look enticing. Hence, I’ve made a list of the five must-try instant Japanese ramen noodles because they’re just irresistibly good!
Best Instant Japanese Ramen Compared and Reviewed
| Image | Title | Brand | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
Top  | Cup Noodle Ramen Series (Chilli Tomato) | Nissin | Click Here |
  | Japanese Instant Ramen Noodles, Miso Soup | Nissin | Click Here |
  | Nissin RAOH, Tonkotsu Flavor | Nissin | Click Here |
  | Donbei Kitsune Udon Series | Nissin | Click Here |
  | IPPUDO "Akamaru" | IPPUDO | Click Here |
1. Nissin Japanese Cup Noodle Ramen (Chilli Tomato)
The top one on our list is the Nissin Japanese Cup Noodle Ramen Series. Nissin has become made its name in the instant food market. It is no longer a surprise because of their well-concocted instant recipes.
The broth of this cup noodles has a nice mixture of tomato soup and a chilli spice dash. It gives a tasty mix of sour and spicy taste.
The noodles are made from wheat flour, making it thick and chewy enough for you to enjoy. These noodles are pretty different from the regular Nissin noodle texture, making it pretty unique and innovative from their other recipes.
Several arranged recipes are coming out to better your experience with this Nissin Cup Noodle Chilli Tomato Flavor. You can use hot milk instead of water, add some sprinkle of cheese, and heighten your experience to a whole new level.
What have others said about Nissin Mouko Tanmen Nakamoto Cup Noodles?
“I’m very pleased with these noodles. They taste so good! My cravings are definitely satisfied.” – Anne J
PROS
- There are alternative recipes so you can better your eating experience
- The noodles do not become flimsy right away
- Good balance of spicy and sour
CONS
- Some commented that the older version of this same noodles is still better than this new version
2. Nissin Raoh Japanese Instant Ramen Noodles
This Nissin Raoh Japanese Instant Ramen Noodle is the real deal for those instant noodles enthusiasts. Though it can be pretty pricey, it is a good value because of its taste, flavor, and size.
Like all noodles, it includes seasoning and sauce packets that are perfectly compatible with the soup—in fact, it would even improve the taste and its flavor. The key factor to better enjoy this soup is to add the seasonings and sauces at least 5 minutes after pouring your boiling water.
The relatively mid-thick noodle is very chewy, and the texture is very different from the other instant noodles. Unlike the other brands, these noodles aren’t dry, and they feel like eating fresh, hand-pulled noodles.
What have others said about Nissin Raoh Japanese Instant Ramen Noodles?
““I would buy this every day if only I could. They’re excellent in taste and it feels like eating restaurant-made ramen.” Jung K
PROS
- Good size
- The miso soup tastes fresh
- Chewy noodles
CONS
- Some didn’t like the long waiting time for it to be ready to eat
3. Nissin RAOH, Tonkotsu Flavor
Nissin RAOH, Tonkotsu Flavor prides itself on being the king of ramen because of its restaurant-quality noodles. Its broth is rich in flavor and taste.
These flavorful noodles are triple-flavored, air-dried, and are steam-cooked, leaving a good and chewy taste. Moreover, the flavor of this instant noodles is rich in sweetness and tanginess.
It’s a savory taste that gives you that authentic umami—the excellent balance of sweetness, sourness, bitterness, and saltiness. It takes only four minutes to cook, and you’re good to go!
What have other women said about this ?
“I completely forgot about my carb count when eating this…they’re just that extremely delicious !” – Winny L
PROS
- The taste is not overpowering
- Restaurant-quality noodles
- Right consistency of the broth
CONS
- Doesn’t come in a bowl
4. Nissin Donbei Kitsune-Don
For those who prefer instant Udon, a thicker type of wheat flour noodle, then you might want to check this Nissin Donbei Kitsune-Don out. The broth has a savory soy sauce flavor that perfectly matched with Udon noodles.
The noodle packet includes aburaage, or sweet deep-fried tofu, which gives you an Osaka experience without leaving your home’s comfort. This doesn’t only give you a good taste of the food, but it also introduces you to Osaka’s specialty.
This product promotes itself to be an all-vegetable recipe. Hence, if you’re a vegetarian and want to try some instant ramen, this could be a good pick
What have others said about Kitsune-Don?
“I’ve been eating this noodle for such a long time now and I never knew I’d be this loyal to a cup noodle. The taste is delicious. The noodles though aren’t exactly thick like Udon which is a disappointment. But taste-wise, it’s perfect!” Richard G
PROS
- The tofu is sponge-like, which is similar to authentic and original aburaage
- Quick to prep (1.5 minutes)
- Not overly salty and have no excess flavor or ingredients.
CONS
- Some have said that the Udon noodles are not a good resemblance of authentic Udon noodles.
5. Ippudo Instant Ramen
Wanting to eat ramen but don’t exactly have the time or the energy to leave the house? Then, you might want to try a restaurant based collab instant ramen. Yes, they do exist!
This Ippudo Instant Ramen is a good collaboration of a popular ramen restaurant, Ippudo, and Nissin noodle company. They have concocted this premium instant ramen to give you the famous Ippudo ramen experience.
The broth comes with two special broth packs, seasoning sauce, and another black soy and spicy miso sauces for added flavor. Also! It comes with a good-sized chashu, commonly known as a pork slice, to glimpse an authentic ramen experience
What have others said about Ippudo Instant Ramen?
“Just the fact that I can have my ramen, from my favorite ramen restaurant, at my home is thrilling! This is the best! This is close to what Ippudo makes.” Joni H
PROS
- Comes with a good-sized slice of pork
- The broth is flavorful
- The add-in ingredients taste fresh
CONS
- Some didn’t like the thin-style noodles
- Some said that the add-in ingredients are less in amount
My Top Choice
Key Considerations When Looking For instant Japanese ramen
Ramen expert or not, you’ll know just by the first slurp that your instant ramen isn’t the best among the rest. Some ramen just doesn’t taste right because you can only sense its preservatives while others are just outright the best.
Choosing your ramen must not give you any after-purchase regrets. It is true that some really come at a pricey amount, you must know that they’re, more often than not, worth the price.
I’ve made a short checklist of things to consider when buying your instant Japanese ramen. These may be helpful most, especially when you’re only beginning to immerse in this instant ramen lifestyle.
On-the-go Ramen
You don’t just buy instant Japanese ramen to satisfy your hunger, but they should also be compatible with your lifestyle. There’s a thin difference between getting ramen while you’re at home and packing your ramen for a small picnic or a trip.
If you’re only planning to eat your ramen at home, you can opt to buy packaged ramens. They may be quite a hassle to prepare because you still have to get your dish, unlike ramen in bowls.
There are two methods to cook ramen: You can put your ramen in a bowl, add a little water, give it a few minutes in the microwave, or use the stove.
If microwaves and stoves aren’t part of your options, you can just pour boiling water in your bowl, cover it, and wait. Regardless though, they could be quite a hassle because you still have to clean your dishes after.
If you prefer packaged instant ramens, you might want to look into Nissin RAOH, Tonkotsu Flavor.
For on-the-go ramen, they’re probably the crowd’s favorite because of its convenience and portability. If you’re on a trip or a small picnic, this is easy to bring with your boiling hot water stored in a thermos.
You no longer have to put and clean your dishes out because you can just eat straight from the cup. However, some find it risky to eat noodles from the cup because of the plastic. A tip is to avoid microwaving the plastic cup.
If you prefer portability, then ramens in a bowl might be your best pick. I recommend looking into Nissin Japanese Cup Noodle Ramen Series if this is your preference.
Noodles
Just like your restaurant-quality ramen, instant ramen noodles also come in different types and textures. Usually, the Japanese make their ramen noodles firm and under-cooked. However, the result of the firmness of your noodles boils down to your cooking time. (Pun intended)
You would know if your instant ramen noodles are of high quality when even being cooked for quite a more extended period than it should be, they’re still firm. Low-quality instant ramen noodles will turn soggy and fragile.
If you prefer topnotch noodles, you might want to check Nissin Raoh Japanese Instant Ramen Noodle. Its mid-thick noodles are chewy and something that you really might want to try.
If you prefer thick and wide noodles, you prefer to look into Nissin Donbei Kitsune-Don because of its Udon noodles—a thicker wheat noodle type.
Broth
When you’re making ramen out of scratch, you would know that ramen broths are so intricate and complex to make. It is evident with your instant ramen noodles.
Despite being instant, its flavor is carefully devised to create a restaurant-quality ramen experience. However, if your instant ramens are low-quality, you would only taste nothing but saltiness and preservatives.
Since there are so many well-known brands investing in making their broths creative and daring, you have so many options. It ranges from broths that bring out the umami to broths that give you a mild and comforting taste.
Miso
Miso ramen soup is a broth with soybean paste (or miso). Giving you a thick, brown color and texture, with a rich flavor.
Best served during long cold winters in Hokkaido for a comforting taste. It is the perfect comfort food because the flavors are not too complicated and too tangy—just the ideal mixture.
You might want to check out Ippudo Instant Ramen for its restaurant-quality broth. Since it’s a collaboration of Nissin and Ippudo restaurant, you know that you’re not going to get disappointed with this innovative ramen.
Tonkotsu
Tonkotsu is a Japanese broth that is pretty popular around Kyushu made from pork bones that gives you the flavorful texture and taste.
It consists a thick, creamy soup. More often than not, you can taste the chicken broth and pork fat in this broth because of its pork bones.
I suggest looking into Nissin RAOH, Tonkotsu Flavor, if Tonkotsu is your broth preference.
Tare (Flavoring)
The ramen itself is more complicated than you know. The noodles and broth aren’t the only factors that give you that memorable taste. They also have unique flavorings.
The flavor highly depends on the tare or the seasoning of the ramen. There are simple flavoring that gives you the direct taste that you want, while condiments are more complicated, which calls for exploration.
Knowing your tare is helpful because this is what makes or breaks your ramen experience. If you prefer spicy and sour flavors, then you for tomato-based ramen and whatnot like Nissin Japanese Cup Noodle Ramen Series (Chili Tomato).
If you prefer ramens that give you the authentic umami experience, you might want to check Nissin RAOH, Tonkotsu Flavor.
Toppings
Different toppings come with your instant ramen noodles. It is tough to look for one that you really want to try with a wide array of variations. However, take note that the toppings differ depending on its compatibility with the broth and tare.
Toppings do not exactly give you an evident difference with the taste, but it makes your eating experience more exciting. Hence, it is nice to get ramen that gives you something to chew other than your noodles.
You might want to look into Nissin Donbei Kitsune-Don for its aburaage or tofu topping. If you prefer chashu, or a slice of pork, as your topping, then I recommend looking into Ippudo Instant Ramen.
Frequently Asked Questions Japanese ramen
Question: Are there healthy instant ramen noodles?
Answer: Generally, instant ramen noodles are packaged and manufactured to last longer. Hence, it is no doubt that these do have preservatives that could be pretty high in sodium and whatnot.
These noodles also contain a fair amount of calories. However, there are already existing noodles with a healthier option.
There are healthy instant ramen noodles that are available in the market. Look for the low-sodium options for a guilt-free ramen experience. Moreover, there are also vegetarian options available.
Question: Are instant ramen noodles bad for diet?
Answer: hey are low in fiber and protein, which are not the best option if you’re trying to lose weight. Eating instant ramen noodles is okay; however, moderation must also be observed.
According to Racheel Link of the Healthline, eating instant ramen noodles isn’t exactly unhealthy and bad for the diet. But, the regular consumption of such may be associated with low overall diet quality.
(https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/instant-noodles#section1)
Question: Why does instant ramen make me instantly full?
Answer: They are low in fiber, so they have a slow digestion process. However, though it gives you the bloated feeling, it helps promote the feeling of fullness so you won’t starve right away.
Conclusion
Now that the famous Japanese ramen can be made in your home’s comfort, you can now enjoy your favorite Japanese delicacy without spending too much. Plus, it comes ready immediately!
They’re undoubtedly delicious and comforting to eat because of the convenience and the bursts of flavors it brings. With hundreds of variations in the market, it is exhilarating to try every single one.
Just take note, though, that you always have to make sure to purchase the one worth your price! After all, they often come in packs and not in single packages. You don’t want them to go to waste, do you now?
references
https://99japan.com/blogs/news/top-20-japanese-instant-ramen
https://jw-webmagazine.com/10-must-buy-instant-noodles-in-japan-2019-d9d5310a3788/
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2042.html
https://www.pepper.ph/the-four-parts-of-a-ramen-bowl/
https://spoonuniversity.com/lifestyle/21-things-didnt-know-ramen
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ramen-noodles#nutrition
https://epochtimes.today/this-is-what-happens-to-your-body-when-you-eat-ramen-instant-noodles/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/instant-noodles#section1
Paul is an aspiring amateur chef from Sydney, Australia. Paul comes from Vietnam and has a passion for Asian food. He has visited Asia including Vietnam, China, Thailand, and Singapore and hopes to inspire others with his passion for food.
