As a lot as we love do-it-yourself noodle dishes, like gingery hen ramen, udon with stir-fried veggies, and spicy kimchi sujebi—and even recommend making your individual noodles from scratch generally—there’s no denying that instantaneous noodles are fairly merely clutch. And so far as we’re involved, the most effective instantaneous noodles are frozen. That’s as a result of, not like typical shelf-stable instantaneous noodles, that are cooked, then dehydrated earlier than packaging, frozen instantaneous noodles are raw and packaged contemporary. This preserves their taste and texture, making them chewier, bouncier, and extra slurpable.
Beneath we’ve rounded up the most effective frozen noodles (and refrigerated noodles) you should buy on-line. Most of them come within the type of “instantaneous noodle” kits, that means they embody a pre-made element, like a ready-to-use sauce, a soup seasoning base, and/or toppings for a whole fast and straightforward meal. However we’ve additionally included a couple of plain noodle choices, simply in case you need extra versatility—otherwise you wish to observe considered one of BA’s noodle recipes. We cut up our winners into three classes: brothy noodles, saucy noodles, and simply noodles. So whether or not you’re within the temper for contemporary yakisoba or a Thai coconut noodle soup, you gained’t be upset.
Brothy noodles
Solar Noodle (traditional line)
On this planet of frozen ramen noodles, Solar Noodle is the GOAT Over time Solar Noodle has launched quite a lot of noodle types and flavors, catering to totally different palates, however their “traditional line” of ramen kits nonetheless carries a few of the model’s greatest choices. That is additionally the place you’ll discover their widest number of flavors. Suppose: daring miso, spicy tan tan, wealthy tonkotsu, and traditional shoyu (which is really considered one of most scrumptious variations of shoyu instantaneous ramen in the marketplace).
Every package deal consists of two separate servings of noodles and two individually packaged liquid broth concentrates, which is sweet whenever you wish to make only one serving. The noodles may be skinny and wavy or thick and chewy, relying on which equipment you select. I’ve eaten a number of manufacturers of frozen instantaneous ramen, and I can confidently say that Solar Noodle’s traditional line takes the crown for many flavorful. All of the broths are well-seasoned, completely salty, and deeply savory because of the addition of components like bonito, fish sauce, and pork fats. In case you’re on the lookout for a bowl of ramen that comes collectively in two minutes and is full of umami, these are for you.
Solar Noodle (pure line)
Solar Noodle’s “pure line” noodles aren’t frozen—they’re refrigerated. You will have seen them whereas procuring at Complete Meals, Wegmans, or your native specialty grocery retailer. As a result of they aren’t frozen, the noodles are extra aromatic and you may scent the contemporary dough as quickly as you open the package deal. These noodles are skinny, barely wavy, slippery, and really slurpable. They’re similar to the model’s traditional noodles when it comes to style and texture, however Solar Noodle says they’re made with “healthful components.” I don’t know what which means precisely, however I do know that this noodle line is vegan and MSG-free. So should you’re a plant-based eater on the lookout for fast ramen choices, these are for you. The kits include two individually packaged servings, each together with some noodles and a small pack of liquid sauce focus that you simply add to the boiling water to make the broth. Whereas the broths are flavorful, they have an inclination to lean on the sweeter aspect and have much less of an umami issue than these within the traditional line—maybe as a result of they don’t comprise any fish sauce or animal fats.
Solar Noodle (premium line)
Say hi there to probably the most luxurious instantaneous ramen you’ll ever eat. Right here, you’ll discover solely three choices: Jiro-style garlic shoyu, tsukemen, and spicy sesame mazemen. The noodles on this line are straight and tremendous thick—nearly as thick as udon—they usually’re among the many bounciest, chewiest ramen noodles on this listing. The thicker noodles aren’t simply enjoyable to eat, additionally they take up extra of the soup’s broth, lending a extra flavorful chunk. And since the noodles are larger, you’ll be able to style extra of the noodles themselves. My private favourite is the Jiro-style garlic shoyu ramen, which is ultra-rich and savory because of the inclusion of pork inventory, powdered hen fats, and naturally, hefty quantities of garlic within the sauce. This ramen is scrumptious plain, however even higher whenever you high it with thick slices of meat and mountains of steamed bean sprouts and cabbage.
Nona Lim conventional ramen noodles
Nona Lim gives a variety of easy-to-prepare Asian avenue meals dishes which are made with out MSG and synthetic preservatives, colours, or flavors. Their contemporary ramen noodle kits embody the model’s conventional ramen noodles and broths that style do-it-yourself. These are a few of the bounciest and most aromatic instantaneous ramen noodles I’ve ever eaten. Elements like ginger, garlic, kombu, sake, and chili bean paste give the broth spectacular complexity. Nona Lim’s noodle kits have about half the sodium of different manufacturers, and whereas some would contemplate {that a} large plus, I often discover myself needing so as to add extra salt to style. I like to recommend going the “create your individual bundle” route, so you’ll be able to combine and match your selection of noodles and soups (the coconut hen lime bone broth is a crowd fave).
Stir-fried noodles
Maruchan nama yakisoba noodles
In case you’re on the lookout for and fast stir-fried noodle state of affairs, you’ll admire Maruchan’s yakisoba noodles. Relying on the place you store, you’ll find them refrigerated or frozen. Every serving comes with a dry seasoning packet that’s nearly equivalent to those you’d discover with the model’s standard dehydrated ramen noodle pouches. By way of style and texture, although, this yakisoba is a notch above—because of the freshness of the noodles, which supplies them extra physique and a bouncier chunk. The stir-fry kits are simple to organize, with soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste punching up the seasoning base. To me, Maruchan contemporary yakisoba sits someplace between “instantaneous noodles”’ and noodles you’d purchase plain. As a result of whereas they do include a dry seasoning pack, they’re greatest served with extra stir-fry mix-ins like cabbage or thinly sliced beef.
MìLà Chinese language noodles
I contemplate MìLà’s Chinese language noodles the all-star of saucy instantaneous noodles. Not like the opposite frozen noodle choices on this listing, every package deal accommodates all of the components wanted to finish the meal—so that you don’t want so as to add your individual protein or greens, until you wish to. The dan dan noodles include a sesame-based meat sauce with tingly Sichuan peppercorns (you might have a selection between floor pork or Unattainable meat), in addition to chopped peanuts to high off the dish. It’s the identical cope with the candy and savory noodle equipment, which features a soy sauce-flavored meat sauce (one other selection of floor pork or Unattainable meat) and a package deal of blanched sliced cucumber and carrots for the topping. And I can’t neglect in regards to the caramelized scallion-oil noodles, which include a green-onion-infused sauce and crispy fried scallions. In each considered one of these kits, the noodles are chewy and slurpable, and the sauce ultra-fragrant and deeply flavorful. When you’re right here, scoop up a few of MìLà’s pork soup dumplings, that are one other BA favourite.
Nona Lim stir-fry starter kits
Along with contemporary ramen noodle kits, Nona Lim additionally makes three contemporary stir-fry noodle starter kits that include pre-made vegan sauces. The pad Thai starter equipment options skinny, flat gluten-free rice noodles together with a candy and tangy tamarind-based sauce. The pad see ew starter equipment consists of wider, flatter rice noodles with a deeply flavored soy-based sauce. The teriyaki ramen stir-fry starter equipment options the model’s skinny, wavy ramen noodles together with a candy and savory sauce that highlights the much-loved Bachan’s Authentic Japanese BBQ Sauce. I’m an enormous fan of Nona Lim’s rice noodles, that are particularly springy and great at absorbing any accompanying sauce.
These starter kits sit someplace between instantaneous noodles and not-instant noodles: whereas they arrive with a premade sauce, the meals wouldn’t actually be full with out including veggies, tofu, hen, or beef—particularly within the case of the pad thai and pad see ew. And whereas the rice noodles are quick-cooking, they could be a bit finicky to work with at first. I prefer to put them in a bowl and microwave them for a few minute earlier than including them to the pan with my additions.
Simply noodles
Shirakiku Sanukiya Udon
Possibly you don’t desire a noodle equipment that comes with a pre-made sauce or soup base—perhaps you’re simply on the lookout for some quick-cooking plain frozen noodles you’ll be able to put to work for recipes like this spicy kimchi udon or soothing kake udon. Shirakiku Sanukiya’s udon noodles are smooth, bouncy, and really slippery, which makes them supremely slurpable. Whereas some udon manufacturers lack the best chewiness and crumble simply as soon as cooked, these maintain their construction and take up simply the correct quantity of sauce. They maintain up effectively in each brothy soups and saucy stir-fries, and you may belief they gained’t go soggy on you. Every bag comes with 5 individually packaged servings of frozen udon. Maintain the noodles in your freezer till you’re prepared to make use of them, then boil them from frozen for a few minute they usually’re prepared for something—I’ll allow you to take it from right here.
J-Basket Japanese Soba Noodles
These soba noodles are made with a mix of buckwheat flour and wheat flour, which supplies them a subtly dense texture, slight nutty taste, and a grayish-brown shade. And since buckwheat is an entire grain, these noodles are fairly nutrient-packed. I admire that J-Basket’s frozen soba noodles prepare dinner shortly and don’t get clumpy (see these cooking ideas for getting the most effective outcomes). Bonus: They work wonders in each cold and warm noodle dishes, like this pork and asparagus stir-fry, brothy clam noodle soup, or chilled spicy sesame soba.
