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If the very thought of instant noodles brings to mind surviving off them as a university student living in shared halls, allow me to open your horizons.
The world of instant noodles is far bigger and tastier than you imagine, and there are endless ways to improve a packet of three-minute noodles and transform them into something that resembles less of a struggle meal and into an almost-gourmet meal.
However, I must implore you not to turn to Pot Noodle or Super Noodle anymore. These are simply not the creme de la creme of instant noodles (they aren’t even the cheapest on the market). Both brands usually cost £1 or more per packet or cup, whilst you can pick up a single packet of Indomie for around 40p or Nissin Demae Ramen noodles in various flavours for 65p or so. Better yet, look for multipacks as these usually have four or five packets and are better value for money. The latter brands will be infinitely more delicious - I promise.
Best instant noodles at a glance
- Best overall: Maggi Curry Flavour Instant Noodles - £3.50, Sainsbury’s
- Best for curing a cold: Nissin Demae Ramen Sesame Noodles - £0.75, Tesco
- Best for curing hangovers: Namdong Beef Jigae K-Noodles - £1.30, Ocado
- Best for spice-lovers: Samyang Buldak Hot Chicken Ramen - £6, Morrisons
- Best for spice-curious: Paldo Volcano Carbonara Chicken Noodle - £3.50, Ocado
- Best healthy option: Itsu Chilli Miso Instant Noodles - £1.85, Waitrose
- Best cup noodle: Nongshim Shin Ramyun Cup - £1.25, Sainsburys
- Best dry noodle: Indomie Mi Goreng Stir Fry Noodles - £4, Sainsbury’s
- Best noodle soup: MAMA Noodle Creamy Shrimp Tom Yum - £0.95, Tesco
- Best premium instant noodles: Chilli Chan’s Sesame and Soy Noodles - £4.95, DELLI
Though I hate to admit it, instant noodles are hardly the healthiest meal around. Yes, they are ultraprocessed and yes, most contain high levels of sodium, so no one should be eating them on a daily basis. But in your time of need - whether it’s a super quick meal or you’re too ill or hungover to think - instant noodles are a cheap and comforting option that everyone can turn to. You only need a few staple ingredients that are likely already in your cupboards, fridge and freezer to take them to another level.
When it comes to zhushing up instant noodles, there are a few go-to ingredients I like to mix and match according to the flavour profile of the packet. Eggs are a must-have, as they add much-needed protein, flavour and texture to a bowl of noodles. They are highly versatile so you can have them fried, soft- or hard-boiled, or swirled into a soup to create something thicker and more velvety. Spring onions and frozen mixed vegetables or peas also go a long way in adding sweetness and fibre to an otherwise relatively unhealthy meal.
If you have any fresh vegetables like cucumber, carrots or pak choy rolling around in the fridge, these are perfect for adding a crisp bite and freshness to instant noodles. You can also add any meat you have from other meals, such as shredded roast chicken or beef - but one of the best things to add to an instant noodle, in my humble opinion, is spam. Fry up slices or cubes of spam and throw them on top of your noodles for the occasional extra salty, delicious hit.
In terms of sauces, I am never without soy sauce, sesame oil, Kewpie mayonnaise and chilli oil or crisp. Any combination of these can really give your bowl of noodles a boost. Having fish sauce can also come in really handy, and if you have some mirin around, go ahead and make a soy sauce marinade for eggs will become your new fridge must-have. In its simplest form, this marinade comprises soy sauce, mirin and water, but I like to throw in some rice vinegar, sliced chillies, spring onions and garlic, and a pinch of sugar to balance everything out. Boil your eggs to your liking and leave them in the marinade in the fridge for a few hours and hey presto, you’ve got delicious instant noodle toppings ready to go.
I taste tested my way through the instant noodle aisles in supermarkets and specialist East Asian grocery stores to bring you the best packets and all my favourite ways to zhush them up.
How I tested
I tested an array of instant noodles from brands that hailed from Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, and the UK.
I prioritised brands and flavours that can be purchased from major supermarkets, but also branched out to more specialist and uncommon noodles in order to find the best ones.
For each noodle packet, I researched the flavour profiles and the best toppings to match them with, trying to utilise ingredients I would normally have on a week-to-week basis to ensure the cost of elevating them was kept as low as possible.
I cooked the noodles according to the packet instructions, rating them on the amount of time they take to prepare, as well as how convenient the packaging was and how tasty they were once I added my toppings.
Maggi Curry Flavour Instant Noodles
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Best: overall
This is the most satisfying and reliably tasty instant noodle on the market. Am I biased because it’s a Malaysian recipe? Perhaps. But after trying numerous varieties of curry-flavoured noodles, Maggi still beats them all.
It is mildly spicy, bringing just enough heat to leave you feeling warm and cosy. The noodles have a satisfying bite and soak up the flavour well. There is just one flavouring packet to contend with, so no faffing around with multiple little sachets of dried vegetables or oils that could get messy.
I add frozen mixed vegetables while the noodles are boiling in the soup, so by the time the noodles are done, the vegetables are also cooked through. Then I crack an egg directly into the soup, give it a stir to break up the yolk and whites, and remove it from the heat pretty much immediately, as the egg will continue to cook in the residual heat.
When I’m hungover, I like to add a slice of burger cheese on top and let it get melty before digging in - it adds another layer of salty, umami creaminess to the noodles that hits the spot.
Top with: Frozen mixed vegetables, egg, sliced cheese
Buy now £3.50, Sainsbury's
Nissin Demae Ramen Sesame Noodles
Best for: curing a cold
When your nose is so blocked you can barely breathe, a comforting, healing bowl of noodle soup is just what the doctor ordered.
Nissin’s Demae Ramen range has some excellent flavours that are familiar and unfussy, from chicken to roast beef to prawn, but the sesame ramen is particularly excellent for lurgy season.
The sesame flavour is strong and warming, cutting through the fug of a cold. A packet of noodles comes with a dehydrated flavouring packet as well as a smaller sachet of sesame oil - feel free to add more sesame oil if you prefer an even toastier, nuttier aroma. It requires barely any effort to boil the noodles for three minutes and add the contents of the sachets to the soup and serve.
If you want to make it a little bit more vibrant, add a blanched pak choy and chopped spring onions for colour and fibre, and a soy-marinaded egg won’t go awry either.
Top with: Spring onions, soy-marinaded egg, pak choy, soft tofu
Buy now £0.75, Tesco
Namdong Beef Jjigae K-Noodles
Best for: Curing a raging hangover
The morning after a really big night is always a bit touch and go for me. Sometimes I wake up thinking I’ve dodged the hangover, only to realise I’m still a little bit drunk - other times I wake up feeling like a bus has run over me multiple times. If I can stomach anything, it will need to be a bowl of instant noodles because it hardly counts as cooking.
Namdong’s Korean instant noodles are a balm for pounding heads and roiling stomachs. The beef jjigae flavour has a particularly smooth and soothing soup base, and the noodles are flatter and wider than regular ramen noodles, so they feel a bit more substantial to soak last night’s regrets up. It comes with an optional sachet of chilli powder, so depending on whether you can handle the heat, you can add just half a packet for a moderate spiciness or the full packet to really wake your senses and tear through the fog in your brain.
Either way, you’ll get to the bottom of the bowl feeling a little more human and nourished. Throw in some shredded chicken or, even better, frozen beef balls that you can find in most East Asian grocery stores to compliment the beef flavour. Some sliced carrots and spring onions add colour and bulk out the packet into a proper meal.
Top with: Shredded chicken or frozen beef balls, carrots, spring onions
Buy now £1.50, Ocado
Samyang Buldak Hot Chicken Ramen
Best for: spice-lovers
This isn’t even the spiciest iteration of Samyang Buldak’s famously ultra-spicy instant noodle range, but I would still urge you to proceed with caution.
It is the classic and most popular version of Samyang Buldak ramen that has a Scoville rating of around 4,404 SHU. Now, this is really only equivalent to a fresh jalapeno pepper, so some people might think it’s barely spicy. But do not be fooled - it really hits different, especially when you’re trying to get through an entire bowl of it. I was sweating, panting, salivating all over the shop, even as I chugged pints of milk.
There are ways to mellow the sauce out, such as not adding the whole sachet and mixing the sauce in some cream or milk before adding it to the noodles. The only way to find out is to try a few different methods, so I would really only recommend this if you have a high spice tolerance and you love suffering.
A slice of burger cheese here also helps with the heat, as does a nice jammy soft-boiled egg, and some fresh cucumber, carrots and soft tofu to help cool your burning lips and tongue. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Top with: Sliced cheese, soft-boiled egg, cucumber, carrots, soft tofu
Buy now £6.00, Morrisons
Paldo Volcano Carbonara Chicken Noodle
Best for: spice-curious
Italians, look away. Even with the addition of the “carbonara” flavouring sachet, which is made from milk and cheese powders and other flavourings, this noodle still packs a punch. It looks very similar - some might say, a bit too similar - to Samyang Buldak’s spicy carbonara version, but I actually prefer the flavour of Paldo’s iteration more. It has a more intense garlicky and chicken-y flavour that makes the spice level a pleasant experience rather than one of pain and suffering. It is still quite spicy, and I did have to go for a glass of milk while testing it for the first time.
However, you can tame the spice by mixing the contents of both the sauce and powder sachets with a bit of Kewpie mayonnaise before adding the cooked noodles with a bit of the cooking water. The slightly vinegary tang of Kewpie mayonnaise also enhances the flavours of the Paldo noodles, which I really enjoyed. I opted for fried aubergine slices and a soft-boiled egg, which were in keeping with the creamy theme, but I would have this again with fresh cucumber and perhaps even pickled red onions to cut through it all.
Top with: Kewpie mayonnaise, spring onions, soft-boiled egg, fried aubergine
Buy now £2.35, Ocado
Itsu Chilli Miso Instant Noodles
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Best for: Healthy eating
Instant noodles are undoubtedly delicious, cheap staples, but most of the time, they aren’t healthy and shouldn’t be eaten all that frequently.
However, Itsu’s supermarket range is a decently healthy alternative and the brand encourages shoppers to experiment with different toppings to create filling noodle bowls with their noodles as a base. The packaging includes suggestions that can help spark your creativity. These rice noodles can be easily cooked with boiled water from the kettle, and comes with a packet of soup paste that is strong in miso flavour and very aromatic. To add some extra oomph, I added a soy-marinated egg, drizzled with the marinade, and garnished with plenty of sliced chillis, coriander and spring onions.
A squirt of Sriracha would add a little bit of garlicky, spicy punch to the soup, and a handful of shredded chicken would also go really well with this bowl.
Top with: Sliced chilli, spring onions, coriander, soy-marinaded egg, Sriracha, shredded chicken
Buy now £1.85, Itsu
Nongshim Shin Ramyun Cup
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Best for: A quick snack
Noodles in a cup is convenience at its finest. Just pour boiling water into the cup, cover and wait for a few minutes, and a meal has magically appeared in your hands.
Cup noodles are particularly brilliant for camping as they are lightweight, although they do tend to take up space in a bag. Nevertheless, they are a must-have when wild camping or at festivals, and Nongshim Shin Ramyun are the best of the bunch.
These are thick, springy noodles with a satisfying bite that swim in a savoury, spicy broth that fills you up. The broth has a rich and beefy flavour but is actually vegan-friendly. It is quite spicy and will leave you with a sheen of sweat on your brow, but if you’re camping, it’s the perfect noodle to warm you up anyway.
If you can, add frozen mixed vegetables or finely sliced carrots and cooked peas.
Top with: Nothing, or frozen mixed vegetables
Buy now £1.25, Sainsbury's
Indomie Mi Goreng Stir Fry Noodles
Best for: Hot summer days
Indonesia had the right idea when it first created Indomie in the 70s. This little white and red packet contains some of the tastiest instant noodles on the planet, I’m convinced of it - so much so it is a household staple in its home country and served in cafes and eateries throughout Southeast Asia.
It is made by first cooking the springy noodles in boiling water while mixing the various little sachets provided. These contain seasoning powder and oil, thick sweet soy sauce, chilli powder and fried shallots. Combined, they give the noodles a distinctly onion-forward flavour that is slightly sweet, deeply umami and very moreish. To me, they are perfect when topped with a fried egg - make sure the yolk is runny - and spring onions.
Frying a couple of slices of spam to go with the noodles makes them extra indulgent. These are the noodles you need on a hot day when you can’t bear the thought of soup, and you need a meal in five minutes, flat.
Top with: Fried egg, spring onions, spam
Buy now, Sainsbury's
MAMA Noodle Creamy Shrimp Tom Yum
Best for: Cold winter and autumn days
Spicy, zingy Thai flavours frequently top global cuisine rankings for good reason - they are irresistibly bright and delicious, especially during the cold, dark months of autumn and winter. Thai tom yum soup is exactly what we need on the days when the sun threatens to never return, and MAMA noodles are sunshine in a bowl. The Thai brand is known for its tom yum-flavoured instant noodles, but the creamy shrimp variety is my favourite.
Once you add the seasoning packet to the noodles in boiling hot water, the kitchen fills with the smell of lemongrass and lime. Mouth-watering is inevitable. The soup is hot and slightly sour, and the noodles are springy and soft.
If you can get frozen fishballs or crabsticks in your nearest Asian supermarket, I highly recommend adding those in alongside some coriander, sliced chillies and a splash of coconut milk if you want the broth a bit creamier.
Top with: Frozen fish balls or crabsticks, coriander, sliced chillies, coconut milk
Buy now £0.95, Tesco
Chilli Chan’s Sesame and Soy Noodles
Best for: Treating yourself
Taiwanese knife-cut noodles are both stunning to look at and a joy to eat. They are wide and flat with a distinctly wavy, ruffled edge that makes them so good at clinging onto sauces. Their slightly chewy, slippery texture is because they are made from wheat, which also means these squiggly noodles pair well with savoury, nutty and spicy flavours.
These premium handmade noodles by Chilli Chan’s showcase the best of these noodles with three different flavours, but I enjoy the sesame and soy noodles the most. The thick sesame sauce mixed with soy sauce creates a deeply flavourful and glossy sauce that coats each noodle, which takes just three minutes to cook in boiling water.
I emphasised the freshness of these noodles with raw carrots and spring onions sliced finely, with a soft-boiled egg and a spoonful of chilli crisp to complete it.
Top with: Soft-boiled egg, cucumber, carrots, spring onions, sesame seeds, chilli crisp
Buy now £4.95, DELLI
Verdict
There is a whole world of different and exciting instant noodles to explore, and they are especially good for experimenting with different toppings while on a budget. Of course, it’s healthier to cook from scratch, but it isn’t always possible. Sometimes you’re in a pinch and in need of a proper meal in double quick time, and creating a noodle bowl using instant noodles and whatever ingredients you have at hand is a great way to do that.
Maggi Curry Flavour noodles is a brilliant all-rounder, not too spicy but still really tasty and you can add plenty of fibre and protein by simply adding frozen vegetables and an egg. If you’re feeling under the weather, then almost anything from the Nissin Demae Ramen range is comforting and lovely, but the sesame flavour is especially comforting - but if you’re hungover, Namdong’s beef jjigae noodles provide a smooth flavour that soothes the stomach or can provide a bit of a wake-up call if you add the chilli seasoning.
For the more adventurous, Samyang Buldak and Paldo offer some seriously spicy noodles that will have you gasping for air. Approach the former’s original Hot Chicken flavour with caution, and if you are faint of heart, may I redirect you to Paldo’s spicy carbonara version for something a bit more palatable? Definitely mix some Kewpie mayonnaise into the sauce first and thank me later. Nongshim Shin Ramyun also offers quite a punch in terms of spice, but it’s a lot more manageable and perfect for camping and festivals, when you need a bit of extra warmth at night anyway.
You can find a couple of healthier instant noodle alternatives in Itsu’s supermarket range, which is lower in calories and sodium, or in Chilli Chan’s premium Taiwanese instant noodles that are made with preservative-free, vegan sauces. But if you’re not bothered about healthy instant noodles, then you won’t go wrong with delicious Indomie or MAMA tom yum-flavoured noodles. Both are very flavourful, and you can add a range of different toppings to them to find what you like best.
