18 Most Popular Instant Ramen in Japan, Korea, China, Singapore, India, and Malaysia 2024

1, Best Japanese Instant Ramen Noodle - Nissin Top Ramen Chicken Flavor

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Nissin is the most popular ramen brand in Japan, and Nissin Top Ramen is its sub-brand.

Nissin Top Ramen is delicious, rich in fillings, and quick to prepare, and it has become a go-to meal for hungry diners around the world. All kinds of Nissin Top Ramen are delicious in their own way, but some types of Nissin Top Ramen flavors are out of this world. Some of the best Nissin Top Ramen flavors are savory and rich, while others pack an extra spicy punch. Some kinds of Nissin Top Ramen are even limited edition varieties.

Chicken is one of the most popular types of Nissin Top Ramen. It only takes three minutes to complete this savory meal. Diners enjoy this soup as is, or might even add some fresh veggies to the mix for extra flavor and nutrition.

The New York Times had this to say about Top Ramen's Chicken Flavor: "Out of all the more traditional chicken-flavored ramen noodles, these were the best. The broth is golden, oily, and vegetal-tasting. Flavors are concentrated and evoke a bouillon cube more than a delicate chicken broth."
Sounds delicious. You may also notice that this brand is less salty than some other varieties out there, but just by a little — the perfect amount.

And these noodles have a delightfully springy texture, which makes every mouthful that much more delicious.

2, Best Japanese Instant Ramen Noodle - Nissin Top Ramen Beef Flavor

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Beef is another good Nissin Top Ramen flavor featured on this list. Delicious as is or tossed with your favorite ingredients, Top Ramen is always a simple pleasure.

3, Best Japanese Instant Ramen Noodle - Nissin Raoh Ramen Tonkotsu Flavor

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The Raoh lineup is among the premium instant ramen from Nissin. The name "Raoh" is short for  "Ramen Oh," which means "Ramen King" in Japanese. As the name suggests, Nissin's Raoh line is a "fancier" instant ramen that comes in many different flavors such as the tasty Tonkotsu Flavor shown in the photo.
This ramen has a tonkotsu soup (pork bone broth), usually a rich and creamy white colored broth made from boiling pork bones, fat and collagen for many hours.

Unlike standard instant noodles, which are deep-fried, Raoh features non-fried noodles that incorporate whole wheat for an excellent texture that comes closer to fresh ramen noodles. The noodles are skinny. The Raoh line is slightly more expensive than other Nissin noodle products but is well worth the try.

4, Best Japanese Instant Ramen Noodle - Sapporo Ichiban Shio Ramen

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Sapporo Ichiban is the second biggest brand for instant ramen here in Japan (after Nissin). So you know their instant ramen is still the real deal.

Sapporo Ichiban still tops favorite lists across Japan. It is a brand of instant noodles (primarily ramen) manufactured by Sanyo Foods of Maebashi, Gunma, Japan.

This is a Shio (“salt”) based broth; this means it’s a clear and flavorful broth that will nicely accommodate the noodles. Even professional chefs love this ramen!

Noodles has a firm, sticky texture that have a slushy surface, because they have yamaimo (Japanese mountain yam) kneaded into them, which gives them a pleasantly chewy consistency.

For a final punch of rich, the included seasoning packet of sesame seeds adds a nutty and deep richness to the delightful dish. 

5, Best Japanese Instant Ramen Noodle - Toyo Suisan Maruchan Seimen Soy Sauce

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While not quite as large as Nissin, Maruchan is another brand that has become a household name throughout the world.

Some people have judged instant ramen, categorizing it as bland or too simplistic. In this way, these people have never eaten Maruchan Maruchan Soy Sauce Flavor Ramen - reminiscent of the ramen stalls in Tokyo, where you can get a comfortable bowl of ramen with the push of a button and a handful of yen.

The soy sauce is salty without being abrasively so, and the flavors of garlic, ginger, and bonito shine through. Plus, for being dehydrated and instant, the noodles are curly and spring back between each bite.

Medium-thick noodles have a smooth and elastic texture. It is an orthodox taste that children or the elderly can eat safely. If you put grilled pork, vegetables, eggs, etc., you can eat it deliciously.

6, Best Japanese Instant Ramen Noodle -Myojo Charumera Soy Sauce Flavor

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Instant ramen is a staple dish in any Japanese household and Myojo Charumera Ramen has become a brand known all across Japan. Its stand-out scallop broth carries a light yet sweet oyster-like flavour that complements the richer savoury characteristics of soy sauce flavoured noodles to give a unique taste not often found elsewhere in Japan.

Charumera is Myojo's classic and oldest line of ramen products, going back to 1966. The recipe, which has hardly changed since its inception, features a broth made from scallops and a "secret spice" that gives it a signature flavor. The brand now has many different flavors including classic soy sauce, rich tonkotsu (pork bone), and even "Chanpon," a local specialty from Nagasaki).

It is a delicious soy sauce ramen with a taste of deep-fried noodles with a savory snack such as uncle Naruto and chicken dice.

7, Best Korean Instant Ramen Noodle - Nongshim Shin Ramyun

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Although Nongshim Shin Ramyun is not at the cheap price of brands like Maruchan or Nissin Top Ramen. Fortunately, it is 100% worth it.

Nong Shim is one of Korea's most legendary instant ramen. A favorite among culinary types and food industry publications, NongShim specializes in Korean style instant noodles generally with a hit of spice. The deliciousness lurks in the liquid, perhaps the most complex of them all thanks to generous amounts of vegetables and bone broth.

If you are a connoisseur of ramen in all its forms, Nong Shim's Hot & Spicy Shin Ramen is an absolute must-try. Possibly the singular most popular instant ramen in all of Korea, this ramen's secret lies in the spicy soup broth, which is made with plenty of red chilli pepper as well as savoury garlic, onion, and anchovy.

Specially mixed flour for premium noodles is used to bring a chewy texture to the noodles.
In short, Nongshim Shin Ramyun is the best ramen in the world.

8, Best Korean Instant Ramen Noodle - SAMYANG Hot Chicken Ramen (Buldak)

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Samyang is one of the best instant ramen brands for spice, especially the spicy chicken fire noodles which are comparable to a hotter hot Cheeto.

Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen or buldak-bokkeum-myeon, literally fire chicken stir-fried noodles, is a brand of ramyeon produced by Samyang Food in South Korea since April 2012.

Buldak is a representative product that supports Samyang Food's sales. Buldak is considered one of the spiciest ramyeon available in the Korean market, with the original packet having 4,404 SHUs. Buldak became famous due to the Fire Noodle Challenge, a viral challenge.

As far as flavor goes, it’s spicy, almost overwhelmingly so, but there isn’t much of a numbing factor. The noodles have a great chew, though, a throughline that recurs in all the Samyang brand of products.

9, Best Korean Instant Ramen Noodle - Samyang Buldak Cheese

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Samyang Cheese Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen is a variety of famous Korean spicy noodle variety from Samyang brand. It is the cheese flavoured version of Samyang’s original Buldak Bokkeum Myeon noodles, one of the spiciest and hottest Korean noodles, which is also called ‘Korean fire noodles’. The Cheese Hot Chicken Ramen from this brand is available in a 130g packet and it features the flavour of Italian cheese.

Being a cheese lover, the addition of cheese made the buldak ramen way better. It comes with a Mozzarella Cheese Powder that is developed at the optimal ratio of spicy cheese sauce while maintaining the addictive spicy taste of original Samyang Hot Chicken Fried Noodles Cheese.

10, Best Korean Instant Ramen Noodle - Paldo Ilpoom Jjajangmen Chajang

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Real and authentic flavour of Korean noodle dish Jajjangmyeon in an instant noodles format. Jjajang Men is a popular Korean and Chinese fusion dish. These delicious noodles consist of thick chewy noodles topped with black soybean sauce and vegetables.

The thick and chewy noodle is coated in the black bean sauce (chajang sauce).

The base flavor profile of these noodles is a sweet chili sauce that is quite thick and syrupy. This sauce is on the sweet side rather than being overpowering and there is also a crunchy fried onion garnish to go on the top, and soy sauce to add to the mix.

Non-spicy but bold and strong flavors, however if you so choose to add spice to your recipes it can help unlock even more flavors.

We love adding chopped red peppers to our IP Jjajangmen for extra flavor and the perfect amount of heat to kick our meal up a notch.

11, Best Thai Instant Ramen Noodle - Mama Tom Yum Flavour

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In Thailand, the Mama brand of instant noodles is ubiquitous enough that people tend to refer to all instant noodles as “Mama”—the way some Americans refer to tissues as “Kleenex” or the British call vacuums the “Hoover.”

Thai President Foods, the company that makes Mama noodles, owns 53 percent of the instant noodle market share in Thailand and sells more than $300 million in noodles every year. There are plenty of other popular brands, like Wai Wai and Yum Yum, but Mama is the country’s most famous, both in Thailand and internationally.

Of the 50 or so flavors of Mama noodles that Thai President Foods makes (pad kee mao, vegetarian shiitake, green curry, and chicken masala, to name a few), the tom yum is its most iconic—flavored with shrimp, fish sauce, lemongrass, and chile. “It’s by far the most popular in Thailand,” says chef Andy Ricker. “Spicy, a little sour, and a bit rich from the oil seasoning they put in it.”

Wondering what makes MAMA ramen stand apart from the pack? With this brand of instant ramen, it all comes down to the broth. Seriously, you're not going to just get the basic flavors with this brand.

Instead, enjoy flavors like duck and tom yum pork — we love something that's a little out of the ordinary.

Look for the intriguing flavors like shrimp Tom Yum, which has the ideal amount of fiery spiciness. Aside from flavor, the instant version of this dish also contains the nutrients of Tom Yum. The broth is generally rich in protein which is from the added shrimp or prawns, chicken, fish, or a mix of different seafood. Traditional Tom Yum changes name depending on which protein is added. For instance, Tom Yum Gai means soup with chicken. Other variations include Yom Yum Goong or soup with shrimps or prawns, Tom Yum Pla or soup with fish, Tom Yum Talay or soup with mixed seafood and Tom Yum Khon in which coconut milk is added to the broth.

12, Best Chinese Instant Ramen Noodle - A-Sha Sichuan Chili Wide Hakka

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Forget everything you think you know about ramen noodles—A-Sha Foods Ramen Noodles are a new and improved way to prepare and enjoy ramen noodles.

Made with wholesome ground wheat that's air-dried to preserve freshness and flavor, A-Sha Foods Healthy Ramen Noodles are a perfect addition to anyone's pantry and kitchen supplies.

With many different flavors and noodle options, you can pick the pack of noodles that excites your taste buds the most!

Choose your favorite flavor: original, sesame paste, onion, extra-spicy (with ghost pepper), chili (mala), spicy BBQ, spicy fennel, or sesame oil scallion.

13, Best Indian Instant Ramen Noodle - Maggi Masala

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In India, you will rarely find anyone asking for a pack of instant noodles, they will always call it Maggi 2-minute noodles. In all honesty, Maggi would have been a national snack, had there ever been a title of that sort. The brand Maggi has become so synonymous with instant noodles.

These tangles of noodles—which can be served in varying levels of soupy consistency, depending on one's preference—contain the enticing perfumes of cardamom, coriander, clove, nutmeg, fenugreek, cumin, and more essential spices that make for a well-seasoned anytime snack.

14, Best Singapore Instant Ramen Noodle - Prima Taste Laksa La Mian

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Singapore-based company Prima Taste's Singapore Laksa Wholegrain LaMian has topped an annual American list of instant noodles for the third year in a row.

Lienesch, who has been rating instant noodles from different countries since 2002, called Prima Taste's Laksa noodles "hearty and artisanal".

"Moreover, the broth is a combination of a laksa paste sachet which is large and full of premium ingredients," he writes. "The broth is made fuller and creamy with the second sachet, a large one filled with coconut milk powder. All in all, if I had only one noodle to eat on a deserted island, this would be the one."

Indulge yourself in this flavorful Singaporean delicacy!

15, Best Singapore Instant Ramen Noodle - Prima Taste Curry La Mian

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If you're a fan of curry soups, you have to try these curry-flavored noodles from Singaporean brand, Prima Taste. The noodles themselves are chewy and springy, but the main draw is the well-spiced and aromatic curry soup base. It's full of creamy coconut flavor with subtle sweetness and also happens to be halal certified.
Every bite is as good as traditional noodles. Every aroma and texture is an ode to the authentic taste of Singapore, and a full gourmet meal.

16, Best Malaysia Instant Ramen Noodle - Red Chef Spicy Sakura Prawn

Utilizing locally grown ingredients to create unique instant food products, Red Chef Spicy Sakura Prawn Soup Noodles has a unique flavor that displays bold, spicy flavors, with the added umami and sweetness from prawns.
Recommended for those who likes prawn based broth, with an intense taste. Made of three types of different prawn species whereby Sakura Prawns being one of the species. The strong prawn aroma is achieved through special cooking process that preserve the tasty essence from the fresh prawns.

Red Chef Spicy Sakura Prawn Soup Noodles is rated No.2 in The Ramen Rater Top Ten Instant Noodles of All Times 2018/2019.  This combination is a predominant culture of Asia Especially from the Penang (Pearl of the Orient) Street Food where it is also known as “Penang Har Mee”  (Cantonese dialect for Prawn Noodles).  A bowl of Red Chef Spicy Sakura Prawn Soup Noodles enable you to enjoy the best of all worlds - Healthy, Tasty, Authentic and Convenient.

17, Best Malaysia Instant Ramen Noodle - Red Chef Green Tom Yum

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The very first Green Tom Yum Noodle for the Malaysian Supermarket Shelves. Mainly made of naturally green ingredients such as green chillies, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves and fresh lime. Contain formulation that gives you the instant distinctive Tom Yum sour taste followed by a full body of flavour that ends with a tingly spiciness at the end.

The Natural Ingredients Paste is cooked by converting the “Mortar and Pestle” method into machineries where the fibres of the ingredients do not break thus maintaining its Aroma and Taste. The outcome of cooking each packet of Red Chef Green Tom Yum Noodles is similar to the freshly served noodles that is cooked from scratch.

18, Best Malaysia Instant Ramen Noodle - MyKuali Penang White Curry

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We all know Penang to be one of the top foodie destinations in and out of Malaysia. Well, Penangites have another food-related trophy to claim! Los Angeles Times has officially named MyKuali Penang White Curry one of the best instant noodle in the whole world.

For MyKuali Penang White Curry Noodle, 30,000 cartons are sold locally and 15,000 cartons sold overseas with each carton containing 48 packets of noodles.

Introducing the ALL NEW FORMULATION of MyKuali Penang White Curry Noodles which comes with roasted belacan (a Malay variety of shrimp paste) to fire up the rich, aromatic soup broth. Tantalize your taste buds further with exceptionally springy noodles and real garlic bits in every bite.

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