Small price, big flavour! I present you: the humble instant noodle.
It's the backbone of student diets, after-work eats, and weekday dinners when appointments, work commitments, and social calendars simply don't allow for a home-cooked meal. While the process of cooking is pretty damn simple (they ARE instant, after all), not all are created equal — and not all are worth your money.
Sure, these grocery store packaged noodles are cheap (the most expensive one I tried was $1.99), but that doesn't mean we don't deserve to have our taste buds tickled anyway. I went on a journey — nay, a quest — to find the best ones, and I'm here to share my findings with you.
So the next time you get a craving for something quick, tasty, and budget-friendly, you'll know which ones to get.
Mr. Noodle Spicy Chicken Instant Noodle
Mr. Noodle and I are having a covert affair.
Victoria Kuglin | Narcity
Price: $0.69
Score: 4.6/5
Does anyone else remember eating these dry, crunched, and shaken with the flavouring packets? These bad boys were practically currency back in high school — you could trade a Spicy Chicken for almost any other snack, and here's why: it's just damn great.
Instead of sauce, you just get dry seasoning, giving you way more recipe options than you would with a saucier noodle. Though I wouldn't blame you if you followed the package instructions and mixed it all with hot water, you're seriously missing out if you haven't fried these up with some shiitake mushrooms, chicken breast, and fresh veggies, or stir-fried them with a cracked egg.
They also deliver on their spicy promise, so imagine my disappointment at the fact that they're literally the smallest and most meagre on the list! Practically every other instant noodle I found offered more, but at just under $1 per serving, it's something I'm totally willing to overlook. Not even the "high sodium" warning could deter me (apologies to my blood pressure).
Ho-Ya Phô Instant Rice Noodles
Tasty pho in the comfort of home in just three minutes? Sign me up.
Victoria Kuglin | Narcity
Price: $1.99
Score: 4.2/5
Since I snagged these at Costco, it meant I got a very generous pack (for $47.99, you'll get 24 individual bowls!). Once you do all the math, that comes out to about $2 a bowl, which is wild considering these come with an ACTUAL bowl — plus a cute spoon and all the flavourful additions you'll need to whisk up something hot and delicious. There's even a little oil packet, so you still get to see those delicious golden droplets on the surface of your soup.
It was mild, but delicious, and surprisingly convenient; we like to keep a full complement of noodle bowls like these on hand for busy weeks. Like with all instant noodles, you'll need to add your own protein and veggies.
While I really do love these, there are a few things worth noting: first, they're not joking when they say "ready in 3 minutes." The rice noodles soak up liquid really quickly and, left uneaten for too long, tend to get a bit mushy, so don't even think about cooking this in advance.
Second, the nature of the seasoning makes these the least versatile option on the list — everything is designed to be mixed with water, so if you're partial to a stir-fried or saucy noodle instead, skip these.
JJajang BulRamen Stir-Fried Ramen
I literally licked the bowl clean.
Victoria Kuglin | Narcity
Price: $1.59
Score: 4.9/5
This is a straight-up umami bomb. The flavour was absolutely amazing, thanks to the dark, super-concentrated sauce and a whole OTHER packet filled with little dry bits (the instructions say to add these to the boiling water, which, of course, I did).
Where I went wrong (or, depending on your POV, oh so right) was when I decided to zhuzh up the flavour just a smidge with some fresh garlic and chilli. I made the mistake of thinking that, despite the flavour being literally called "spicy chicken," it wouldn't actually be too bad — a mistake I will fully blame on the large "MILD" sticker on the front of the noodle pack. By the fifth bite, my eyebrows were sweatin', but in the best way possible.
I love that it actually delivered on the heat that was promised, and those dry flakes of flavour did a lot of heavy lifting, flavour-wise, while also adding more texture. And at $1.59 per packet, it was the second-cheapest option I tried — not bad for a five-minute meal.
SamYang Buldak Stir-Fried Ramen
Spicy chicken 'til I die, baby.
Victoria Kuglin
Price: $1.80
Score: 5/5
Listen, I learned something about myself in the process of testing all these delicious noodles: I have a thing for spicy chicken. And when I want a potent, hefty dose of it, these noodles shall forever be my go-to. Perhaps you noticed the brazen "2x" next to the angry chili peppers — I, however, did not. So while I was excitedly stuffing these into my shopping cart, blissfully unaware that in a short time, my mouth would be on fire.
Safe to say, it was an eye-watering few minutes, but they were OH SO DELICIOUS. The portion was on the more generous side, which is great if I had actually wanted to share these with my husband (I did not). It wasn't just the amount of noodles that impressed me, though — their texture also made them a standout. They were curly, chewy, and infinitely slurpable, and did I also mention they were spicy? But no matter how much water I was forced to drink, it was a worthwhile sacrifice in the quest for a quick 'n' delicious meal. No pain, no gain, folks!
In all honesty, I could go with any one of these noodles, any day of the week. Aside from the price, the biggest differences come from personal preference. Listen, I'm not here to tell you how to live — these are all low-stakes, low-commitment, and low-cost meals, so you really can't go wrong. The hardest choice you'll have is picking just one.
Related: 7 Canadian snacks you can't find living abroad and I desperately miss now
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.