Best instant ramen, according to chefs
Three picks, each tied to a named taster and a public source — from George Formaro, Lauren Grant-Vose, Sammy Mila, Eunjo Park and 2 more. Recommendations come from allrecipes.com, youtube.com and reviewed.com.
International Pantry · The ranking
- 1Top pick
Nongshim Shin Black
Chosen by- George FormaroChef-partner, Orchestrate Hospitality
- Lauren Grant-Vose
- Sammy Mila
3 of 4 chefs’ top pick: the beef-bone broth is “as close to restaurant-quality ramen” as instant gets.
- 2
Ichiran Instant Ramen
Chosen byAlso chosen by- Eunjo Park · Chef · Epicurious taste panel source ↗
What she turns to “when I want restaurant-quality ramen, but still want to stay home.”
- 3
Momofuku Noodles
Chosen by- Lawrence WeeksChef · North of Bourbon
Also chosen by- Monica Petrucci · Reviewed kitchen editor source ↗
“Noodles with a fresh texture, due to the air-dried method.”
We may earn a commission when you buy through links on MyTastr. It never affects the ranking. Disclosure
Questions, answered
- What is the best instant ramen, according to chefs?
- MyTastr’s top pick is Nongshim Shin Black, chosen by George Formaro (Orchestrate Hospitality); Lauren Grant-Vose; Sammy Mila. 3 of 4 chefs’ top pick: the beef-bone broth is “as close to restaurant-quality ramen” as instant gets. Source: allrecipes.com ↗
- What are the other top picks for instant ramen?
- No. 2 is Ichiran Instant Ramen, chosen by Lauren Grant-Vose. No. 3 is Momofuku Noodles, chosen by Lawrence Weeks (North of Bourbon). Each card above links to the original source.
- How does MyTastr choose these picks?
- Every pick is tied to a named chef, cookbook author or food expert and links to the public interview, panel or article it came from. We survey dozens, often hundreds, of top chefs, food writers and critics, and order reflects how often and how strongly a brand is recommended. Only organic recommendations count — paid endorsements don’t — and brands can’t buy a spot. Read how we pick.
The tasters behind this ranking
More international pantry
- Best soy sauce
- Best toasted sesame oil
- Best rice vinegar
- Best chili crisp / chili oil
- Best oyster sauce
- Best hoisin sauce
- Best shaoxing wine
- Best chinese black vinegar
- Best Sichuan peppercorns (huajiao)
- Best doubanjiang (chili bean paste)
- Best mirin (hon mirin)
- Best miso
- Best instant dashi
- Best tofu
- Best gochujang
- Best jarred kimchi
- Best fish sauce
- Best thai curry paste
- Best coconut milk
- Best tortillas
- Best masa harina
- Best chipotles in adobo
- Best pickled jalapeños (en escabeche)
- Best hummus
- Best pita bread
- Best tahini
- Best harissa
- Best za’atar
- Best pomegranate molasses
- Best preserved lemons
- Best rose water & orange blossom water
