Spicy Ramen Flavors You Need to Try Today!

Sometimes, when the cravings hit just right, nothing in the world is better than a solid pack of ramen. Not the fancy stuff served in Michelin-starred restaurants or hip new fusion pop-ups. No, sometimes all you need is some instant ramen. It tastes good, can be spruced up to be filling, and comes in many flavors, including a popular new variety, spicy ramen! 

Chicken, beef, and shrimp are the usual ramen choices. Recently, many new spicy ramen varieties have appeared. Some are just pleasantly warm. Others can be challenging to eat. No matter how intense, spicy ramen has become very popular. Here are three varieties of spicy ramen to check out for those with a penchant for hot noodles!

A Brief History of Instant Ramen

Before we dive into the world of mouth-burning ramen, it’s worth mentioning how instant ramen came about. After World War II, Japan was not in good condition. Morale was low, parts of the country needed to be rebuilt, and food was hard to come by.

The US supplied Japan with large shipments of wheat flour, and because of this wheat surplus, Japanese businessman Momofuku Ando developed instant ramen. As an easy and affordable way of feeding families, Ando’s company, Nissin, struck gold with its instant ramen.

Later, in 1971, Nissin introduced the instant ramen cup, a complete meal that could be made within minutes. The instant ramen craze took off, and many other companies began to create their lines of instant ramen products.

Today, instant ramen can be found worldwide, with many more flavors than plain old chicken. As mentioned, spicy ramen has grown in popularity recently, with some companies taking the spice levels to the extreme. These hardcore ramen varieties are not for everyone, but some flavors are enjoyable!

Are you looking to try some great noodles? Check out TokyoTreat! TokyoTreat sends Japanese drinks and snacks, like sodas, cup ramen, and Japanese KitKats right to your door straight from Japan!

Nissin Raoh Soupless Tantanmen

There’s no better way to start a list about one of the world’s most famous noodles than with Nissin. As the company that started it all, it makes sense that Nissin understands perfectly what it takes to make a tasty noodle. In this instance, their Raoh Soupless Tantenmen variety is excellent, especially considering it has no broth.

This is Nissin’s take on the famous Chinese style of noodles, Dan Dan Noodles. It doesn’t have the traditional soup broth that’s usually made alongside the rest of the packet; instead, the noodles are coated in a sauce, complementing their thickness and bite. With Sichuan peppers adding spice and their famous numbing effect, Nissin’s spin on a Chinese classic hits the mark.

Cup Noodles Spicy Stamina Chinese Ramen Maruchan Toyo Suisan

For a very good reason, Maruchan’s Cup Noodles is a perennial favorite of ramen enthusiasts: they’re super easy to prepare. Just boil some water, pour it in, and let it sit for about two minutes. Done and done. The convenience of having a full cup of ramen, plus soup broth, is too good to miss for many hungry people. 

Hopping on the trend of introducing spicy varieties to their tried-and-true favorite flavors, Maruchan offers a spicy fish-based cup. The fish may not be too hot, but the pork broth is infused with chili peppers that offer plenty of heat. This isn’t a super hot style that will melt someone’s tongue, but it’s plenty warm for those unfamiliar with hot foods.

Maruchan Fire Noodle Spicy Beef

Maruchan is one of the big three for instant ramen. Their standard assortment of flavors offers what hungry ramen-lovers want: quick and easy meals that sit well in the tummy. That is, until they introduced their new Fire Noodle Spicy Beef variety, a hot ramen product that has put Maruchan in the spicy ramen ballpark. 

Not nearly as mouth-destroying, Fire Noodle Spicy Beef is still a solid choice for those who want some heat on their tongue with their ramen. For those who want to feel fancy, turning this into a stir-fry with chopped vegetables, a fried egg, and maybe some extra peppers for that guaranteed heat can elevate this humble noodle dish into a solid dinner.

Why should you check out spicy ramen?

There’s a real chance that everyone has had a packet of instant ramen. It’s a very common and affordable meal that gets the job done. And with so many flavors, it’s hard to say that nothing appeals to everyone. Making ramen spicy makes perfect sense, especially in the age of superhots like Moruga Scorpions, Carolina Reapers, Ghost Peppers, and the new Pepper X. 

Superhots can be a fun and tasty way to turn any meal into a moment of instant regret, and putting them into ramen makes them even better. Have you had spicy ramen before? Please let us know in the comments below! We’d love to hear which flavor you’ve experienced!