Sure, your cooking skills may have come a long way since you burned pretty much everything in the microwave as a teen, but you can still enjoy the simple things, such as some delicious instant ramen noodles. Don’t know which brands are safe to slurp up? Here are seven vegan ramen noodle options that will satisfy your umami taste buds:
1. Dr. McDougall’s Right Foods
Dr. McDougall’s carries a variety of vegan noodle-in-a-cup options, including a chicken flavor. While it’s not technically “ramen,” don’t miss its Vegan Pad Thai, either.
2. Nissin Top Ramen
Perhaps the most popular ramen company in North America, Nissin offers two vegan flavors—Soy Sauce and Chili.
3. Nissin Cup Noodles
Nissin released its Very Veggie Soy Sauce Flavor Cup Noodles after customers urged the company to pack in more vegetables. Nissin’s first-ever vegan Cup Noodles product comes with a full serving of vegetables, including edamame, carrots, and bok choy.
4. Koyo
Koyo has plenty of vegan flavors to choose from, including Garlic Pepper, Lemongrass Ginger, and Shiitake Mushroom.
5. Thai Kitchen
Well known for its delectable noodles and sauces, Thai Kitchen serves up vegan instant ramen in both a package and a bowl. Flavors include Thai Ginger, Spring Onion, and Garlic & Vegetable.
6. Crystal Noodle
For a little kick and some extra protein, try Crystal Noodle’s Spicy Tofu ramen bowl.
Crystal Noodle Soup’s are almost anywhere, including most Asian stores and @sproutsfm, @Target, @Walmart and @amazon pic.twitter.com/GqQukjKJjT
— Crystal Noodle Soup (@crystalnoodle) June 26, 2014
7. Lotus Foods
Lotus Foods’ Rice Ramen collection contains numerous vegan flavors, including the captivating Purple Potato & Brown Rice version (call me a sucker for colored noodles).
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Pro tip: There are plenty of vegan ramen noodles offered by brands that you may not be familiar with, and they’re just waiting for you to try them. Be sure to read the ingredients list thoroughly, because a lot can get lost in translation. “Natural flavors” can be tricky, because this is vague, and the product may contain hidden animal-derived ingredients. To be safe, it’s always best to contact the company to ask if its products are vegan.
Looking for a more personal approach to your instant ramen noodles? Check out these six delicious vegan ramen hacks.