A very exciting cup of instant noodles from Samyang, which are vegetarian-friendly and chock full of healthy, refreshing vegetables. Samyang’s Mashitneun Ramyeon (literally: delicious ramen) is actually a delicious cup of noodles with 60 different types of ingredients that have somehow been incorporated into its creation. It’s the V8 or greens powder of the instant ramen universe.
I really like the fact that Samyang has included some vegetarian-friendly noodles in their lineup. This tells me they are paying close attention to the lifestyles of their customers. Will we see a Keto cup of ramen in the future from Samyang? Or, maybe a Paleo ramen? I’m not quite sure our most ancient ancestors ate ramen or not, but if they didn’t, they were surely missing out!
Flavor:
This cup of noodles truly has a well-balanced, healthy flavor. It tastes fresh with its slightly sweet vegetable notes that are enhanced by this cup’s lack of oiliness. It has a clean aftertaste, meaning that nothing coats my tongue or the inside of my mouth. The sweetness of the vegetables is rebalanced by a bit of red chili pepper that lifted the flavors a bit. Like the label suggests, there are tons of vegetables used in the making of this ramen (60 different foods). What’s great is that I can actually see a significant number of these vegetables floating in the broth. I could even see some little baby pieces of broccoli just asking to be eaten!
Spiciness:
This isn’t a “melt your face off” kind of instant noodles, but it does pack some heat, which surprised me. By all means, this cup of noodles is still extremely mild, but that red chili pepper was definitely hiding in the picture on the label. Red chili pepper and black pepper seem to make up most of the spiciness that bubbles up from the flavor of the soup. The heat doesn’t build, but it will make your nose run a bit.
Smell:
Sweet corn is the aroma that dominates in these noodles. I can barely smell any of the sweetness from the other vegetables. The spiciness is extremely well-cloaked too. I can’t even detect a faint hint of anything peppery or spicy. It really makes for a surprise.
Noodles:
I don’t think these are your typical ramen noodles, but I could be wrong… There is a bit of an eggy flavor that comes out in the noodles when you eat them separately from the soup. If they’re in the soup, chances are, you won’t be able to tell a difference. Other than that, they are also a bit saltier than normal.
Overall:
Without a doubt in my mind, the best thing about these noodles is that they at least taste healthy. Not healthy in a flavorless or bland way, but rich and dynamic. You really can almost taste the 60 different ingredients used to make Samyang’s Mashitneun Ramyeon. They are a bit spicy, which makes them even more refreshing. This cup of noodles is vegetarian-friendly, which doesn’t apply to myself, but I like to see from companies that support alternative diets and lifestyles within their product lines. Ultimately, these noodles are a mild and delicious tasting bowl of complexity that might actually be the “Swiss army knife” you need in your kitchen to spice up your meals after a long day.
Are you a vegan or a vegetarian? If so, have you found any other instant noodles that you can incorporate into your diet and lifestyle? What have been the biggest limitations with your diet? Let me know down in the comments!
If you’re interested in hearing more about instant ramen, check out my on-going series, Noodle Story: An Exploration of Korean Instant Noodles, here on Medium.
Note: This article may contain affiliate links that support the author’s ramen purchases for these how-to guides and reviews.
