Instant noodles have become an insanely popular item to buy from grocery stores and convenience stores. They can be made within minutes and contain enough nutrients to keep the average adult satiated for a while. There are many brands of instant noodles, but which one is the best? We’re here to look at Top vs Maruchan Ramen: which is better?
Table of Contents
- Which Instant Ramen is Better?
- Are all Instant Noodles the Same?
- FAQs on Top Ramen Vs Maruchan Ramen
Which Instant Ramen is Better?
Top Ramen and Maruchan are both well-known brands of instant noodles, also known as cup noodles.
It can be difficult to compare them as they are both quite different. There are some instant noodles that are thicker with broth, whereas other instant noodles choose to have thick sauces covering the noodles.
The different brands all generally have the same instructions. You are required to add boiling water to the pots. Some brands will have slight deviations in this such as adding dehydrated vegetables, meat, and seasoning packets.
The Noodles
When judging instant noodles, there are two criteria that you must rate separately.
These are the noodles and the soup, both are incredibly important for the dish to be considered good.
Noodles are judged by their ability to absorb the flavor of the soup without becoming soggy. However, if noodles do not absorb enough water, they will be undercooked and will not be enjoyable to eat.
Top Ramen noodles are highly rated for being very good at absorbing flavors and liquids and ending up with a generally good texture after being prepared. The noodles end up being cooked enough that they are soft and chewy while also being flavored, yet they are not so saturated that they are soggy and unenjoyable to eat.
Maruchan, on the other hand, tends to stay quite hard and uncooked even after waiting the required time after adding boiling water. This can cause the noodles to be unsatisfying to eat which is a bad thing when it comes to instant noodles. The noodles in Maruchan are a good size and are made well but just do not absorb enough water for them to properly be flavored or cooked.
We’d say the winner is Top Ramen in this category.
The Soup
The other most important criterion to mention when comparing instant noodles is the soup. This can be either a soup, broth, or sauce depending on what company you are buying from.
Maruchan and Top Ramen are both made with the idea of having soup made once the water is added.
The soup in Top Ramen is said to be very bitter and not enjoyable. The main ingredients used should be soy sauce and chicken broth which lead to a great flavor that Top Ramen just does not have.
Maruchan is rated much higher when comparing the soup. It tastes amazing and can be really enjoyable to just drink after eating the noodles. Maruchan is also known for the soup packets dissolving perfectly into the water and not having any chunks or clumps remaining.
Having clumps of powder in your soup can be terrible when you are eating as it can stick to a noodle and you can end up eating a chunk of pure flavoring, no matter what flavor the soup is, this will be unappealing and will most likely be too salty or bitter for you to enjoy. Once dissolved, the flavor will mellow and this will go away.
Maruchan wins in this category.
Top Ramen Vs Maruchan Chicken
Check out the comparison video below:
Overall
Overall, I would argue that Maruchan is better. This is because the flavor is a lot more important to me than the texture of the noodles would be. While they may be slightly undercooked and chewy, at least they will taste nice. After eating them all, you will not remember and dwell on how the texture was but a bad flavor would linger in your mind for a while after eating.
If you are concerned about which is better in terms of health, Top Ramen has no added MSG. Meanwhile, Maruchan is very much full of MSG and has quite a bit of sodium in it.
While the Top Ramen vs Maruchan taste test has the results of saying Maruchan is better, this does not mean it is a fact. Both are good companies and maybe you will end up enjoying one over the other naturally after trying them yourself.
Are all Instant Noodles the Same?
Not all instant noodles are the same. They can all come with different flavors, ingredients, textures, and noodles. While they all work on a simple basis of adding boiling water to a cup, some companies can be very innovative. You can even make ramen in the microwave, but just be mindful of the packaging. It should be microwave-safe.
If you are wanting to reheat ramen, you will notice that both of these brands will suffer a significant loss in quality. When they are no longer fresh, they will have a much worse texture.
FAQs on Top Ramen Vs Maruchan Ramen
Is Top Ramen or Maruchan better?
To properly answer this for yourself, you will have to try both. However, the general consensus is that Maruchan tastes better while Top Ramen has better noodles that end up with a more enjoyable texture.
