Every Momofuku Noodles Flavor, Ranked Worst To Best

From José Andres's new line of FishSnax, to famed pizzaiolo Anthony Mangieri's Genio Della, it seems like every day, another renowned chef or nationally acclaimed restaurant has entered the prepared food space. Of course, it's not exactly a new trend to slap a celebrity's name onto a ready-to-eat food product, but it has felt — especially in recent years — like the race to grocery shelves has become especially hot. Among the pandemic's lingering impact on restaurants and the economy, once-diners have begun to find it more comfortable (and cost-effective) to cook for ourselves. Brands like David Chang's Momofuku have responded by trying to meet us where we're at: in the kitchen, at home. 

Momofuku's instant noodles first dropped in 2021. Since then, the lineup has burgeoned to include five different flavors. With a focus on sauces, Chang turned to a collaboration with a Taiwanese company called A-Sha to source its 18-hour air-dried, never-fried noodles that make up the base of its packages. It was an interesting choice, given that his restaurant empire is specifically known for its noodle game. And herein lies one of the core questions behind prepared food brands inspired by restaurants and chefs: Are the products supposed to taste like they would at a brick-and-mortar establishment, or should these items be considered on purely their own merit?

I've dined at Momofuku Noodle Bar on several occasions. But until recently, I walked right past the company's instant noodle packs every time I've seen them in the grocery. However, you can't preserve memories forever, so I've been interested to see if the flavor of these instant noodles stands up to what the brand is known for, and which flavor came the closest to restaurant quality. 

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

One thing that isn't lacking across Momofuku's line of instant noodles is spice. Four out of five packages are branded as having some heat. If you're at all familiar with chef David Chang's past controversies — he once attempted to litigate ownership of the word "chili crunch" solely for his own brand — then the dedication to spice most definitely tracks. In a general sense, the level and type of spice varies a bit between each package, but with so much emphasis on spice, the flavors can feel a bit repetitive, as is the case with the spicy chili noodle flavor.

I should first mention that this package is in no way "bad." In fact, with a mix of pungent galangal and star anise blended into the seasoning, it's one of the more aromatic packets of instant noodles you can pick up from the grocery store. When cooked for 3½ minutes, the noodles come out nice and springy. Upon splitting the sauce packet's seal, a rush of deep brown soy poured forth, enough to cover the entire noodle cake. It's salty and rich as described. The ingredient list also boasts sesame oil and barley. Neither of these ingredients is a  lead character, yet for background goons, they do an inordinate amount of heavy lifting when it comes to the noodles' savory mission. 

Soy is the primary flavor profile here, and although it lords over everything else, it's not entirely unbalanced. Chili, chili powder, and Sichuan peppercorns push a prickling heat that comes on strong and lasts long — just like the package promised. Unfortunately, every ranking needs a last place, and with a few other spicy profiles to choose from, this one doesn't crack the top three.

Complexity is one thing that each Momofuku instant noodle package does relatively well. Nowhere is that (intended) depth on display more than in the sweet and spicy noodles, where contrasting flavors are layered in an attempt to deliver something nuanced and unique.

In order to introduce that seesawing taste profile, Chang's brand utilizes what it calls a mild Korean chili paste (while somehow avoiding any inclusion of the word gochujang). The sauce looks thicker than it really is, and after coating the noodles, its viscous nature resulted in a small pool at the bowl's bottom. Stacked with notes of soy sauce and sesame oil, both the savory and fiery flavors do their best to stand out, but sweetness is really what dominates these noodles.

The noodles' cut was slightly wider than, say, the soy and scallion noodles. They felt similar to a homemade kalguksu. Once again, the A-Sha noodles offered a tender, jaunty chew that holds up well when cooked under four minutes. Still, when all is said and done, I found this version of Momofuku's instant noodles to be a little too cloying for my personal preference — at least when served by itself. The sweetness muffled most of the heat, and I hesitate to say that a balance was struck.

I could, however, see this package being a great starting point for other meals. Use it for building a dish that continues on the sweet-spicy-savory trajectory that was the original intention. It wasn't exactly a race to the bottom between the spicy chili and sweet and spicy packs, but this one claims the number four spot purely thanks to its potential for building something more versatile.

Place an order for the variety pack of Momofuku instant noodles, and you'll find yourself with an abundance of the soy and scallion type. There are 10 packs total in the bulk packaging. After tasting the noodles, I'm sure you'll agree that this doesn't feel like much of a problem at all.

When this line of instant noodles was initially released in 2021, soy and scallion was one of three original flavors. Although mellow, it is a certified hitter. I love a thick noodle as much as the next food writer, but this pack has the thinnest cut of all, which fortunately doesn't inhibit the noodles' toothsome noshability. They pick up and hold the soy sauce well, giving you plenty of flavor in each bite.

Mild-mannered noodle slurpers should listen up: If you're considering a purchase of some Momofuku instant, this is the pack for you. Salty, umami-dense soy sauce is the main source of flavor. It shows up like the strong, silent type — impossible to miss, but gentle. This isn't a puckering soy, and you don't run the risk of shriveling your tongue.

The soy and scallion variety offers just enough to satisfy independently, but it also sets up this noodle pack as the first, best component of your next favorite meal. Ground meat, stir-fried veggies, or even piles of alliums and aromatic garnishes would each take this noodle bowl into new territory. You might actually prefer some fresh toppings for this; the dehydrated scallions feel like the kit's biggest drawback. Given that the instructions say to add them last (with the sauce), there is some inconsistency with the rehydration, which can lead to a papery texture. During my taste test, several pieces got stuck in my teeth. You'll want to keep the floss handy.

What the spicy chili left out in its slightly one-note flavor, the spicy soy variety of Momofuku noodles makes up for in a big way. For a package of instant noodles, the flavor feels triumphant. It's easy to remember what made Momofuku Noodle Bar such a hit restaurant in the first place.

What you get from this pack of noodles is a gradual build. The heat is temperate and takes time, but where it ends up is in a sort of Goldilocks zone — not too spicy, but with enough pizzazz and flash to wake up any taste buds that could be asleep at the wheel. As with the scallion and soy, the sauce is, again, moderately thin, but it dances along a fine line, never falling into the trap of being too salty. And that, likely, is a side-effect of the most recognizable flavor: a nutty, grounding, savory sesame oil.

The sesame sort of catches you by surprise, even though it shouldn't, since the sauce is wildly fragrant with the scent of it as soon as the package is cut open. But it dominates the flavor. This is a bit strange, considering the ingredient list includes a white sesame oil specifically, which is known to be lighter and milder. Whatever magic was cast to give it a bigger personality simply works. This is a noodle package that I can see myself returning to again, whether it's on a quick lunch break, or when I find myself with some extra time to make the most out of the sauce sachet. 

The culinary use and consumption of warming spices can be an exercise in walking a tightrope. Too little, and find yourself looking around with the confused shrug of John Travolta's Vincent Vega. Too much warming spice, and you end up with numb lips and a heavy tongue, unable to feel your face as if you were a character in a certain Johnny Depp movie from 2001. The risk is what makes it fun.

Fortunately for anyone pursuing the grocery aisle, that risk reaps an abundant reward when it comes to Momofuku's instant noodles. The tingling wavy noodles are the best of the bunch. The spice is punchy and forward. It lit the many sensory receptors across my piehole into a dazzling, lingering prickle. It derives from a mix of Sichuan peppercorns, as well as an inclusion of feisty aromatics, like galangal, star anise, chili paste, and isolated capsicum. The ingredient list also includes a host of ground and dried veggies, including Chinese cabbage, ground garlic and ginger, ground carrots, onions, and green onions, too. You won't get any textural benefit from them, but I found that they provided a depth that differs from the other sauces.

Admittedly, I'm partial to a thick and squiggly noodle. But beyond their width, these A-Sha noodles have a similar wheaty taste and bouncy texture to the rest of Momofuku's instant noodle lineup. It's nice to have the novelty of something different all the same. Overall, it's the combination of a distinctive sauce and high-quality noodle that makes this pack feel the most Momofuku of all. If you've never been to one of Chang's restaurants, or you're just itching for the experience without being able to make it there, these noodles capture the essence of what's made the brand so successful.

To start this taste test, I cooked each of the noodle packages individually to ensure quality control over the process. Each noodle cooked for roughly 3½ minutes, with a few packages given an extra 30 seconds or so, depending on the package instructions. There is guidance for cooking these in the microwave, but I suggest sticking to the stovetop where and when possible. 

A-Sha's contribution to Momofuku's instant lineup is consistent in quality across each package, so while taste or texture of the noodles was considered in a general sense, the noodles were not necessarily a deciding factor. Similarly, nutritional concerns did not play much of a factor either. Primarily, this ranking came down to the taste and consistency of the sauce. I tried each variety three times, over the course of a few days, taking notes along the way as they related to the balance of flavor, or lack thereof. Relying on my past experience of dining at Momofuku, I asked the question of whether or not the sauces embodied the spirit of the restaurant, rather than trying to make a one-to-one comparison with whether these prepared foods were "restaurant-quality."