A Guide to Samyang Buldak Ramen: Find Your Perfect Spicy Level

If you like your food with a spicy kick, Samyang should be on your radar! Renowned for its fiery sauces, dumplings, and, most notably, instant noodles, the South Korean brand has gained somewhat of a cult following in recent years, marking it as a go-to for lovers of ramen and all things hot and spicy.

For the ultimate spicy instant noodles, you don’t have to look much further than Samyang’s buldak range, the ultra-popular ramen selection based on the hot chicken dish. Want to see what all the fuss is about, but not sure where to start? Here’s everything you need to know about Samyang buldak noodles.

Samyang Budalk Ramen Flavours

First things first, what are your flavour options? Samyang noodles go beyond simply being spicy; there are loads of variations and twists on the buldak concept, providing something for the super–spice connoisseur as well as fans of slightly mellower vibes. The most widespread and beloved Samyang budak flavours include:

• Original Buldak: The classic spicy hot chicken that’s taken the world by storm. Black packet.
• 2x Spicy: Classic buldak ramen with double the spice – ideal for those who can handle the heat! Red packet.
• Kimchi: Blended with the sweet and spicy flavours of the quintessential fermented Korean food, kimchi. Red and green packet.
• Carbonara: A less intense spice experience with a focus on cheesy, creamy flavours and a rich carbonara sauce. Pink packet.
• Creamy Carbonara: Milder still than the regular carbonara version, thanks to the creamier sauce. Light pink and yellow packet.
• Cheese: The usual buldak flavour with a cheesy twist. Yellow packet.
• Quattro Cheese: An even cheesier flavour than the previous one, combining Cheddar, Mozzarella, Gouda and Camembert. Orange and yellow packet.
• Habanero Lime: Classic buldak spice combined with the citrusy, zesty kick of lime. Purple packet.
• Stew: Complex soup/stew flavours with hints of garlic and a delicious depth of flavour. Red and black packet.
• Jjajang: Combines classic buldak with the popular jjajang black bean sauce for a rich, sweet, savoury and spicy flavour. Green packet.

Other flavours that have since been discontinued or are harder to find include Light, Curry, Corn, Rosé, Mala, Ice, Topokki and Meat Spaghetti.

What is Buldak?

All of these tasty flavours are twists on the classic buldak flavour, but what exactly is buldak? Buldak, or fire chicken, is a South Korean fried BBQ chicken dish cooked in a very spicy, sticky sauce usually made with gochujang, gochugaru, ginger, garlic and soy sauce. This dish is often served with rice cakes and cheese. These vibrant flavours are used as inspiration for Buldak ramen noodles.

How Spicy is Buldak Ramen?

The official Samyang Buldak website categorises the noodles as Medium Spicy, Hot Spicy, Very Spicy and Extreme Spicy, providing some idea of how much your tongue is going to burn afterwards!

• 🌶️🌶️ Medium Spicy: Carbonara, Creamy Carbonara and Jjajang
• 🌶️🌶️🌶️ Hot Spicy: Cheese and Quattro Cheese
• 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ Very Spicy: Original, Habanero Lime, Kimchi, Stew
• 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ Extreme Spicy: 2x Spicy

Most & Least Spicy Buldak Noodles

The Scoville rating for the hottest 2x Spicy noodles is generally accepted as being around 10,000 SHU, while the original buldak flavour is around 4,404 SHU. The milder Jjajang and Carbonara flavours are around 2,000 SHU or slightly lower.

This being said, individual experiences can vary quite a bit, with some people finding a particular flavour far spicier than others and vice versa. This is why you’ll often see people getting creative with ways to make their noodles less spicy.

How to Make Samyang Buldak Ramen Less Spicy

Even if you can’t handle the heat to the extreme, you can still enjoy Samyang buldak noodles by making these alterations.

Use Less Seasoning: The noodle packets and cups come with a separate sachet of seasoning/sauce. If you don’t want to experience the noodles at their most spicy, but still like a bit of a flavourful kick, use only half or even a quarter of the seasoning sachet – this will limit the spice level considerably.

Add Cheese: Dairy products like cheese can help cut through the intensity of the spice and make the noodles slightly milder. Adding sour cream is another option.

Make With Coconut Milk: Some varieties can work well with the addition of coconut milk, which can help dilute and mellow the spiciness. Habanero Lime works well with this idea.

Add Egg: Adding boiled or fried eggs to top off your ramen can also tone down the impact of the spice.

Add Spinach/Greens: Bulking out the noodles with spinach, nappa cabbage, or other greens and vegetables can also help reduce the impact of the spice.

Is Buldak Ramen Vegan or Vegetarian?

No, most Samyang buldak noodles are not specifically labelled as suitable for vegans/vegetarians because they contain chicken extract or chicken flavouring. Though listed as artificial chicken flavour, this can be derived from chicken components, so the noodles do not have a vegan/vegetarian certification.

Is Buldak Ramen Halal?

Yes, most Samyang buldak noodles are certified halal, but make sure to check specific products to ensure they display the halal label to be certain.

Where to Buy Buldak Ramen

With its surging popularity in the UK, many mainstream supermarkets now stock a few of the classic buldak noodle flavours. If you’re after a wider variety, online Asian supermarkets like Oriental Mart will stock a bigger selection.

Ready to put your spice tolerance to the test? Check out our fantastic range of Korean instant noodles, including the famous buldak range as well as some more tasty treats from Samyang and other popular Korean brands like Nongshim and Ottogi.

If you’re after more popular Asian products, head over to our special deals and offers, which are always being updated with exciting food and drink you won’t want to miss!