Meet The Ramen Menu: From Sweetest to Spiciest
Noodles & Company is known for creating fan favorite dishes that our guests love coming back for over and over again. From the Japanese Pan Noodles to the Creamy Cheddar Mac & Cheese, these bowls are an integral part of the Noodles story. Our menu is built on flavorful variety, expertise and a passion for the world’s most beloved comfort food, and we are always looking for ways to provide our guests with new craveable and innovative dishes that bring something new to the table.
Which is why we are proud to announce the launch of our new Ramen Menu! This category is distinct due to its fusion-like nature as it incorporates flavors from multiple cultures. “We’ve spent more than 30 years exploring what’s possible with noodles, and ramen gives us another incredible canvas for flavor and creativity,” said VP of Culinary Tina Massey. Each of the dishes on this menu are one-of-a-kind as they take the inspiration from Asian classics while employing Western techniques. Below we have ranked every member of our Ramen Noodles Menu from sweetest to spiciest, so that you can find your new favorite and dive into a flavor adventure unlike any other you have had before.
3.) Sweet Sesame Steak Ramen Noodles
The sweetest addition to the Ramen Menu is undoubtedly the Sweet Sesame Steak Ramen Noodles.
“This dish brings together familiar Asian flavors in a distinctly American way, building on sesame’s deep roots across Asian cuisines and its evolution into beloved Chinese American favorites like sesame chicken,” explained Massey. Featuring a sweet, sesame soy sauce, this dish is a crowd-pleaser for both young and old guests alike. It’s playful and mild flavor is approachable and familiar, but still very much Noodles & Company’s original creation.
Like the rest of the ramen on our menu, the Sweet Sesame Steak Ramen has no broth, which means more noodles and saucier bites. Brothless is in. This format allows all the ingredients to shine and highlights the cultural collaboration between Easten and Western cuisine. With no broth, our ramen noodle dishes are easier to eat, perfectly coated with seasonings and sauces as well as a fun twist on the classic dish that you know well. This bowl also includes a delicious, marinated steak, which helps to balance the sweetness. Fresh carrots and red peppers along with a garnish of sesame seeds and cilantro finish off this dish. If you are new to fusion flavors, we highly recommend that this bowl be your first try!
2.) Gochujang Carbonara Ramen Noodles
Coming in second place in terms of spice is the Gochujang Carbonara Ramen Noodles. Korean and Italian fare typically seem to never overlap, but somehow this bowl achieves the impossible and blends both flavor profiles together in a rich and bold combination unlike anything you have tried before. The bowl pairs Korean Gochujang, the popular hot pepper paste, together with the taste of a classic creamy carbonara. Crisp bacon infuses the dish with a smokiness, while grated parmesan and butter imbues the dish with a silky texture and umami. Everything is finished off with some cabbage, Asian spice blend and parsley, which add a textural element as more flavor.
“The result is a balance of sweet, smoky, spicy and savory, contrasting flavors that work because each brings something different while the richness ties them together,” Massey said. Clearly, this is the most daring dish of the bunch and takes much inspiration from the popularity of ‘ramen hacks,’ but in a way that elevates the dish to a new level. Creating a unique flavor experience has always been something that Noodles & Company strives for, and we believe we have achieved this with the Gochujang Carbonara Ramen Noodles.
1.) Spicy Korean Steak Ramen Noodles
Our final member of the ramen menu lineup, for now, is a fiery favorite that kicks up the heat. The Spicy Korean Steak Ramen Noodles is a spice-forward dish, as it features a balanced gochujang BBQ sauce, which is tempered by fresh vegetables including napa and red cabbage along with spinach, cucumber, scallions and cilantro. You may recognize this dish as an already mainstay on our menu, just with a slightly refreshed name. This broth-less beauty fuses together both the heat and the sweet to introduce a flavor combination that is impossible to replicate.
“We bring the curiosity and boldness of globally inspired food to an everyday, approachable format,” Massey explained. “Our dishes aren't trying to replicate a traditional ramen experience—they are inspired by the way food actually evolves when cultures, ingredients and ideas come together.”
The Spicy Korean Steak Ramen Noodles certainly embody this collision of ideologies and recipes. It is not your typical ramen, nor is it trying to be! Make sure to try on your next visit, if you dare.
Previously Released Ramen: Chili Garlic Ramen Noodles
We certainly couldn’t leave out the one ramen bowl that started it all from this list! The Chili Garlic Ramen Noodles were a surprise hit last October and were so popular that we brought them back this Spring. This buttery, spicy, and umami dish is delightfully rich, yet perfectly balanced with chili flakes and crunchy vegetables. The parmesan cheese sprinkled on top may sound like an odd element, but it truly is the finishing touch that brings the bowl together.
While this dish is not on our Ramen Menu, for right now, we always listen to our loyal guests and there is always a possibility that it will be returning! The Ramen Menu is not fixed and is intended to be an endless playground for new combinations of noodles. We are so pleased to be able to present a section of our menu that will change and evolve along with the demands of our guests. If you have any suggestions for a fun Ramen Noodles idea, reach out to us at contactnoodles.smg.com!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Is there broth in any of the dishes on the Ramen Menu at Noodles & Company?
Currently, all the Ramen Noodles items on the Noodles & Company menu do not include any broth. These dishes are not traditional Ramen bowls and are entirely our own creation! However, there could be new Ramen dishes that feature broth in the future. You never know!
Is the new Ramen Menu spicy?
There are both sweet and spicy dishes on the Ramen Menu! You can choose a sweeter dish like the Sweet Sesame Steak Ramen Noodles or a spicier bowl like the Spicy Korean Steak Ramen Noodles. Make sure to check the pepper sign when placing your order to see if your desired dish is a fit for you!
How long will ramen be on the Noodles & Company menu?
Ramen is here to stay! We are stoked to be able to add this noodle to our menu and expand the global flavors that we have always offered. While the dishes offered may change, ramen now has a designated spot on our menu and will not be going anywhere anytime soon.
Are there Catering options available for the new Ramen Menu?
Yes! Any of the new Ramen Noodles dishes are available to order at noodles.com/catering. You can order them as individual pans, one of which serves up to 8 people, or you can choose one of our popular catering packages and make one of the Ramen offerings one of your choices!
Do the new Ramen dishes count towards my Rewards points?
Absolutely. Every order you place as a Noodles Rewards member earns points which you can use to buy any reward you would like. For more information about our Noodles Rewards program, read our blog about how it all works.
