How to Make Buldak Ramen

It’s easy to learn how to make Buldak ramen at home. It’s simple and doesn’t take many steps, and the end result is delicious, spicy, and worth the effort.

Here are the steps you’ll need to take to prepare this Korean dish:

  1. Buy Samyang Buldak instant ramen of your choice
  2. Boil the water and cook the noodles
  3. Drain the noodles and add sauce
  4. Don’t use the whole packet if you want to make the sauce less spicy
  5. Add other ingredients, like cheese and vegetables

What You’ll Need

  • Samyang Buldak ramen
  • Two cups of water
  • Medium-sized pot
  • Scissors (to open the packets)
  • Cheese and vegetables (optional)

Step 1 – Buy Samyang Buldak Instant Ramen of Your Choice

If you’ve heard of Samyang Korean ramen before, you know they have various types of packages for sale. Buldak is the special edition of noodles that are spicier than regular packets – some are so hot they have a Scoville heat unit (SHU) of 13,000!

Firstly, you’ll want to figure out when to eat ramen that is very spicy and then which packet to buy. I’d recommend the Jjajang flavor, the least hot version with a rating of “only” 1,900 SHU and a delicious Korean black bean paste flavor.

If you want to try yourself out at a fire noodle challenge, get the original flavor or the Buldak 2x spicy original flavor pack. There’s also a 3x spicy original flavor ramen, but this one could potentially burn your tongue and insides for some time.

A picture of the Buldak original flavor ramen

Step 2 – Boil the Water and Cook the Noodles

Now that you’ve chosen your perfect Samyang noodle pack, you have to open it and cook it at home. Get a medium-sized pot and pour two cups of water in it, or just enough to sink your noodles in.

When the water starts to boil, add the noodle brick without breaking it in half or more pieces (although you can do this if you prefer shorter noodles). Cook them for about 2 minutes or until you get the desired consistency.

Personally, I dislike very soft instant noodles, as they’re too soggy and chewy for my taste. I like them nearly al dente, as Italians would say. It’s also essential to wait for the water to boil before cooking them.

Water boiling in a closed pot

Step 3 – Drain the Noodles and Add Sauce

When the noodle base is cooked, you can either prepare the seasoning or use only the spices from the package. Korean ramens typically come with a packet of hot sauce and a pack of dried seaweed and sesame seeds.

Before adding any seasoning, drain the noodles since these aren’t made with broth, only sauce. If a little bit of water is left after draining, that’s OK, too. That might make ramen less spicy.

Samyang also sells Korean hot sauce separately; you can find it on their website and create your own seasoning without overdoing it with heat. Ideally, you can combine it with soy and oyster sauces for a more flavorful punch.

Drained instant noodles in a bowl

Step 4 – Don’t Use the Whole Packet if You Want to Make the Sauce Less Spicy

You can easily make noodles spicy, especially Korean ones, as they’re meant to be hot. The heat levels may become unpleasant at some point, and you won’t be able to finish the meal.

To avoid that issue, you can simply use less of the spice and stir well. Another way you can prepare this dish less hot is by adding some milk, cheese, or other toppings to the mix.

Having more than just the noodle pack will offset the heat from the spices and make the meal more nutritious. If you only eat them with hot sauce, they won’t be nutritious or provide enough fullness for a long time.

Someone off-screen grabbing noodles with chopsticks

Step 5 – Add Other Ingredients, Like Cheese and Vegetables

Adding more ingredients to your food won’t just be less hot but more edible and nutritious, too. Food like meat, vegetables, cheese, and eggs will give the whole meal a more exciting side, and you won’t get hungry quickly; you might even enjoy the spiciness levels like this.

The optimal amount of extra ingredients is one cup, but that’s really up to you. If you use carrots, for example, you can slice them into strips (also known as julienne,) and if you use chicken meat, fry it in cubes or use shredded.

The Best Ingredients to Add to Instant Noodles

Instant dishes are typically cooked with cabbage, bok choy (Chinese cabbage,) chicken breast or beef sirloin, sweet corn, and carrots. For garnish, it’s best to use chopped spring onions, sesame seeds, bonito flakes, or dried seaweed if you find it.

You can also cook an egg by poaching, scrambling, or boiling it and slicing it in half as part of the garnish. For best results and taste, you should ideally prepare a soft-boiled egg with a runny yolk, giving the food a more creamy texture and reducing the spice’s heat.

Instant noodles with meat, vegetables, and egg

Final Thoughts

You can also cook ramen in the microwave and get the same results as boiling it in a pot. However, it’s best to use a pot because the packet will be cooked evenly, and the spices will dissolve much better.

However you decide to prepare this food, ensure you follow these steps for the best results and the most delicious, restaurant-grade meal at home.