One of the spiciest ramens in the world is Buldak, so if you love peppery food, you’ll definitely love this. It’s so hot that it’s even banned in some countries, which likely answers the question – is Buldak ramen spicy? If you want to add some heat to your life, read about these noodles here.
Buldak ramen is a very spicy kind of instant noodle meal made by the South Korean food company Samyang. Its Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) ranges from 1,900 to 10,000, which is in the medium heat range on the scale, and the level depends on the type of packet. For someone who rarely eats hot foods, this is enough heat for a lifetime.
Is Buldak Ramen Spicy?
Buldak ramen is a very spicy dish that originated and is very popular in South Korea. Besides the noodles, its main ingredient is gochujang, a Korean chili paste made from soybean paste, red chile pepper flakes, and other ingredients.
Other ingredients in this fiery Korean noodle pack include soy sauce, garlic, and sesame oil; it’s often served with a side of kimchi to offset the heat – although kimchi is marinated in gochujang, too.
Ramen has noodles, and so does Buldak – it’s made the same way as any noodle pack. You can cook it in the microwave, boil water in a pot and put the noodles in, or pour boiling water over them while in a bowl.
People worldwide do the fire noodle challenge, which they often document on YouTube or other social media platforms. You can find many funny and painful attempts of people trying to finish an entire packet without taking a sip of milk or water.
Where Is Buldak Ramen on the Scoville Scale (SHU)?
Since these noodles come in various packages, you can choose which number on the scale you’d like to spice up your life with. Here’s a quick chart overview of Buldak’s flavors and their SHU ratings.
| Ramen Flavor | Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) | Tastes Like |
| Jjajang hot chicken | 1,920 SHU | Poblano pepper + jjajangmyeon |
| Tomato paste | 2,100 SHU | Poblano |
| Carbonara hot chicken | 2,400 SHU | Jalapeno pepper |
| Cheese hot chicken | 2,700 SHU | Jalapeno |
| Curry hot chicken | 3,000 SHU | Jalapeno + curry |
| Mala hot chicken | 4,400 SHU | Jalapeno |
| Original flavor | 4,400 SHU | Jalapeno |
| 2x spicy original flavor | 10,000 SHU | Serrano, Chipotle pepper |
| 3x spicy original flavor | 13,000 SHU | Serrano, Chipotle pepper |
What Are Buldak Noodles?
They are famous instant noodles hailing from South Korea. Their creator was the company Samyang, and they officially came to be around 2012. Since then, this fiery noodle pack has taken over the world and challenged many of its consumers to a (un)healthy competition of who could eat more.
While there’s no rule on when to eat ramen, it’s essential to stop eating this one if it becomes too much for you; you can start with the Jjajang flavor, which was created as an homage to the South Korean popular dish called jjajangmyeon.
This dish, in itself, is very sweet and based on black bean paste. Adding spice to it seems like a lot, but it actually makes for a great addition to the original flavor. There are around ten different types of Samyang’s fiery noodles currently available.
Can You Make Hot Chicken Noodles Less Spicy?
You can make noodle packs less spicy by adding various extra ingredients. If it gets too much for you, the following foods and ingredients might help relieve the tension and heat of the dish:
- Milk – you can add it to the sauce while it cooks or after,
- Cheese – works similarly to milk, but makes for a thicker and juicier meal,
- Water – dilutes the sauce and reduces the heat, but can make it less tasty,
- Put in less spice – by using only half of the spice packet, you might reduce the heat of the dish,
- Vegetables and other additions – you can add some cabbage, carrots, corn, boiled eggs, rice, and chicken to reduce the spiciness and give your meal a little more nutrition.
Samyang Foods Is a Company That Makes Popular Flavors
If you’re not a fan of spice, don’t worry. Whether you like your dish mild or fiery hot, there’s a flavor for you, primarily because Samyang, the company which created this packet, has many other flavors and options to choose from.
Samyang makes some of the best ramens on Amazon and wider, so if you’re looking for an ideal flavor pack for your preferences, you can search for the name on Amazon, Google, or Samyang’s official website.
Check your local supermarket or Asian food store for a better variety of flavors. They make cup noodle versions, which contain more water and are similar to the classic Japanese ramen dish, cheese, corn, ramen snacks, and sauces.
You Can Buy Hot Buldak Sauce With the Same Scorching Flavor
If you want to make the seasoning yourself and still get a taste of real Korean spiciness, you can buy Samyang’s original hot sauce. This has the same SHU rating as the hot chicken packet, but you can use it moderately and make the meal less heat-packed overall.
For other seasoning options, try the Korean mayonnaise and carbonara sauce from Samyang. And, if you really want to challenge yourself with the spiciness levels, ensure you get the Extreme Buldak sauce.
Do You Dare to Try This Fiery Item? Buldak’s Heat Is Only for the Brave
While there are far spicier and worse things to eat than this hot chicken dish, it’s still quite the feat to get over the first bite. You can pretend it doesn’t hurt your mouth, but that’s nearly impossible.
If you dare to eat this, ensure you have some milk, rice, or water by your side to manage the heat. And if you finish the whole thing, well, you’re my hero, and I admire you for what you’ve done.