Buldak Taco Ramen
Buldak Taco Ramen
Samyang's Tex-Mex detour — cumin, oregano and paprika stirred through the Buldak base, with dried tomato and onion flakes that cook in with the noodles. Built deliberately milder than the rest of the range so the taco seasoning has room to come through. Five and a half minutes, soupless. Imported from Korea.
- Boil the water
Bring 600ml of water to a rolling boil in a saucepan. Open the packet and set out the three sachets: the liquid sauce, the seasoning powder, and the dried flakes, which go in earlier than you might expect.
- Noodles and flakes
Add the noodle block and the dried flakes to the boiling water together and cook for five and a half minutes. The onion and tomato pieces need that time in the water to soften before the sauce goes anywhere near them.
- Drain it all
Drain all of the water off this time. Unlike most of the Buldak range, this one does not ask you to keep any back, and the sauce is built to coat dry noodles rather than loosen into a pool at the bottom.
- Sauce and serve
Add the liquid sauce and the seasoning powder to the drained noodles and stir until every strand is evenly coated. Serve straight away while it is hot, with your favourite toppings.
Background
Every packet has a story behind it. Here's where this one comes from, what makes it tick, and why it made the cut for the box.
Samyang Foods was founded in 1961 as South Korea's first instant noodle company. They changed the game in 2012 with their Buldak Hot Chicken Ramen, which went viral worldwide and built a cult following among spice lovers. Their factory in Wonju produces over a million packs daily.
Korean ramyun culture is distinct from Japanese ramen. The noodles are typically chewier, the broths spicier, and the flavours bolder. Korean ramyun is usually cooked in a pot rather than a cup, and sharing a pot of ramyun is a social ritual.
A taco seasoning sauce rather than a straight chilli one. Cumin, oregano, paprika and tomato sit over the usual Buldak base, with a habanero note at the back. The dried onion and tomato flakes cook in with the noodles and swell into the sauce.
Springy, chewy noodles designed for a soupless format. Without broth to carry the flavour, these noodles need to hold the sauce on their surface, and their texture is built to do exactly that. Every strand grips the seasoning so you taste the full flavour in each bite.
Korean and Mexican food have been crossing over for years. Taco trucks in Los Angeles started serving bulgogi in tortillas in the late 2000s and the idea travelled back the other way. Samyang built this one for Buldak fans who wanted flavour over heat.
One of the gentler Buldaks, and better for it. The cumin and oregano actually get a chance to register instead of being steamrolled by chilli. If the original Buldak is a dare, this one is just a genuinely good plate of noodles.
Topping Suggestions
A few toppings that take this bowl from good to great. Most are already in your kitchen, and every one is optional.
Corn
Sweet corn kernels offer a burst of natural sweetness, providing a refreshing and crisp counterbalance to the noodles' savory notes.
Cheese
Cheese melts into a creamy, rich, and savory sauce, adding a decadent and indulgent dimension to the noodles.
Fried Egg
A fried egg brings crispy, golden edges and a runny yolk that melts into the broth for a rich, savoury finish.