Top Ramen vs Maruchan — What’s the Difference?
Instant ramen noodles are a favorite for so many people. You can make them in just a few minutes and all the ingredients you need come in one small bag! Plus, they are affordable and come in a wide range of different flavors.
When you ask which instant ramen brand people prefer, you are likely to get quite a few different answers. However, two brands might pop up most: Top Ramen and Maruchan.
But is one brand better? And what are the differences between Top Ramen and Maruchan? There can be no definitive winner between Top Ramen and Maruchan, as everyone will have their personal favorite, but we can compare their quality of ingredients, the flavor options for each, and the taste of both.
So, if you are looking to find out more about Top Ramen and Maruchan, keep reading for more information on each so you can figure out which one would be best for you!
Without further ado, let’s check this Top Ramen vs Maruchan battle!
Top Ramen Noodles
Top Ramen is one of the most popular instant noodle brands around, especially in America.
It is known to be a favorite among college students — not only is it affordable, but the noodles and the various flavors are delicious too!
One of the best features of Top Ramen noodles is that the noodles don’t become sticky, so they are smooth and easy to eat both hot and cold.
They are also really easy to cook and can be made in just a few minutes!
Another stand out of Top Ramen noodles is that the noodles will be in a more watery broth mixture compared to other noodles that might have a creamier broth — this helps to prevent the noodles from sticking together.
Top Ramen noodles are a great choice as they come with rich seasonings, regular wheat noodles, and additional garnishes, so you do feel as though you are eating a complete meal just from one bag of instant noodles.
To make Top Ramen noodles, you simply have to pour hot water over the noodles, stir, and leave them to sit for up to three minutes — that’s it!
Maruchan Noodles
Maruchan is a popular brand in Mexico and the United States, and this is due to the noodles being so tasty and easy to make!
Maruchan noodles have the advantage of having a wide range of flavors available — many of these are vegetarian, suiting different diets and allowing more people to enjoy the wonders of instant ramen!
These noodles are made from regular white wheat, and the noodles hold their texture when prepared properly. The broth of cooked Maruchan noodles is a creamy broth, which many people prefer.
The flavor of Maruchan noodles is slightly on the milder side compared to some other, richer brands, but this does not mean that they are less flavorful!
Maruchan noodles still hold good flavor and are sometimes even better for those who don’t want too much seasoning.
Top Ramen vs Maruchan — The Breakdown
Now that we’ve learned about the Top Ramen and Maruchan brands, let’s learn all about their noodles!
Taste
One of the most important factors with instant ramen noodles is the taste, so this is obviously something you would want to know before trying them out!
Top Ramen is known for the rich flavor of all of its noodles.
The broth created when Top Ramen noodles are cooked is more of a broth-like liquid, but it is packed with flavor from a source of different flavorings. There are fresh vegetable flavors incorporated in the broth too!
Maruchan noodles also hold great flavor, but the flavor is considered to be milder than Top Ramen noodles.
The flavors can be picked up in the ramen noodles, but the individual vegetable and seasoning notes are not as obvious or easy to pick up on.
The broth made with Maruchan noodles is creamier than Top Ramen, although it can be a little bit oily too.
However, the flavor you prefer is up to your personal taste. You might want a rich, broth-like ramen noodle, or you could prefer a creamier, mild-flavored ramen noodle.
Preparation
When you purchase instant ramen noodles, you are doing so because they are easy to make, quick to prepare, and make a great meal on the go!
Top Ramen is great for a quick meal. To prepare Top Ramen noodles, you simply have to boil two cups of water, add the noodles to the water, and cook for three minutes, adding in the flavor packet near the end. Stir and enjoy!
Maruchan noodles are just as simple to cook too. You boil two cups of water, add the noodles and cook for up to three minutes, then add the seasoning packet near the end. And again — stir and enjoy!
Both come out tied when it comes to preparation, as they are basically the same process that takes just about the same amount of time.
Flavors Available
Both Top Ramen and Maruchan have wide ranges of flavors, which is great for those who like to have a variety of ramen options!
Here are the different flavors of Top Ramen and Maruchan noodles to give you a better idea of the options available.
Top Ramen Flavors
Top Ramen’s two most popular flavors are chicken flavor and beef flavor — these are both rich and taste great. They also have a variety of other tasty flavors!
Beef Flavor
The beef flavor is a darker broth with a dark salt seasoning, with a very savory flavor. Many people say that it tastes just like a beef broth, but the actual beef flavor is mild, while the dark salt flavor is more prominent.
Chicken Flavor
The chicken flavor is possibly the most popular Top Ramen flavor, and likely the most popular instant ramen flavor all around!
The chicken flavor is more of a chicken starch flavor — it is rich and very savory. There are also notes of vegetables in the seasoning, which adds to the overall flavor of the noodles.
Other Flavors
Maruchan Noodle Flavors
Maruchan noodles are known to have a broader range of flavors compared to Top Ramen, and the flavors are a little more intricate.
Creamy Chicken
The creamy chicken flavor from Maruchan is a huge hit. As the name suggests, it is a creamy sauce with ramen noodles and is actually similar to a creamy pasta bake. It is a milder chicken flavor, but it works really well with the creamy sauce.
Roast Beef
The roast beef flavor is delicious and has a smoky beefy flavor that can be flavored more with a little bit of soy sauce to make it richer.
It is also a great flavor to build on with additional ingredients if you want to bulk out the noodles more, as the beef flavor is mild enough to not be overpowering, but the flavor is definitely still there.
Chili
Maruchan chili noodles have a spicy kick to them, but it is not as hot as some other chili brands. This is perfect for those who want a bit of heat to their instant ramen noodles, but don’t want to burn their taste buds with too much heat.
Shrimp
Shrimp is another popular instant ramen flavor, and the great thing about the Maruchan shrimp noodles is that they do not have too much of a fishy flavor, but rather mild seafood tastes with some umami flavor to them.
This makes a great base to add some real shrimp to the noodles for the perfect quick lunch or dinner.
Other Flavors
Quality of Ingredients
When it comes to the quality of the noodles used in both Top Ramen and Maruchan, there is not much difference.
Both are made with wheat noodles and include seasoning packets which are added to the noodles for flavor. Neither contains any vegetables — it’s just the noodles and seasoning, which could contain some herbs.
The noodles and the seasoning between the two are very similar in quality, with the only difference being that the seasoning for Top Ramen is richer, whereas the seasoning for Maruchan is milder.
The noodles are quite similar too. Top Ramen noodles have a good bounce to them and they are neither chewy nor mushy and are somewhere in-between. Maruchan noodles are bouncy and do not stick, but they are on the chewier side.
The broths made with either are both good quality broths — however, Top Ramen is a more watery broth, while Maruchan broth is more creamy and slightly oily.
Product Range
While Top Ramen and Maruchan are known for their instant packet ramen noodles, they both have another popular item in their range. Here is more on each.
Top Ramen Cup Noodles
The Top Ramen Cup Noodles are more of a complete meal than a packet of instant noodles, and the biggest benefit is that you can make the noodles in the cup provided.
While the same ramen noodles are included in this meal pack, there are some dried veggies as well, which are rehydrated when boiling water is added.
The noodles and the vegetables also absorb most of the water, so there is not as much broth left behind.
To make these noodles, you need to boil some water and add it to the cup which holds the noodles, vegetables, and seasonings. Leave it for three minutes and it’s ready to eat from the cup!
Maruchan Instant Lunch
Maruchan also has a cup of instant noodles, which again is a fuller meal option than the Maruchan instant ramen packets.
The Instant Lunch contains a cup with noodles, seasoning, and dry vegetables. The vegetables rehydrate when the boiling water is added, so you can enjoy more than just the noodles. The noodles are quite thin, but they hold the flavor well.
Just like with the Top Ramen Cup Noodles, you simply need to boil water and add it to the cup and stir the vegetables, noodles, and seasoning together. Leave it to sit for three minutes and then you can eat it straight out of the cup.
The Maruchan Instant Lunch noodles do turn out a little drier compared to the Top Ramen option, and the flavor is not as pronounced. However, there are more vegetables included in the pot, so you get more than just noodles and seasoning.
Is It Okay to Eat Ramen Daily?
As much as you might love the taste of instant ramen noodles, and as cheap as they are and as easy as they are to make, you should avoid eating them every day.
They do make for a perfect quick meal, but they should not form part of your daily diet.
Ramen noodles are known to be quite high in sodium, and an increased sodium intake can lead to several health issues.
You also will not be consuming the right amount of other foods in your diet if you rely on ramen noodles. You still need a balanced intake of protein, whether from meat or other protein sources, fruit, vegetables, and so on.
Is Nissin the Same as Top Ramen?
You might have heard the name Nissin when it comes to instant ramen noodles, but Nissin is the same thing as Top Ramen!
Nissin is a Japanese company that was formed in 1948, and they sold their ramen noodles under this name until renaming the noodles to Top Ramen soon after.
So, Nissin and Top Ramen are the same brands of noodles, and there is no difference between them!
Top Ramen vs Maruchan: Which Noodle Brand Is Better?
Both Top Ramen and Maruchan offer great quality and great-tasting instant ramen noodles that are quick and easy to make.
However, you will likely prefer one over the other depending on your personal taste, so nobody else can decide which is the better noodle brand.
When it comes to taste and richness of flavor, Top Ramen noodles have a stronger flavor and richer taste, whereas Maruchan noodles tend to have a milder flavor, although the flavors are still quite defined.
The noodles between the two are the same, both being bouncy and both holding onto the sauce and broth quite well.
The other difference between the two is that Top Ramen has more of a watery broth, whereas Maruchan has a creamier, oilier broth, and once again, this will depend on your personal preference.
Top Ramen has a wide range of flavors available, but Maruchan has slightly more flavors, plus a few vegetarian-specific flavors that cater to a wider range of diets.
Both also have instant noodle options in a cup, which contain more dried vegetables, and offer you a way to make a ramen meal without having to use other bowls or dirty any other dishes, which is always a bonus!
There are benefits to both brands of instant ramen noodles, so you might have to try both to choose which one is best for you!
Related Questions
Now that we’ve learned all about instant ramen noodles, as well as the similarities and differences between Top Ramen and Maruchan, here are some additional questions we thought you might have.
Is Maruchan Discontinued?
There have been some rumors that Maruchan noodles have been discontinued, and if you have battled to find some in stores, then you might believe this to be true.
However, Maruchan noodles have not been discontinued! They are just short on stock at the moment due to a spike in demand, so they are more difficult to come by.
Are All Maruchan Noodles Vegetarian?
Not all Maruchan noodles are vegetarian — some of the meat flavors, such as roast chicken, pork, roast beef, and creamy chicken, include meat-derived ingredients. This could be cooked chicken, beef extract, and dehydrated pork.
Top Ramen has always tasted gross to me and my sibling. Like if that was bought instead of Maruchan, it wouldn’t get eaten. I haven’t had Top Ramen in over 10 years, though, so maybe they’ve cleaned up their act by now. I’m still Maruchan all the way, though!
I feel you on that. I prefer a creamier ramen. It seems to hold the flavors of whatever I add to it better. Top Ramen is okay if that’s all I can get, but Maruchan is premo in my kitchen. I’m old enough to remember when they first became big here. The brand I remember because I was introduced to it first was Oodles of Noodles. Not sure if that was Top Ramen or not, but it’s what made me fall in love with Ramen. I must have been about 12 or 13 at the time.
Excellent and thorough article. I originally wanted to know which manufacturer had first sold ramen noodles in the US. I learned a lot more than that. Your warning about high sodium in flavor packets is not to be taken lightly. My physician was very concerned about my high blood pressure at a very young age, and realized it had everything to do with the flavoring packets I was consuming on a daily basis. Loved that stuff!