Trying to figure out if Buldak Ramen is vegan can sometimes be confusing.
Buldak Ramen has many ingredients and some of them may be derived from animals.
To make sure you are only eating food that aligns with your vegan diet and ethics, I’ve looked into the ingredients and production processes of Buldak Ramen.
Here’s what I found.
Is Buldak Ramen Vegan?
No. Buldak Ramen is not vegan.
Buldak Ramen is not vegan because it contains chicken flavors.
Sugar is also listed as an ingredient in Buldak Ramen’s sauce. While sugar itself is not an animal product, it is often processed with bone char, which is made from the bones of cows.
Bone char is used to make sugar white and give it a finer texture.
So, if you are craving instant noodles and are trying to avoid all animal products, Buldak Ramen is not the right choice for you.
Is Buldak Ramen Cruelty Free?
Yes! Buldak Ramen is a cruelty-free product.
The product is neither tested on animals nor does it have ingredients that are tested on animals, such as artificial flavors or colors.
One important thing to note is that Buldak Ramen contains palm oil, which is an ingredient that is often sourced from unsustainable and environmentally destructive palm plantations.
Palm oil is not considered cruelty free by some vegans because of the harmful environmental effects of its production. Not all palm oil is sourced sustainably, so be sure to check the labels of products that contain palm oil to see if it is a sustainable source.
What Are Buldak Ramens Made Of?
Here are the ingredients of Buldak Ramen:
Noodles:
- Wheat flour
- Modified tapioca starch
- Refined palm oil
- Wheat gluten
- Salt
- Emulsifier (soy lecithin [E322])
- Acidity regulators (potassium carbonate [E501])
- Sodium carbonate (E500)
- Sodium phosphate dibasic (E339)
- Citric acid (E330)
- Thickener (guar gum [E412])
- Green tea-flavored oil.
Soup:
- Water
- Artificial chicken flavoring
- Soy sauce
- Sugar
- Chili pepper powder
- Soybean oil
- Onion
- Red pepper powder
- Red pepper seed oil
- Yeast powder
- Garlic
- Modified potato starch
- Decolorized chili extract
- Paprika extract
- Black pepper powder
- Curry powder
Let’s break down these Buldak Ramen ingredients for noodles:
Wheat flour
Wheat flour is a type of flour made by grinding wheat into a fine powder. It is a common ingredient in noodles and it is a vegan ingredient.
Modified tapioca starch
Modified tapioca starch is a type of starch that is made from tapioca. It is commonly used as a thickener or binding agent in food products. It is a vegan ingredient.
Refined palm oil
Refined palm oil is a type of oil made from the fruit of African oil palm trees. It is a common ingredient in many processed foods. It is a vegan ingredient because it is made from plant-based products.
Wheat gluten
Wheat gluten is a type of protein found in wheat. It is often used as a binding agent or thickener in food products. It is a vegan ingredient.
Salt
Salt is a type of mineral commonly used as a flavor enhancer in food products. It is a vegan ingredient.
Emulsifier (soy lecithin [E322])
Soy lecithin is a type of emulsifier that is made from soybeans. It is commonly used to bind or emulsify ingredients together in food products. It is a vegan ingredient.
Acidity regulators (potassium carbonate [E501])
Potassium Carbonate is a type of acidity regulator made from potassium. It is commonly used in food products to adjust the pH level. It is a vegan ingredient.
Sodium carbonate (E500)
Sodium carbonate is a type of acidity regulator made from sodium. It is commonly used in food products to adjust the pH level. It is a vegan ingredient.
Sodium phosphate dibasic (E339)
Sodium phosphate dibasic is a type of acidity regulator made from sodium and phosphate. It is commonly used in food products to adjust the pH level. It is a vegan ingredient.
Citric acid (E330)
Citric acid is a type of acidity regulator made from citrus fruits. It is commonly used in food products to adjust the pH level. It is a vegan ingredient.
Thickener (guar gum [E412])
Guar gum is a type of thickener made from guar beans. It is commonly used to thicken or bind ingredients together in food products. It is a vegan ingredient.
Green tea flavor oil
Green tea flavor oil is a type of oil made from green tea leaves. It is commonly used to flavor food products. It is a vegan ingredient.
Water
Water is a type of liquid that is commonly used as a base for soup. It is a vegan ingredient.
Artificial chicken flavor powder
Artificial chicken flavor powder is a type of powder that is made from chicken. It is commonly used to flavor food products. It is not a vegan ingredient.
Soy sauce
Soy sauce is a type of sauce that is made from soybeans. It is a common ingredient in many Asian dishes. It is a vegan ingredient.
Sugar
Sugar is a type of sweetener that is made from sugar cane or sugar beets. It is vegan, but most refined sugar is processed with animal bone char, making it not vegan. The sugar in Buldak Ramen is likely filtered with bone char.
Chili pepper powder
Chili pepper powder is a type of powder made from chili peppers. It is commonly used to flavor food products. It is a vegan ingredient.
Soybean oil
Soybean oil is a type of oil that is made from soybeans. It is a common ingredient in many processed foods. It is a vegan ingredient.
Onion
Onion is a vegetable that is commonly used as a flavor enhancer in food products. It is a vegan ingredient.
Red pepper powder
Red pepper powder is a type of powder made from red peppers. It is commonly used to flavor food products. It is a vegan ingredient.
Red pepper seed oil
Red pepper seed oil is a type of oil that is made from red pepper seeds. It is commonly used to flavor food products. It is a vegan ingredient.
Yeast powder
Yeast powder is a type of powder made from yeast. It is a common ingredient in many baked goods. It is a vegan ingredient.
Garlic
Garlic is a vegetable that is commonly used as a flavor enhancer in food products. It is a vegan ingredient.
Modified potato starch
Modified potato starch is a type of starch made from potatoes. It is commonly used as a thickener or binding ingredient in food products. It is a vegan ingredient.
Decolorized chili extract
Decolorized chili extract is a type of extract made from chili peppers. It is commonly used to flavor food products. It is a vegan ingredient.
Paprika extract
Paprika extract is a type of extract made from paprika. It is commonly used to flavor food products. It is a vegan ingredient.
Black pepper powder
Black pepper powder is a type of powder made from black pepper. It is commonly used to flavor food products. It is a vegan ingredient.
Curry powder
Curry powder is a type of powder that is made from a blend of spices. It is commonly used to flavor food products. It is a vegan ingredient.
Why Isn’t Buldak Ramen Vegan?
Buldak Ramen is not vegan because it contains artificial chicken flavor powder and sugar that are not vegan.
The artificial chicken flavor powder is not vegan because it is made from actual chickens. The sugar is not vegan because it is likely processed with bone char, an animal by-product.
Are Fire Noodles Vegan?
Fire noodles, or Korean spicy noodles, are a type of Korean noodle dish made with wheat flour noodles and a spicy sauce. These noodles are generally not vegan because they contain chicken-derived flavorings.
Is Samyang Ramen Vegan?
Samyang Spicy Ramen is generally not vegan because it contains chicken-derived flavorings.
These spicy ramens are not vegan.
Is Samyang Hot Chicken Noodles Vegan?
No. Samyang Hot Chicken Noodles are not vegan because they contain artificial chicken flavor powder and sugar, both of which are not vegan.
This ramen is not vegan.
Is Samyang Buldak Cheese Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen Vegan?
No. Samyang Buldak Cheese Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen is not vegan because it contains artificial chicken flavor powder and cheese, both of which are not vegan.
This ramen is not vegan.
Is Samyang Buldak Curry Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen Vegan?
No. Samyang Buldak Curry Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen is not vegan because it contains artificial chicken flavor powder and curry powder, both of which are not vegan.
This ramen is not vegan.
Is Samyang Buldak Carbo Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen Vegan?
No. Samyang Buldak Carbo Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen is not vegan because it contains artificial chicken flavor powder and sugar, both of which are not vegan.
This ramen is not vegan.
Is Samyang Buldak Kimchi Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen Vegan?
No. Samyang Buldak Kimchi Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen is not vegan because it contains artificial chicken flavor powder and kimchi, both of which are not vegan.
This ramen is not vegan.
Is Samyang Buldak Mala Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen Vegan?
No. Samyang Buldak Mala Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen is not vegan because it contains artificial chicken flavor powder.
This ramen is not vegan.
Is Samyang Buldak 2x Spicy Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen Vegan?
No. Samyang Buldak 2x Spicy Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen is not vegan because it contains artificial chicken flavor powder and sugar, both of which are not vegan.
This ramen is not vegan.
Is Samyang Buldak Jjajang Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen Vegan?
No. Samyang Buldak Jjajang Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen is not vegan because it contains artificial chicken flavor powder and dairy products, such as milk and cheese
This ramen is not vegan friendly.
Is Samyang Buldak Corn Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen Vegan?
No. Samyang Buldak Corn Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen is not vegan because it contains artificial chicken flavor powder.
This ramen is not vegan friendly.
Is Samyang Stew Type Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen Vegan?
No. Samyang Stew Type Hot Chicken Flavor Ramen is not vegan because it contains artificial chicken flavor powder.
This ramen is not vegan friendly.
Vegan Alternatives to Buldak Ramen
If you’re craving Buldak Ramen noodles but want a vegan version, there are a few alternatives. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Lotus Foods Millet & Brown Rice Ramen (4 Ramen Cakes)
- Koyo Instant Ramen Asian Vegetable
- Nongshim Ramen Veggie Noodle Soup
- Ilpoom Jjajangmen
- Dr. McDougall’s Chicken Flavor
These instant ramen alternatives are all vegan and do not contain any animal products. Nongshim’s veggie noodle soup in particular is a great vegan alternative to Buldak Ramen.
If you’re in the mood for vegan ramen noodles, I recommend giving one of these a try!
Final Word
Buldak Ramen is not vegan because it contains several non-vegan ingredients, including artificial chicken flavor powder and sugar. However, there are many vegan alternatives to Buldak Ramen that are just as delicious! So if you’re craving some Buldak Ramen but want a vegan version, definitely check out one of the vegan ramen brands listed above.
But as always, be sure to double-check the ingredients before purchasing, as recipes and ingredients can change over time.