Samyang Carbonara Buldak Spicy Ramen

I’m a huge fan of anything spicy. Takis. Hot Cheetos. You name it, and I’ve probably had it and asked for more. In the past, we’ve taken a closer look at Taquitos sold at Aldi, as well as Trader Joe’s take on Takis. But what I didn’t expect to see from Aldi was spicy ramen. Specifically under the Buldak name.

If you’re on social media, you may have seen this brand a lot. I know I have. Buldak Ramen is a brand of spicy ramen from the company Samyang. Originating in South Korea, it’s become a staple here in America, especially among teens and young adults. While some content creators make it a goal to try every flavor available, others add extra ingredients such as fried egg, mushrooms, cheese, or green onions to their Buldak, making it more flavorful and unique.

You can purchase Buldak almost anywhere. I’ve seen it listed on Amazon, Walmart, and Target, but I’ve also seen it at international grocery stores. And now, for a limited time, Aldi sells one flavor as well.

The Samyang Carbonara Buldak Spicy Ramen is $6.79 for a p22.9-ounce pack of 5, or roughly $1.36 per pack. We bought this with our own funds. This is cheaper than other stores, like Target, which sells a 5-pack for $7.29.

This is an Aldi Find, meaning it’s only in stores for a limited time. Each store gets one shipment and once it’s gone, it’s gone. You can’t order this online from Aldi if it’s not currently in stock at your local store.

A serving is one pack of noodles, and each pack has 550 calories, 20 grams of total fat, 10g of saturated fat, 1,330 milligrams of sodium, 84 grams of carbs, 3 grams of dietary fiber, 5 grams of total sugars, 4 grams of added sugars, and 8 grams of protein.

If allergens are a concern, this product contains wheat, soy, and milk. It’s manufactured in a facility that also processes egg, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, and sesame. It is halal.

This is a product of South Korea.

The only way to cook these is on the stove, and the directions are similar to other ramen brands, like Maruchan. Step one is to boil 2 ½ cups of water, then add the noodles and cook for 5 minutes. It doesn’t say it, but I always stir the noodles as they cook to break them apart. Step two is to drain the water so about ½ a cup remains. Then add the sauce and cheese powder. Step three is to simply stir and serve.

The first thing you need to know is that Buldak isn’t kidding when they say it’s spicy ramen. There are two packets, a sauce and a powder. The sauce packet is what colors the noodles an orangish red, and it adds the heat. As much as I love spicy things, I only added maybe half the sauce the first time I made them. The cheese powder is what gives the noodles their flavor, and it doesn’t add any spice, so I always add that whole packet.

On one occasion, I did add the whole spice pouch out of curiosity, and it was truly a painful experience. I kept a water bottle with me as I ate them, but also, the spice level is so high it overpowers the cheesy flavor from the other packet, so they weren’t nearly as enjoyable.

As I previously mentioned, some content creators will add other toppings to their Buldak. I went pretty basic and just added a handful of shredded cheese, but it really helps improve the texture and spice level, in my opinion.

As for taste, the cheese powder gives the noodles a flavor that reminds me a bit of the cheese spaetzle Aldi has sold during German week. The only other Ramen I’ve eaten is Maruchan, and I like the Buldak better because it’s more of a pasta and less of a soup.

Is this the healthiest meal? No, but I understand the hype over it, and I will probably buy it again in the future. I hope Aldi carries more flavors eventually. It seemed to be a successful Aldi Find, as it all sold out within a week at my location.

The Verdict:

The Samyang Carbonara Buldak Spicy Ramen is $6.79 and an Aldi Find, and it’s a very interesting one at that. I didn’t expect it to show up at Aldi, but it was really fun to try it, and I’d love to explore other flavors and potential toppings. If your Aldi location still has Buldak in stock, it might be worth it to pick up a pack.