5 Popular Frozen Ramen Selections From Japanese Convenience Stores Like FamilyMart, Lawson, and 7-11

1. Soy Sauce Ramen with Toppings (7-Eleven)

This is ramen with a full-flavored soy sauce base. Of all the items in this lineup, this is the lightest in flavor. The soup is a full-bodied, aromatic masterpiece made with the umami flavor of seafood stock from scallop and dried sardines, added to a meat stock made from chicken and pork bones. The noodles, which are frozen together with the toppings, take five minutes to heat up in the microwave, bag and all (for a 500W microwave; can also be heated with boiling water in a pot). When it’s done, put the frozen soup base into a bowl and add hot water. At this stage, the aroma of the soup boosts the sense of anticipation. Throw in the warmed-up noodles and it’s done!
The thin, elastic noodles entangled in the rich, moderately salty soup and the seafood aroma that follows after are irresistible. As well as the char siu pork slices, the spinach soaked in the soup are a welcome addition.
Price: 213 JPY (incl. tax)

2. Miso Ramen with Toppings (7-Eleven)

This is a rich miso ramen with a refreshing aftertaste, made with a blend of four kinds of miso. The rich, full-bodied miso soup seasoned with garlic plays the leading role. In addition to the ground pork and menma (processed bamboo shoots, a classic ramen topping), it contains fragrant sautéed onions and the irresistible crisp texture of bean sprouts. The slippery noodles are delicate, yet have a firm, chewy texture, and compared with the FamilyMart miso ramen that will be mentioned later in this article, this miso ramen has a somewhat sweet and pleasant aftertaste.
One tip to keep in mind: microwave the frozen noodles (5 minutes and 30 seconds/500W; can also be made in a pot). Make the soup in the bowl so that it\'s ready at the same time as the noodles. The trick for a delicious bowl of this ramen is to properly dissolve the miso before adding the noodles to the soup.
Price: 213 JPY (incl. tax)

3. Dry Dandan Noodles (Lawson)

This selection is dan dan noodles without soup, and with Sichuan peppercorns and chili pepper. This is the simplest to prepare. All you have to do is put the whole bag on a plate and microwave (7 minutes/500W). Really mix the piping hot noodles well with your chopsticks and dig in!
Coil the noodles around the meat sauce, take in the appetite-stimulating aroma, and take your first mouthful. Rather than calling it hot, the viscous richness of the sesame paste and sweetness of the meat sauce fill your mouth, and you’ll feel a tingling spiciness in the aftertaste. Even if you add all of the Sichuan peppercorn and chili pepper, it won’t be burning hot. The numbing spiciness of the Sichuan pepper gives it a fairly authentic flavor. Adding rice to the bowl after you eat up all the noodles and eating it with the remaining meat sauce is also delicious!
Price: 248 JPY (incl. tax)

4. Dipping Noodles with Roast Pork (Lawson)

"Tsukemen" is eaten by dipping the noodles in a rich pork bone and seafood soup. Have one bite, and you\'ll be surprised by the noodles\' high quality, as if they were made at a restaurant. The extremely thick chewy noodles, which hold their own against the rich dipping soup, have the perfect flavor and go down easy. After you have microwaved all the ingredients, add the toppings only to the dipping soup and rinse the noodles, properly shaking off the water. (Rinsing the noodles in water improves their texture; it’s best if you have a strainer.)
It’s relatively light on roast pork for an item called "Dipping Noodles with Roast Pork", but the umami flavor is spot on. One tip to enjoy a more authentic dish is to add a soft-boiled egg (sold separately for 73 JPY (incl. tax)). For 300 grams of noodles, this is the most filling dish, as well as the best value for money.
Price: 248 JPY (incl. tax)

5. Rich Miso Ramen with Toppings (FamilyMart)

This miso ramen is richer and smoother than the 7-Eleven miso ramen mentioned earlier. It contains bean sprouts, corn (unlike the 7-Eleven version), and char siu pork instead of ground pork. By the way, miso ramen with corn is one of the characteristics of Sapporo ramen from Hokkaido.
The soup, which is seasoned with ginger, garlic, and a blend of two types of miso, is intense in flavor. The soup is entangled in the springy noodles that are slightly softer than the 7-Eleven ones, and the fragrance of miso spreads in your mouth. The popping sensation and sweetness of the corn is good, too. I recommend FamilyMart for those who prefer a richer miso ramen. For this one, too, microwave the noodles with the toppings (6 minutes and 30 seconds/500 W), pour boiling water into a bowl with the soup base, and it’s done! You can also make it in a pot.
Price: 213 JPY (incl. tax)

Get Great Value on Your Purchases in Japan with d POINT!

d POINT is a free point service operated by Japan’s largest telecommunications company, NTT DOCOMO, INC. This is a system in which you can earn points just by showing your d POINT CARD when making purchases at d POINT Member Stores such as leading convenience store chains, McDonald\'s, cafes and supermarkets.

FamilyMart, which was mentioned in this article, is a d POINT Member Store. You can use 1 earned point as 1 yen, so if this sounds like an interesting offer to you, register membership at the link below.

Cup ramen is tasty, too, but the quality of frozen ramen deserves to be admired! The products showcased in this article were all purchased at a 100-yen shop. They\'re highly recommended, as they\'re reasonably priced and microwave-safe.