Gluten Free Meister Ramen 101: Your Guide to Slurptastic Gluten-Free Ramen — Finally!

For those of us who’ve been gluten-free for years, the struggle to find a truly satisfying instant gluten-free ramen has been real, to say the least. We had all but given up, deciding that no ramen was better than mediocre ramen. No longer! Gluten Free Meister’s gluten-free ramen is such a game-changer, we can honestly say it’s the best gluten-free ramen on the market — by oodles of noodles … and then some.

What makes the difference, what flavors do these unicorn noodles come in, where can you find them, and how can you score a great discount on the best gluten-free ramen noodles? Read on to learn everything you need to know!

Noodles From Japan, With Gluten-Free Love

Of course the most critical difference between “Yikes.” and “Yay!” gluten-free ramen is in the noodles, and it’s not surprising that it took a veteran Japanese noodle brand to crack the code. 

No, Gluten Free Meister is not a household name in Japan — yet. This newish brand is the brainchild of Kobayashi Noodle, a Japanese noodle family business since 1947. While they’d been mastering ramen noodles for decades, development of gluten-free ramen noodles began around 2004. It was at that time that the then-president (the current president’s father) embarked on a journey to help a friend who suddenly developed a wheat allergy. No one was thinking about gluten-free noodles in Japan at that time, so he forged his own way, turning to a Japanese staple — rice — to help create safe, high quality noodles for his friend to enjoy.

There were many trials and errors that led to today’s Gluten Free Meister gluten-free ramen noodles. But thank goodness they stuck it out, because these beauties rival the flavor texture of traditional wheat-based options, are void of the top eight allergens (you won’t find any dairy, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, or soy in these noodles), and are made from non-GMO Japanese rice, plus potato starch, water, kelp-derived alginic acid ester, vitamin B2 for color, and modified starch.

Gluten-Free Ramen Flavors

With their recipe for gluten-free ramen noodles perfected, they turned to rich and glossy broth flavorings, creating three, one of which is vegetarian and two are vegan: 

• Tonkotsu: Rich and creamy with nearly white, cloudy broth, this pork bone broth flavor is epic — and vegetarian. 
  
• Miso: A robust and savory soybean paste flavor that’s just as good — and vegan. 
  
• Shoyu: The classic soy sauce flavor — gluten-free, of course —  showcasing a clear brown broth that’s a staple in Japan. It’s also vegan. 

Like regular instant ramen, you just boil the noodles, rip open a liquid flavoring packet, dump it into the ramen cooking water, stir, and devour. The bit of noodle starch that thickens the water it boils in only makes for richer, more luxe flavors: think layered, elegant, and umami-delicious ramen like the ones you might find at popular ramen restaurants. No worries if you prefer thinner broth: just boil and strain the noodles, pour 1 -1/4 to 1 -1/2 cups hot water and the soup base into a soup bowl, add the strained noodles, and enjoy!

Bonus: soup bases don’t have any weird, undecipherable ingredients. Take the tonkotsu flavor for example. Its broth is made from water, creaming powder, fermented rice seasoning, salt, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, gluten-free soy sauce, flavoring oil, vegetable oil, sugar, yeast extract, brewed vinegar, napa cabbage extract powder, garlic, ginger, caramel color, guar gum, seasoning, modified starch. As a side, this is the only one that contains some dairy; the others are vegan. 

Oh and hey: they also sell the multipacks of ramen noodles by themselves, so you can use great gluten-free noodles for any of your soups from here on out. No breakage, no sog, just pure gluten-free noodle excellence. 

Read our review of Gluten Free Meister Ramen here.

Gluten Free Meister Regular Ramen vs. Snack Ramen

The “snack” versions are a little different. Not smaller, or “snack size” renditions of their ramen flavors, these too are full-size ramen experiences. The only difference is their flavor packets are powder rather than liquid — a variation made to accommodate some gluten-free consumers’ desires for the simpler instant ramen flavors of yesteryear. 

What sets Gluten Free Meister apart for both the regular and snack versions is their commitment to quality. The noodles have perfectly chewy texture that rivals traditional wheat-based ramen and the broth packets are fantastic, too.  

Elevate Your Gluten-Free Ramen Game

While Gluten Free Meister ramen is delicious on its own (that’s how we eat it, usually when we don’t have time to cook and want a satisfying soup meal), it’s easy to take your instant ramen to fancy-ramen restaurant heights at home. 

Here are some tips to create your own ramen masterpiece:

• Add a jammy soft-boiled egg, halved for maximum yolk ooze
• Toss in some crisp bok choy for veggie crunch
• Add sliced carrots to the simmering water for a pop of color, texture, and sweetness
• Sprinkle with green onions, sesame seeds, and nori for authentic flair
• For protein lovers, try adding some char siu pork or tofu
• Add a dollop of chili oil for heat, a pat of butter for richness, or even a slice of cheese for a unique, gooey twist
• Try this recipe and use Gluten Free Meister’s gluten-free ramen noodles

Where to Buy Gluten Free Meister Ramen — and Score a Discount!

While you can’t dash out to the store and find this ramen on shelves yet, you can order it at their brand new online shop.

Bonus: Use the following coupon code for a discount!

• For 15% off your first order, use code GFF15 (plus free shipping for over $75)

You can also find all of Gluten Free Meister’s products on Amazon. 

Can you tell we’re excited about this ramen? We wrote this article in partnership with Gluten Free Meister and are proud to call them a sponsor. We only recommend products we love, and Gluten Free Meister is up there with the best of ‘em because they make the best gluten-free ramen, hands down! Slurp for yourself and see.

NOTE: We only recommend products that we truly LOVE, use, and are confident to recommend. Thanks to affiliate partnership opportunities, we sometimes earn a small commission if you make a purchase through a product link on our site at no cost to you. But this has no influence on what we recommend. When we do score a few shekels, know that your purchase helps support our work to bring you trustworthy, unbiased information on an amazing gluten-free food and lifestyle.