Product Review: Gluten Free Meister Kobayashi Noodle Ramen

Instant ramen was my regular slurpy low-effort pleasure when I was growing up, before I became GF 24 years ago. By the time the noodle craze came around, I had longed for a delicious gluten-free ramen for years. I’d tried the few offerings on the market, but they were deeply disappointing, so I gave up. More than two decades into my abstinence, Gluten Free Meister Kobayashi Noodle Ramen puts slurptastic eating back on the menu!

Full flavored, totally yummy, Gluten Free Meister hails from the third-generation Kobayashi Noodle brand. The family business from Gifu, Japan, focuses on producing superior allergen-free noodles — and boy, do they succeed. This is the first instant GF ramen that inspires me to enjoy the wholehearted drink-out-of-the-bowl and chopstick eating of my youth…only better.

Available in three flavors — Miso, Shoyu, and Tonkotsu — these gluten-free instant noodles are characterized by perfectly chewy-textured noodles made from non-GMO Japanese rice bathing in a glossy, rich broth. Add toppings or enjoy as is. These flavors will bring you back to memories of classic instant ramen — only better; the soup flavors have more depth and umami than the salty one-note packages of my youth. If you missed ramen, too, the wait is over.  — Erika Lenkert

WHERE TO BUY: Amazon

INGREDIENTS:

Miso Flavor:
Noodles: Non-GMO white rice flour, potato starch, modified starch, alginic acid ester, vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) Soup: CSoybean paste, GF soy sauce, sweet rice wine, garlic, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, sugar, flavoring oil, vegetable oil, salt, sesame seeds, yeast extract, onion, chili pepper, ginger, alcohol, caramel color. 

Shoyu Flavor:
Noodles: Non-GMO white rice flour, potato starch, modified starch, alginic acid ester, vitamin B2. Soup: water, sweet rice wine, salt, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, gluten-free soy sauce, sugar, flavoring oil, vegetable oil.

Tonkotsu Flavor:
Noodles: Non-GMO white rice flour, potato starch, modified starch. Soup: Water, creaming powder, sweet rice wine, 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, modified starch. 

CONTAINS STATEMENT: Soy, corn, yeast, (plus dairy in the tonkotsu flavor)

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE: No, but made in a gluten-free factory. 

OTHER HELPFUL INFORMATION: Low in calories; quick-cooking (4-5 minutes); no added MSG; single-serve packaging for convenience.

REVIEW DATE: October 2024 

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