I Tried the Viral Brie Shin Ramyun Hack and I Can’t Stop Thinking About the Spicy-Creamy Flavor Combo

As a proud lover of instant noodles, I’m always looking for ways to jazz up my bowl of noodles. And whenever I need more inspiration, TikTok is there to introduce me to new, creative, easy ramen hacks that instantly make me say, “I want that!” I’ve seen (and tried!) many noodle hacks, like creamy, brothless noodles that mix the spicy seasonings with kewpie mayo and extra-savory fried rice that starts with instant noodles. 

Recently, on another casual night of mindlessly scrolling TikTok, I came across this ramyun hack video that immediately stopped me. It used two of my favorite ingredients: Shin Ramyun and Brie cheese. I’ve paired dairy, like cheese and heavy cream, with the iconic spicy Korean instant noodles many times in the past. But Brie cheese? I had to give it a try. 

Once I saw the ramen hack, I started searching for other variations that used Brie cheese, and landed on three methods that I wanted to try. The first method was adding cut-up Brie cheese to your Shin Ramyun. The next replaced water with milk and topped the noodles with Brie cheese. And the last used dangerously spicy buldak ramyun instead of Shin Ramyun, topping the noodles with Brie cheese.

All of those variations are slightly different, but they all feature Brie cheese as one of the main ingredients. Here’s how to do it.

Make your Shin Ramyun (or Buldak Noodles) according to the package directions. To cook the noodles, you can use water or milk. Then, slice up your Brie cheese, adding as much (or little!) as your heart desires. None of those videos I watched explicitly call out the amount of Brie cheese, but is there really such a thing as a proper amount of cheese? I added about 1/3 of the wedge of Brie cheese. Compared to other popular ramen hacks, this one came together super fast with minimal additional ingredients. Some ramen hacks feel like you’re creating an entirely different dish, but this ramen hack stays true to what instant noodles should be: Quick and easy. 

I didn’t need an excuse to inhale three packs of instant noodles, but I volunteered to try all three different versions to see which one tasted the best. And let me give you my unofficial ranking of the three.

My least favorite version out of the three was Shin Ramyun with milk and Brie cheese. Because the broth was made with milk, I couldn’t taste the mouthwatering, spicy flavors of Shin Ramyun as much. The spice was subtly present at the end, but I barely noticed it. The addition of Brie cheese made this almost mac and cheese-like in consistency. Brie cheese’s tang also was lost in the milky broth. This method is worth trying if you can’t handle spice and are craving something super creamy. But it’s not for me.

The second on the ranking was spicy Buldak noodles with Brie cheese. Even though Buldak noodles are brothless, its painfully spicy red sauce was deliciously tamed by Brie cheese. You could still taste Buldak sauce’s distinct flavors, but there was a pleasant tang from the Brie cheese at the end. My only note is that not all the Brie was fully melted, so if you were to try this method, I would suggest heating the noodles again after tossing them with the sauce to ensure the Brie cheese melts completely, coating every strand of noodles. Overall, I highly recommend adding Brie cheese if you are looking for a different cheese pairing for your Buldak noodles besides cheddar or mozzarella. Even though I was sweating, I really enjoyed slurping rich, buttery, and spicy noodles. 

And the winner of my mini Brie cheese experiment was the most straightforward method: Adding cut-up Brie cheese to Shin Ramyun. This pairing worked the best for many reasons. First, because Shin Ramyun had broth, the Brie cheese melted beautifully, creating this rich-and-spicy broth that I immediately fell in love with at first sip. Second, the unique flavors of Brie cheese came through without overpowering the Shin Ramyun. The noodle soup’s heat and tang was balanced by the creamy layer of depth that the Brie added. It was velvety and luxurious without being too heavy. And it was one of the best varieties of Shin Ramyun I’ve ever tried!

• Cut up the Brie cheese into small cubes. If you add a whole circular Brie cheese to your ramyun without cutting it, it will be hard to mix it up. The smaller you cut the cheese, the easier and faster the cheese will be absorbed into the noodles. I recommend cutting it into small cubed pieces or thin, long vertical slices.

• Have fun with garnishes and protein. I always finish my ramyun with sprinkles of scallions, which brighten the dish. But explore other garnishes like fried shallots, bean sprouts, or canned corn. You can also add some leftovers or proteins like chicken or pork belly to make the ramyun a little more hearty.