Immi Has Redefined Instant Ramen With Their Plant-Based, Low-Carb Recipes

There's a good reason instant ramen is a go-to meal for students of all kinds.

Ramen can be super easy, cheap and packed with a surprising amount of flavor. The downside? It just really isn't all that good for you. That's a compromise a lot of people are willing to make to get their salty instant noodles, but the folks behind Immi have decided to do things a little differently.

They're an instant noodle brand that doesn't settle, with low-carb, plant-based noodles that are way better for you than the competition. The team behind the brand sent me a couple of the flavors to try for myself, and after tasting them, I can say they're on to something really good.

The Brand

Immi was created as a response to traditional, low-nutrition instant ramen that uses cheap, low-quality ingredients. It offers something different with a plant-based, carb-free recipe and offers a whopping 31 grams of protein and just nine net carbs per serving. It's also keto-friendly with natural, non-GMO flavors with no artificial colors or preservatives, and half the sodium of its competitors. Plus, it can be prepared over the stove or in the microwave.

Immi is available in Black Garlic "Chicken," Spicy "Beef" and Tom Yum "Shrimp" flavors. Six-packs are available for $39 while 12-packs can be purchased for $72 (and you get 10% of either if you subscribe).

(via Immi)

 

The Flavors

Spicy 'Beef'

I was given the chance to try two of the three flavors, the Spicy "Beef" and Tom Yum "Shrimp," and I decided to start with the "Beef." Preparation was easy enough, even over the stove. I simply had to get a couple of cups of water boiling, toss in the noodles for seven minutes, and pour the noodles and one cup of the water into a bowl before adding in the powdered flavoring.

The noodles definitely didn't look like traditional ramen noodles, reminding me more of something like soba, and the texture wasn't exactly what I was expecting, either. They were thicker and more substantial, rather than soft and slippery, and eating them with chopsticks from the broth, it took a little while to get used to them, especially because not a lot of the flavor was clinging to the noodles. However, I quickly found my solution—eating them with a Chinese spoon.

The experience was so much better when every bite included both noodles and a spoonful of the delicious broth—hearty, savory and full of spice without really being "spicy"—and I happily slurped them all up. The meal looked rather small at first, but I found myself surprisingly full after eating the noodles and finishing up the rest of the broth. The experience left me eager to try the next flavor.

(via Immi)

 

Tom Yum 'Shrimp'

I adore a Thai tom yum soup, and so I was very much looking forward to giving this second flavor from Immi a try. The process was the same, but this time I upped the boil time a little bit to see if I could soften the noodles a bit. At eight minutes and 30 seconds, I thought they came out even better. Then I added the flavor packet, stirred and took my first tasty sip.

This has to be my favorite of the two flavors because of the delightful combination of flavors. The coconut milk and lemongrass flavors work together beautifully with the spices to create something I didn't think possible from instant soups, and they paired great with the noodles. This time around, it was only a matter of moments before the bowl was demolished. 

(via Immi)

 

Bottom Line

Immi does an amazing job making low-carb ramen with high-quality ingredients and lower sodium without sacrificing flavor. I loved both the varieties I tried, and I'm sure they're even better with tasty additions like boiled eggs, veggies and even meat. However, I can anticipate that some people might not like these thicker noodles with more bite, and if you prefer to eat the noodles separate from the soup, you're definitely not going to enjoy them as much as you would together. And then there's the issue of price. With traditional instant ramen packets selling for a quarter each, and these running for $5.40 each even at the most cost-effective option, there's a big disparity there. Whether that's worth it will be your call.

 

If you're a little bit ramen-obsessed, click HERE for our favorite Instagram captions for all of your ramen posts.