Samyang Tangle Garlic Oil Pasta

I picked up the Samyang Tangle Garlic Oil Pasta at an HMart in Los Angeles. It’s not really a ramen. It’s a Korean instant pasta and the macros are surprisingly good. 15g of protein, 7g of fiber, and about half the sodium of a typical instant noodle. That’s not something you see often in this category.

Produced in South Korea.

What’s in the Package

Inside the packaging, you’ll find a round block of air-dried noodles and three numbered sachets. The beige sachet is the Flake (Step 1), the small transparent packet is the Oil (Step 2), and the large orange sachet is the Powder (Step 3).

How to Cook Samyang Tangle Garlic Oil Pasta

1. Bring 600ml (about 20 oz) of water to a boil.
2. Add the noodle block and Flake Step 1 sachet. Boil for 5 minutes and 30 seconds.
3. Remove from heat and drain the water, leaving about 1 to 2 tablespoons of water in the pot to help with mixing.
4. Add the Oil Step 2 and Powder Step 3 sachets to the noodles.
5. Stir thoroughly to coat the pasta in the garlic oil sauce and serve.

How Does It Taste

It looks good right out of the pot. Green and red flecks, large visible chunks of fried garlic, a strong garlic smell that delivers on the promise. The garlic oil flavor is real and it’s the best part of the bowl.

What we weren’t expecting was the powdered milk note. It’s a dairy creamer quality that lingers and dominates the creamy aspect of the sauce. If artificial dairy flavors bother you this will be an issue.

James and I both agreed the garlic was doing its job. The dairy note was the thing neither of us loved. Better than expected overall but with a caveat that’s hard to ignore.

The noodles are thick pasta-style at a 3 out of 5 and they hold the sauce well. One prep note, the package says four minutes but check at 3.5. Our water had almost completely evaporated by then.

How Does It Compare

Within the Samyang Tangle lineup the Garlic Oil and Chunky Tomato are the two varieties we’ve tried. The Tomato has a more straightforward flavor profile. The Garlic Oil has a stronger identity but the powdered dairy note is the trade-off. For a Korean instant noodle that does garlic well without the dairy issue the Samyang Potato Ramen Soup is worth comparing.

How to Level Up Samyang Tangle Garlic Oil Pasta

Lean into the pasta format completely. Italian meatballs and a splash of jarred marinara sauce. The tomato acidity cuts through the creaminess and pushes the bowl toward something close to an instant vodka sauce. A dusting of Parmesan rounds it out. This is the move that actually makes the bowl work.

Final Verdict

The garlic is good and the macros are the best in the instant noodle space at this price. The powdered dairy note is the problem. Add marinara and meatballs and you’ve got an interesting bowl. Skip those additions and it’s a harder sell.

Tasting Notes

• Spice Level: 0/5 
• Broth Viscosity: N/A (Dry/Saucy) 
• Noodle Thickness: 3/5 
• Noodle Type: Thick (Pasta style) 
• Topping Suggestions: Italian Meatballs, Marinara Sauce, Parmesan Cheese

How do I rate my ramen? Check out the Ramen Rating Guide.

Related Instant Ramen

• Samyang Tangle Chunky Tomato Pasta
• Samyang Buldak Carbonara Chicken Stir-Fried Ramen
• Samyang Potato Ramen Soup
• Boiling Point Sesame Peanut Noodle
• Ajinomoto Oyakata Yakisoba Classic Soya Sauce

Where to buy Samyang Tangle Garlic Oil Pasta

• Amazon
• Hmart
• Walmart
• Yami
• Weee!

Here’s another flavor of the Tangle line that we tried: Samyang Tangle Chunky Tomato Pasta