In what year was instant ramen invented?

Instant ramen was invented in 1958 by Momofuku Ando, who launched Chikin Ramen in Japan on August 25 of that year.

Ando developed the product after experimenting with ways to make noodles quick to prepare, inexpensive, and shelf-stable. His breakthrough was flash-frying cooked noodles, which removed moisture and created a product that could be rehydrated with hot water. The noodles were seasoned before packaging, so preparation required no separate cooking process.

Chikin Ramen was produced by Nissin, the company Ando founded. It was initially considered relatively expensive compared with fresh noodles, but its convenience helped it spread rapidly. The invention also laid the groundwork for later cup-style products, including Cup Noodles, introduced in 1971.

A common mix-up is treating instant ramen and ramen as the same invention. Ramen itself is a Japanese noodle soup with Chinese culinary roots, while instant ramen is the packaged, precooked form created by Ando. Instant noodles later expanded into many regional styles and brands worldwide.