I Tried Squiggly Noodles From Trader Joe's & Momofuku and One Was Clearly Superior

At the beginning of 2023, Trader Joe's made headlines with the launch of its Squiggly Knife Cut Style Noodles. Across social media, shoppers buzzed about the product, with many dressing up the noodles with different sauces, toppings, and proteins. Scalpers even resold the popular item, which costs $4.99, for about $20 a package, according to the San Luis Obispo Tribune.

Within the discourse about Trader Joe's popular new noodles, people have pointed out the item's similarity to the Momofuku-brand noodles from celebrity chef David Chang, operator of the popular Momofuku restaurants in New York, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas. This shouldn't come as a surprise, however. Both products are made in Taiwan and feature rippled noodles that have been air-dried for 18 hours. Also, both styles of noodles are made with just three ingredients: wheat flour, water, and salt. Momofuku notes on its website that its air-drying process results in "25% fewer calories than most instant noodles, double the usual amount of protein, and zero milligrams of cholesterol."

Some social media users have speculated that both Trader Joe's and Momofuku use the same manufacturer for their noodles. However, Trader Joe's supplier is unknown, while the Momofuku noodles are created in partnership with dried noodle manufacturer, A-Sha.

Since I'm a major noodle fan, I set out to see how the two brands compared. And because Trader Joe's also recently introduced a spicy version of its ruffly noodles, I decided to test both the standard and spicy varieties against Momofuku's similar offerings. Here's how the products fared when put head to head.

Trader Joe's Squiggly Knife Cut Noodles

Out of the four noodle options, Trader Joe's Squiggly Knife Cut Noodles was the only one I've eaten in the past. To prepare, I placed the block of dried noodles into a pot of boiling water and let it cook for four minutes before draining, as per the directions. Then, I poured the entire sesame and soy sauce packet onto the noodles. Each package includes four packs of noodles and costs just $4.99.

The look: As their name implies, these noodles were squiggly shaped and featured raised, wavy edges along the sides. Initially, it seemed like there wasn't a lot of sauce in the packet. But, with some hearty mixing, I was able to fully cover every strand with the brown concoction, which dotted the noodles with seasoning.

The taste: Savory, but a little bland. While I could detect notes of soy and sesame, the sauce needed some additional flavorings to make it stand out, which is a common critique I've read about the noodles. Full disclosure: I typically spice up this product with Trader Joe's Crunchy Chili Onion, and I will continue to do that going forward to increase the flavor. Texture-wise, the noodles were chewy with a slight bite. Would I eat these again? Yes. Would it be my first choice of wavy-cut noodles? Not quite.

 9 Delicious & Easy Trader Joe's Recipes You Need To Make Right Now

Momofuku Soy & Scallion Noodles

Since Momofuku's Soy & Scallion Noodles come with a sauce made with soy sauce and sesame oil, I thought this flavor would be the best to compare to the Trader Joe's option. This variety also comes with a packet of dried scallions. To prepare, I placed the air-dried noodles into a pot of boiling water for three minutes, as directed—one less minute than the Trader Joe's cook time. A five-count package cost me $11.99—more than double the price of the TJ's option.

The look: These noodles were thinner than the Trader Joe's version, with the wavy shape being noticeably less pronounced. While the dark brown sauce evenly coated the noodles, they were lighter in color than the Trader Joe's option, and they didn't have a single speck from seasoning. Additionally, the dried scallion garnish offered a bit of brightness, compelling me to try this product.

The taste: Upon first bite, I found the Momofuku noodles to be somewhat similar in taste to the Trader Joe's offering. However, within a few seconds, the soy flavor grew stronger and a slight tanginess emerged, with the sauce having a more prominent flavor than the Trader Joe's option. Meanwhile, the dried scallions provided a pleasant, yet muted sharpness when combined with the sauce-dressed noodles. While I typically prefer a thicker noodle to a thinner one, I found that these captured the sauce well and had a doughy, less chewy texture that enticed me to keep eating.

Momofuku: 1. Trader Joe's: 0.

 I Tried Every Trader Joe's Mini Sheet Cake & the Best Was Rich and Moist

Trader Joe's Spicy Squiggly Knife Cut Style Noodles

Trader Joe's gives its popular squiggly noodles a fresh kick with a spicy garlic sesame sauce made with red and cayenne chili powder. I cooked the TJ's spicy noodles the same way I did with the regular version by boiling them for four minutes. I then poured on the sauce, as well as the included packet of sesame paste. Like the non-spicy version, a four-count package of these noodles cost me $4.99.

The look: Virtually identical to the regular version, though the non-spicy option had more pronounced lines down the middle. Similarly, the dark brown sauce covered the crinkly noodles without saturating them. The sesame paste separated in its packet, with the oil pouring out first and chunks of the paste struggling to squeeze out, leading me to wonder whether I added enough of this ingredient.

The taste: Far more flavorful than the non-spicy noodles. Even without squeezing the entire packet of sesame paste, I was still able to detect sweet notes, with this ingredient's flavor being the most notable and maybe just a bit too strong. It almost tasted peanut buttery to me. While the sauce added a kick that continued to linger, it wasn't an overpowering amount of heat.

 14 Reasons Trader Joe's Is Better Than Other Grocery Stores

Momofuku Spicy Soy Noodles

Momofuku offers a few spicy noodle options, including Spicy Chili and Tingly Chili, but I opted for the Spicy Soy. These noodles come with a sauce made with soy sauce, chili, and sesame oil. Like the other Momofuku option, this five-count package cost me $11.99.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

The look: Appearance-wise, there was nothing that set these noodles apart from the non-spicy variety. They were the exact same shape and color.

The taste: The noodles were spicier and more savory than Trader Joe's, with my tongue tingling for a longer period of time after taking a bite. Unlike the TJ's version, there was no sweetness to be found, but this wasn't a bad thing. The noodles, again, had a doughy texture that paired well with the spicy sauce.

While I preferred these to Trader Joe's spicy offering, I found the milder Momofuku's Soy & Scallion Noodles to reign supreme. The flavor profile was the most balanced of the four and the texture was the most tender. This product kept me going in for seconds, thirds, and fourths.

Sorry, Trader Joe's, but Momofuku is the air-dried noodle to beat!