There are twelve flavours of Pot Noodles to choose from, as well as three flavours Pot Noodle Fusions, five flavours of the potless ‘Lost The Pot Noodle’ and four flavours in the ‘Asian Street Style’ sister brand.
But are Pot Noodles suitable for vegetarians and vegans? Read on to find out which you can eat and which you should avoid.
Are Pot Noodles vegetarian?
All standard Pot Noodles are suitable for vegetarians, including flavours like Chicken & Mushroom, Beef & Tomato and BBQ Pulled Pork. The ‘meat’ in Pot Noodles is actually soya pieces.
However, ‘Lost the Pot’ Noodles and some ‘Asian Street Style’ Pot Noodles are NOT suitable for vegetarians as they contain meat.
If you’re a vegetarian, you’ll be fine with any of the regular Pot Noodles and Pot Noodle Fusions as these do not contain any meat. However, the new packets of ‘Lost the Pot Noodles’ which come wrapped in plastic rather than in a pot all contain ‘flavourings’ which are not suitable for vegetarians.
When it comes to Pot Noodle’s sister brand, Asian Street Style, most of these are suitable for vegetarians. However, the Vietnamese Beef Pho flavour does contain beef powder so vegetarians should avoid this one.
King Pot Noodles have the same ingredients as regular Pot Noodles, they’re just larger.
Are Pot Noodles vegan?
Eight out of the 12 flavours of Pot Noodle are vegan-friendly as they do not contain any animal-derived ingredients. The remaining four flavours contain milk. Some Pot Noodles are not marked as vegan as they are made in a factory that also produces non-vegan products and there is a potential for cross-contamination.
Pot Noodles are not certified as vegan and carry an allergy warning that says ‘May Contain: Celery, Eggs, Milk, Mustard.‘
Most vegans accept that not all processed foods are made in a 100% vegan environment and accept the small risk of cross-contamination. It’s up to each individual to decide whether they are comfortable with this.
Suggested read: Is food that ‘may contain milk’ vegan?
The company behind Pot Noodle is working to avoid cross-contamination and is aiming to add the vegan flash onto more Pot Noodle flavours.
Pot Noodles contain palm oil, which is sometimes labelled as palm fat. Some vegans choose to avoid palm oil that has been produced in an unsustainable way because it causes deforestation and the loss of animal habitats.
The Pot Noodle brand is owned by Unilever, a company that sourced 99.6% of its palm oil sustainably in 2019 [source]. Unilever is a member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and is working to drive change within the palm oil industry.
Therefore, the use of palm oil should not be a reason for vegans to avoid Pot Noodles.
Which Pot Noodles are vegan?
The vegan-by-ingredient Pot Noodles are:
- BBQ Pulled Pork
- Beef & Tomato
- Bombay Bad Boy
- Chinese Chow Mein
- Jerk Chicken
- Piri Piri Chicken
- Sticky Rib
- Sweet & Sour
- Asian Street Style Japanese Miso Noodle Soup
The vegan-labelled Pot Noodles are:
- Piri Piri Chicken
- Asian Street Style Japanese Miso Noodle Soup
Which Pot Noodles are vegan and which are vegetarian?
The following table lists all Pot Noodle flavours and whether they are suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
Type | Flavour | Vegan? | Vegetarian? |
---|---|---|---|
Pot Noodle | BBQ Pulled Pork | YES | YES |
Pot Noodle | Beef & Tomato | YES | YES |
Pot Noodle | Bombay Bad Boy | YES | YES |
Pot Noodle | Chicken & Mushroom | No | YES |
Pot Noodle | Chicken Korma | No | YES |
Pot Noodle | Chinese Chow Mein | YES | YES |
Pot Noodle | Jerk Chicken | YES | YES |
Pot Noodle | Original Curry | No | YES |
Pot Noodle | Piri Piri Chicken | YES | YES |
Pot Noodle | Sticky Rib | YES | YES |
Pot Noodle | Sweet & Sour | YES | YES |
Pot Noodle | Thai Green Curry | No | YES |
Pot Noodle Fusions | Chilli Chicken | YES | YES |
Pot Noodle Fusions | Katsu Curry | YES | YES |
Pot Noodle Fusions | Thai Green Curry | YES | YES |
Lost The Pot Noodle | Cheese & Tomato | No | No |
Lost The Pot Noodle | Curry | No | No |
Lost The Pot Noodle | Roast Chicken | No | No |
Lost The Pot Noodle | Sweet Chilli | No | No |
Lost The Pot Noodle | Vegetable | No | No |
Asian Street Style | Japanese Miso Noodle Soup | YES | YES |
Asian Street Style | Malaysian Laksa | No | YES |
Asian Street Style | Thai Red Curry | No | YES |
Asian Street Style | Vietnamese Beef Pho | No | No |
FAQs
Here are the detailed answers to some frequently-searched queries about Pot Noodles, vegans and exactly what’s in them…
What are Pot Noodles made of?
The main ingredient in Pot Noodle noodles is wheat flour. The other ingredients vary depending on the flavour.
You won’t find ingredients on the Pot Noodle website, but you can find them on supermarket websites such as Ocado.
Are Lost The Pot Noodles vegetarian?
Unlike regular Pot Noodles, the potless Lost The Pot Noodles are not suitable for vegetarians or vegans. Whether you choose the Cheese & Tomato, Roast Chicken, Sweet Chilli, Curry or vegetable flavour, they all contain either meat flavourings or traces of crustaceans.
Are Beef and Tomato Pot Noodles vegan?
Beef & Tomato Pot Noodles are generally considered to be vegan-friendly as they do not contain any animal-derived ingredients. However, they are made in a factory with non-vegan ingredients so very strict vegans may wish to avoid them.
Are Curry Pot Noodles vegan?
Curry Pot Noodles are not suitable for vegans. This includes Original Curry Pot Noodle, Thai Green Curry Pot Noodle, Curry Flavour Lost the Pot Noodle and Asian Street Style Thai Red Curry.
Are Chicken and Mushroom Pot Noodles vegan?
Chicken and Mushroom Pot Noodles are not suitable for vegans as they contain milk. However, they are suitable for vegetarians as those pieces of ‘chicken’ are actually made from soya.
Conclusion
Pot Noodle snacks can be a bit confusing for vegans and vegetarians. So here are some tips to help you to know what to look out for.
Vegetarians – All Pot Noodles and Pot Noodle Fusions are vegetarian. All Lost the Pot Noodles are NOT vegetarian. With the Asian Street Style noodles, you’ll need to look for the words ‘suitable for vegetarians’ on the pot.
Vegans – Check the Pot Noodle ingredients for milk which will be in bold or capitals as it is an allergen. If there’s no milk, it’s vegan. Avoid all Lost the Pot Noodles. With Asian Street Style noodles, you’ll need to look for the words ‘suitable for vegans’ on the pot.
If you’d rather avoid processed food for a while, perhaps you might want to consider making your own noodle-based dishes from plain noodles and homemade sauces. Take a look at these vegan noodle recipes for inspiration.