I’m checking out a trio of instant ramen cups currently sold at Trader Joe’s: Miso, Spicy Miso, and Chicken. They sell for $1.69 each at the time of this review and come in light, single-serving cups. These do not exactly appear to be filling, but are priced well below what these usually cost under their original branding. Which brings me to the twist: upon opening the Miso cup, I discovered that these are actually rebranded products from Mike’s Mighty Good Ramen. The oil packet writing gave it away immediately, and sure enough, they’re confirmed to be co-manufactured. If you’re familiar with my past reviews, you know I’ve had my share of issues with Mike’s. That said, the Trader Joe’s versions are cheaper, so if for some reason you like Mike’s ramen, this is the place to buy it.
Read more: Noodle Journey Episode 65: Trader Joe’s Instant Ramen CupsI ultimately skipped reviewing the Chicken flavor since it’s identical to the one from Episode 3A (which I gave a 2/10), but I bumped that score up to a 3.5/10 here purely based on the lower price point. That leaves the Miso and Spicy Miso cups, which are reviewed in full below.
Miso:
This cup contains a dry noodle block, a powdered soup base (likely red miso), and a seasoning oil packet made with sunflower oil. The broth powder includes onion, garlic, mushroom powder, and seaweed. Total sodium is 860mg, and it appears to be vegan-friendly.
Noodles: Still the same weird texture I’ve encountered with Mike’s before: soft and mushy on the outside, dense and overly firm on the inside. They don’t break up well during cooking, either. I’ve never been able to find a prep method that fixes them.
• 4/10
Spiciness: None.
• 0/10
Overall: The broth has a mild fermented miso flavor, a touch of seaweed, and a stronger-than-expected mushroom note, which adds some decent umami. Garlic and onion are barely there, and it all feels like it’s missing salt or MSG to bring the flavors together, which is a typical complaint of Mike’s. It’s better than the worst miso soups I’ve reviewed, but that’s not saying a lot.
• 4/10
Spicy Miso:
Same noodle block and oil packet, but the broth powder swaps the seaweed for tomato powder and adds Mike’s interpretation of togarashi, which is a spice blend containing orange peel, sesame seeds, chili pepper, and oddly, poppyseeds. This flavor doesn’t appear to exist in Mike’s main product line, so it appears be exclusive to Trader Joe’s. Sodium clocks in at 850mg.
Noodles: No surprise here, same Mike’s texture issues as above.
• 4/10
Spiciness: It’s a little punchier than I expected for something aimed at US consumers. Comparable to your average grocery store hot sauce. Nothing lingering, but enough to wake up the palate.
• 2.5/10
Overall: The sesame flavor is more pronounced in this one, and the tomato and orange peel give it a subtle acidity that makes it more interesting than the regular Miso cup. I wouldn’t call it bold or complex, but it’s a slight improvement. Still bland overall without some kind of salty enhancer, and I wish it had the seaweed from the first cup. But I like it more than the non-spicy Miso flavor, and so that earns it a slightly less damning score.
• 4.5/10
If you’re already a Mike’s Mighty Good fan, these are a bargain at Trader Joe’s. If you’re not familiar, this is at least a cheaper way to find out. Of the three, I found the Spicy Miso to be the most complex and enjoyable, but none of these are anything to write home about.
