Best Vegetarian Blog

I keep these soup cups in my desk at work. They’re really easy to make with the hot water from the water cooler. Be careful because the cup becomes too hot to hold sometimes.

This is my favorite flavor from this brand line, though it smells funny to coworkers who aren’t used to miso! I think it tastes great and makes a good snack or goes great with a sandwich or salad to be a lunch. The noodles are a great addition–regular miso soup is just too watery to be filling.

The seasoning comes in a packet so you can use less and get just as flavorful a meal but have less salt in your diet.

Note the nutrition info link at Amazon is based on half the package. I can’t imagine anyone saving the rest for later, and 180 calories for the whole thing isn’t exactly too much food! The cups I have purchased locally list it as one 180-cal serving so perhaps packaging has changed. Meanwhile I’ve had some cups seep a bit while eating them so it’s not a container that’s going to hold your soup longer than your mealtime. Put a napkin under the cup just in case.

I give it five stars for flavor and convenience but only four total because of the details/execution (leaks, hot cup, half portion nutrition labeling). It also seems a little pricey at two+ bucks each in my local grocery, but it’s much better than traditional Ramen.

This is one of my favorite Dr. McDougall products. I love that the soup is loaded with noodles, has a mild flavor and is a breeze to make for lunch. Like most of this line, the soup cup’s contents are dry and the user must add water and the flavor packet and pop the cup in the microwave for several minutes. I generally think the company suggests too much water for the products and that is no exception for the miso soup. I always place less water than recommended in the soup cup in order to produce a slightly thicker broth that is more concentrated in flavor. The miso soup may have too much sodium for some but calorie wise, this cannot be beat. With a little garden salad on the side, the user gets a very satisfying lunch. One annoying aspect of McDougall products is that all the “big cups” are two servings. The contents, however, really seem equivalent to one serving. Just be sure to double the calories if you keep a calorie log or are trying to keep an accurate picture of your sodium intake.
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This, for a dried soup—and vegan (which likens us vegans w/ taste buds of steel…in searching for that tofu dish, that truly satisfies)…is so falvorful…I had to read the package twice…to make sure it truly was a vegan fare,,,it is….and it is delicious!!!!

Not bad…just a little bland and not much in the cup. I add some more “stuff” to it and use it as a base. I realize that’s not the point of an instant soup, but if you’re prepping it at home and have time to add some more items to it, it’s fantastic! I add some additional wakame seaweed, fresh tofu, brewer’s yeast, a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. I’m sure shitake mushrooms would be great too, but I haven’t tried that yet.

I’m a much bigger fan of the Vegan Curry with Brown & Wild Rice Pilaf, perfect as is, no additional ingredients required and HIGHLY addictive!

BTW, AVOID the Vegan Black Bean & Lime Soup at all costs. It’s absolutely disgusting: hard to mix, smells like BO, and tastes bland.

Good:
+ Nice noodles while being low-fat.
+ Keeps a long time, handy to have in the office (especially if you have an electric kettle)
+ Tasty without being as salty and fat-filled as the competition.

Not so Good:
+ The labeling (at least as of 8/2012) is that a cup is TWO SERVINGS! Wonder how they got a filling meal to be just 90 calories? They cut it in half. If you live in a world where there is someone special in your life who will split a cup of soup with you, good for you. But that just ain’t working for most people. I would rather they stuck with realistic labeling and called this a 180 calorie lunch. This is the reason I gave this meal 4 stars rather than 5.
+ The miso-ness (misosity?) of this soup is not as strong as I would expect. It’s much more subtle than you’d get at a Japanese restaurant. However – IT’S A DRIED CUP OF SOUP, so what did I expect?

Summary:
Overall, something that you will find comforting as a backup lunch if you are stuck at your desk, that won’t make you fall off your diet too badly.

I love this soup! I keep it in my trunk, in my desk at work, and in my cabinet at home. Anytime I don’t feel like cooking I just pop one in the microwave. It’s good food. As long as you follow the directions, make sure the water is hot enough if using a weak microwave, and make sure to let it sit as long as the directions say, it’s hard to screw it up. My picky nephew will eat one of these before he’ll eat most snack foods too.