Jun 03, 2025 22:00:00

Cup Noodles Dashi Preparation Series Tasting Review, including 'Cup Noodles that taste like Donbei' and 'Rich Shrimp-Flavored Curry-Flavored Cup Noodles'

On Monday, June 9, 2025, Nissin Foods will release ' Dashi-Prepared Cup Noodles ,' ' Dashi-Prepared Cup Noodles Curry ,' and ' Dashi-Prepared Cup Noodles Seafood Noodles .' The editorial department received the cup noodles, which are said to be 'dashi-uma' masterpieces with a strong umami flavor, early on, so we tried eating them to see what they tasted like.

'Dashi-Shikomi Cup Noodle' series of three products (released June 9th) | News Release | Nissin Foods Group

https://www.nissin.com/jp/company/news/13318/

The packages for 'Dashi-Prepared Cup Noodles' (left), 'Dashi-Prepared Cup Noodles Curry' (middle), and 'Dashi-Prepared Cup Noodles Seafood Noodles' (right) look like this.

Each cup noodle has a label on the lid saying 'Pre-add stock.' By adding this stock before the hot water, the rich aroma of the stock fills the air the moment you open the lid.

First, try the 'Dashi-Prepared Cup Noodles'.

Looking at the names of ingredients, the soup contains ingredients reminiscent of dashi, such as sea bream seasoning, fish powder (bonito, sardine), lard, kelp powder, and seafood seasoning. The toppings are seasoned minced pork, seasoned eggs, seasoned shrimp, seasoned pork, and green onions.

Calories: 343kcal.

The stock used for pre-preparation is 'tai dashi'.

First, open the lid halfway and pour in the pre-prepared stock. The stock is a powder type.

Pour in hot water and wait 3 minutes.

After 3 minutes, mix well and it's done.

When you drink the soup, you can clearly taste the fishy flavor that is different from regular cup noodles.

When I slurped the noodles, the Japanese taste and texture of the noodles combined gave me the impression that I was eating soba noodles. Compared to

regular Cup Noodles , the 'Dashi-Shikomi Cup Noodles' were clearly more refined and had a Japanese taste. Some of the editorial staff commented that they could taste Donbei in the soup, with comments such as 'The ingredients are completely Cup Noodles, and you can taste the Cup Noodles soup, but at the same time you get Donbei,' and 'If there was even a little bit of buckwheat flour mixed in with the noodles, you might think it was soba noodles.'

Next up is 'Dashi-made Cup Noodle Curry.'

In addition to pork fat and curry powder, the soup ingredients include shrimp powder, seafood seasoning, kelp powder, bonito powder, and shrimp sauce, and the toppings are fried potatoes, seasoned minced pork, seasoned pork, green onions, and carrots.

Calories: 403kcal.

The stock used for pre-preparation is called 'shrimp stock.'

Open the lid halfway, add the pre-made stock, pour in hot water, wait 3 minutes and it's done.

When you drink the soup, you can clearly taste the Japanese flavor, which is mainly made up of dashi stock, which is different from the usual '

Cup Noodle Curry '.

Although it is not as strong as the previously released

Cup Noodle Japanese-style Seafood Dried Curry , the seafood flavor is still strong, and the aroma of shrimp from the pre-prepared stock is also impressive. Compared to the regular ' Cup Noodle Curry ,' it is less junky, and has a taste reminiscent of a Japanese-style curry from a soba restaurant. One editorial staff member commented that 'this is fine as standard.'

Lastly, there is the 'Dashi-Prepared Cup Noodle Seafood Noodle.'

Looking at the raw materials, the soup contains pork fat, pork seasoning, creaming powder, garlic seasoning, grilled chin seasoning, chicken seasoning, spices, clam seasoning, bonito seasoning, kelp powder, fish powder, red ginger, and fish sauce, and the toppings are fish paste products, cabbage, seasoned eggs, squid, and green onions.

Calories: 345kcal.

The stock used for pre-preparation is 'ago dashi'.

Open the lid halfway, pour in the pre-added stock, then pour in hot water and wait 3 minutes.

After 3 minutes, mix well and it's done.

When you try the soup, you'll be surprised at how slightly sweet it is, which may come from the flying fish stock.

Compared to the regular '

Cup Noodle Seafood Noodle ,' the 'Dashi-Shikomi Cup Noodle Seafood Noodle' has a stronger fish flavor, and the squid and shellfish flavor is weaker. This makes it less junky, resulting in a seafood noodle with a refined and calm flavor.

'Dashi-Prepared Cup Noodles', 'Dashi-Prepared Cup Noodles Curry', and 'Dashi-Prepared Cup Noodles Seafood Noodles' will be available for purchase at retail stores nationwide from Monday, June 9, 2025, with the suggested retail price of 259 yen excluding tax. At the time of writing, reservations were also available on Amazon.co.jp, and the price was 5,594 yen (about 280 yen per piece) for a set of 20.

Amazon.co.jp: Cup Noodles Dashi-Shikomi [Kombu, Bonito, and Sea Bream Stock, Full of Umami] Nissin Foods Instant Cup Noodles 75g x 20 Pieces: Food, Beverages, and Alcohol

Amazon.co.jp: Cup Noodles Dashi-Shikomi Curry [Kombu, Bonito, and Shrimp Stock Japanese-Style Kapnu Curry] Nissin Foods Instant Cup Noodles 82g x 20 Pieces: Food, Beverages, and Alcohol

Amazon.co.jp: Cup Noodle Dashi-Prepared Seafood Noodles [Kombu, Bonito, and Flying Fish Stock, Full of Umami] Nissin Foods Instant Cup Noodles 75g x 20 Pieces: Food, Beverages, and Alcohol