I tried 'Cup Noodle Spice SHOCK Curry,' a cup noodle with a tomato flavor and spices added afterwards.

On May 18, 2026, Nissin Foods released ' Cup Noodle Spice SHOCK Curry .' It's described as a 'curry soup based on the umami of chicken and the acidity of tomatoes, flavored with 14 kinds of spices including green chili peppers, cumin, and coriander,' so I decided to try it and see what it tastes like.

'Cup Noodle Spice SHOCK Curry' (Released May 18) | News Release | Nissin Foods Group

Nissin Foods rates the spiciness level as 3 out of 5.

The lid had something called 'Post-Add Spice SHOCK' attached to it. I peeled it off before adding hot water.

The ingredients include tomato powder, spices, and curry powder.

The calorie count is 394kcal per serving.

I opened the lid. Besides the powder, I can also see dried ingredients like potatoes and corn.

Just add hot water and it's ready in 3 minutes.

As soon as I opened the lid, a faint aroma of spices and fresh produce wafted out. The instructions said, 'Add the SHOCK spice mix to taste,' so I decided to try it without adding anything for now.

The moment the noodles touched my tongue, I was hit with a strong tomato acidity, followed immediately by a sharp, stinging spiciness from the chili peppers, filling my mouth with heat. One editor who can't handle spicy food gave up at this point. Another editor who can handle spicy food commented, 'It's treated like a derivative of Cup Noodle Curry, but it doesn't have the distinctive aroma

Next, I added the SHOCK spice as a finishing touch.

Adding the extra spices at the end further enhanced the aroma of the spices, and a refreshing flavor spread to the nose as you slurp the ramen, giving a sense of increased satisfaction. The gradually spreading hot spiciness seemed to last longer, but it didn't feel like the spiciness itself was boosted. One editor who is good with spicy food commented with a relaxed expression, 'I didn't feel any chili pepper spiciness, but rather a refreshing sensation that came after the tomato flavor, which I guess is the spiciness.' Overall, the elements of Cup Noodle Curry were subtle, and it felt like a 'tomato-based spice curry' until the very end.

For comparison, we also prepared the standard 'Cup Noodle Curry.' Unlike 'Cup Noodle Spice SHOCK Curry,' this one is significantly less spicy. The soy sauce flavor of Cup Noodle is more prominent, and while there is a hint of spice, it's subtle. It tasted similar to a mild to medium-spicy ready-made curry, without any unnecessary frills. One of our editors who doesn't like spicy food lamented, 'This is enough. Spice SHOCK is too spicy for me to eat.' However, according to Nissin Foods' spiciness scale, Spice SHOCK is only a 3 out of 5, so those who are good with spicy food should definitely give it a try.

The suggested retail price for 'Cup Noodle Spice SHOCK Curry' is 248 yen (excluding tax). Amazon.co.jp sells a pack of 20 for 5200 yen (including tax), which works out to 260 yen per cup.