Miko Brand Instant Miso Soup with Tofu, 5.33 Ounce

Why did you pick this product vs others?:Very tasty

This is okay... but even though I followed directions, I had to let it steep longer to get the tofu and greens softer. It's good otherwise.

We have been buying these soups for years, and regularly consume them a couple of times a week.All flavors are really good, although I prefer the Wakame and the Tofu the most. Preparing them is super easy: you just empty a packet of dry ingredients and a packet of miso paste in a small bowl, add around 250ml of hot water and mix. We have a Zojirushi water boiler (another great buy) so it takes literally seconds, otherwise you just have to boil some water. Depending on the flavor, the dry ingredients change a bit, but you always get seaweed (delicious).They are a bit high on the sodium, true, but they accompany well Japanese dishes. Only negative is that the price can fluctuate quite a bit with availability, and sometimes it's just not worth buying them on Amazon.

Overall, this is good "instant" miso. Of course, it will never be as good as fresh miso cut from a block of paste in a restaurant - but it's a good "stand in" when you want decent miso NOW.--------------CONS -* Many instant miso brands add powdered bonito (tuna) or similar powdered fish products to their miso paste. Check the ingredients. Most Japanese restaurants use refrigerated miso paste to make pots of miso - and nothing else. They will add things like green onions or tofu and seaweed for more flavoring - and some might even toss in a small pressed fish cake/slice to float on top. But it's uncommon to be served a bowl of fresh miso - that has any hint of fish in the soup base.I was put-off at first by the mildly fishy smell and wondered what it was. I didn't realize that this is among the many instant brands which adds powdered fish to its miso base. (Still tasted good - but it was jarring at first.) If you want something that tastes closer to restaurant miso soup - get instant brands which have NO fish products mixed into the paste.(Side note: "powdered kombu" is OK. That's simply powdered seaweed or kelp that is found in many Japanese dishes.)* Know that MSG (monsodium glutamate) is a foundational ingredient that is still found in many Asian dishes. Very difficult to avoid. I personally have never had a reaction to it and have yet to meet a friend who passed out or got a rash or whatever because of it. This is not really a knock on the product as MSG is hard to avoid in Asian foods. In fact, if you demand that MSG be excluded - it's probably a Western-style Asian restaurant that will accommodate you more readily.* Know that miso soup is NOT a low-sodium food. Most soups aren't and miso is no exception.--------------PROS -* Miso paste is vacuum-sealed in a foil packet. It is not powdery nor freeze-dried. It comes out as a thick liquid base as if cut from a refrigerated block - and then sealed so that room temperature doesn't hurt freshness.* Garnish is surprisingly good. After you add hot water - LET IT SIT FOR A FULL MINUTE and watch the "unfurling show" - as the dried seaweed and onions re-hydrate into nice large chunks.* You can add MORE than the 2/3rds water recommended per serving. I now double that - and sometimes I'll add a little salt if I overdo it. This feels more like a true full-serving of miso - and not some kid's portion that you can down in just two gulps. The re-hydrated garnish and constant stirring required for miso - spreads the flavor around fabulously. By adding more water, you may find that you won't have to "double" the number of miso and garnish packets into one bowl.* If you want to turn this into a meal - add a little bit of microwave rice to turn it into a hearty soup. Or if you feel daring, add a bit of "udon" - (soft buckwheat noodles) and boom - you've just created a trendier type of "saimen" that is a staple of Japanese meals. Either way, this fills me up enough that I can sometimes skip dinner.

I love this brand of Miso! Pared with rice and a dash or soy sauce! *Chefs Kiss*

This brand makes an incredibly flavorful miso soup that lasts forever in your cabinet. Just add to boiling water or delicious deep flavorful soup! I’m Japanese and think the flavor on this is stellar for the convenience! The only other brand I have found on par is Kikkoman but that’s very hard to find anywhere.

I'm really not sure what happened. I get 6 packs of this every 4-6 weeks because I drink Miso every morning. In the last shipment, which I got twice through my own carelessness, Something about the Miso tastes off. It also smells really bad, like a tangy almost sharp smell and the taste is off. I've gone through about 3 packs worth and all the Miso packets smell like that and I can't put my finger on what it is... I've thrown them out and now I'm not sure how many packets I'll open that still smell like that... it's just so strange... This was my favorite part of my morning routine. These last two shipments were delayed so I wonder if something happened in transit, maybe too much exposure to heat? I don't know but I'm going to have to cancel my subscription. I can't make my soup!

Very tasty! I love myself some restaurant miso soup but this product comes very close. I recently ordered a packet and was pleased to find it super simple to make, just 2/3 cup boiling water and you add both the paste and garnish, mix and wait for it to cool off slightly and you are good to go! I sometimes add a tiny bit more water just to dilute a little more. It has an amazing bold flavor! I had a stomach flu over the past few days and nothing made me feel better, until I tried this miso soup. I was surprised how it eased my stomach cramps and gave me a nice dose of energy. Surprised at the effects of the soup, I did some research online and found out things about miso soup that I never knew! Miso soup contains tons of probiotics and antioxidants and does great things for gut health, no wonder I was feeling better and was moving past my stomach flu! Not only does it have health benefits but it is a delicious pick-me-up for anytime of the day. Super easy to take on travels or to work. I just ordered another pack, will always stock these in my pantry from now on!