There's something incredibly comforting about miso soup. Wholesome, healthy and low in calories, it's good for you as well as being tasty! You can even purchase instant sachets of powder or paste — just mix with hot water to make soup in minutes, or add to noodle dishes like ramen for an intense umami flavour.
Thankfully, there are many amazing instant miso soups available in the UK, from brands such as Clearspring, Hikari and Itsu. You can even find vegetarian options and those with added ingredients like tofu, mushrooms and sea vegetables at online retailers like Amazon, Tesco, Waitrose and Japan Centre. It's never been easier to enjoy a bowl of miso soup in a jiffy!
Quick List - Top Miso Soups
A recommendation service that carefully researches each product and consults with experts across many disciplines. We are constantly creating new content to provide the best shopping experience from choosing ‘cosmetics’ to ‘food and drink’, ‘home appliances’ to ‘kids and baby’ products, reaching users all across the United Kingdom.
Table of Contents
While many of us love miso soup, it can be a bit confusing deciding which instant packet to buy. Luckily, help is at hand as we've compiled a list of things to look out for when making your selection.
Instant miso soup can be mixed with hot water, for an easy bowl of yumminess that's ready in minutes. It's usually available either as a packet of powdered ingredients or as paste in a sachet.
Powdered miso soups typically have longer use-by dates than their paste counterparts, due to the lack of moisture, so they're ideal for keeping in your kitchen cupboard. They're also more convenient to take with you on the go to work or university if you want to get a quick hit of miso goodness at lunchtime.
Packets of instant miso soup made from paste, on the other hand, may need to be mixed with another sachet. This is because they contain moisture and so dry ingredients like tofu or wakame will be stored separately. Pastes tend to taste better than powdered versions though as they're fresher and create a smoother soup.
There are several types of miso paste available, each of which has a different taste profile. It all depends on whether you prefer a mellow flavour or something richer, so we'll explain the varieties below.
If you’re new to the world of miso or would simply prefer a milder-tasting soup to go with your sushi, then we recommend trying white or yellow miso. Both are light and sweet, although yellow miso (sometimes called Shinshu) has a slightly more tart flavour.
Since these are very popular types of miso in both Japan and the UK, they're very easy to get hold of online.
Red and brown miso offer more robust flavours due to having a longer fermentation period. If you want a soup with a "meatier", more savoury taste then these are the varieties for you!
Although these two types of miso are more difficult to get hold of in an instant packet than white miso, we'd say it’s worth the extra effort for the delicious results.
There are many variations on miso soup, so you’ll find that in addition to the different types of miso it can be made with, some brands include extra ingredients in their recipe. These not only improve the flavour, but they offer nutritious benefits too!
Tofu, vegetables and wakame seaweed are probably the most popular additions, as they're incredibly nourishing. While tofu provides protein, vegetables are packed with fibre and seaweed contains key nutrients like iodine, manganese and calcium.
The base ingredient of traditional Japanese miso soup is usually bonito fish stock, and some recipes also include mackerel flakes, dried sardines or sea bream. This means that most instant options produced in Japan are unsuitable for vegans and vegetarians.
Luckily, many of the instant miso soups made by UK brands are available in vegetarian and vegan-friendly varieties. They use seaweed or shiitake mushroom-based stock instead, which still gives you that delicious umami flavour!
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Hikari Enjuku Instant Miso Soup | ![]() | An All-Natural, Authentic Miso Soup | |
2 | Marukome Quick Serve Instant Miso Soup | ![]() | Speedy Seaweed Soup in a Sachet | |
3 | Marukome Miso Soup, 4 Flavours | ![]() | A Mega-Value Multipack of Miso | |
4 | Itsu Miso'Easy Traditional | ![]() | A Versatile Option for Vegans, Vegetarians and Coeliacs | |
5 | Clearspring Organic Instant White Miso Soup | ![]() | Organic and Freeze-Dried for Freshness | |
6 | Hanamaruki Instant Aka Miso Soup | ![]() | Red Miso Powder That’s Wonderfully Savoury | |
7 | Clearspring Organic Brown Rice Miso Soup Paste | ![]() | A Tasty, Brown Rice-Based Soup | |
8 | Yutaka Mellow Yellow Miso Soup Paste | ![]() | Mild, With MSG-Free Ingredients | |
9 | Miso Tasty Sweetcorn Miso Soup | ![]() | Slightly Spicy Yet Deliciously Different | |
10 | Hikari Reduced Salt Instant Miso Soup | ![]() | A Healthy, Low-Salt Recipe |
Hikari is a leading brand in the world of Japanese convenience cuisine, so it's no surprise that we've chosen one of their products to take the number 1 spot! Their instant miso soup packets are all-natural, as they don't contain any GMO ingredients or MSG. Plus, in order to retain the enzymes of the miso, the sachets are manufactured using a special process that doesn't involve heat treatment.
The result? A more "enjuku" (mature), full-bodied taste. To top it all off, separate sachets of wakame seaweed garnish are included for extra deliciousness. Authentic flavour, easy to make and supremely satisfying — you can see why this is our favourite miso option around!
Marukome's "quick-serve" instant soup combines miso paste and dried wakame seaweed all in one handy sachet. Whether you want to take it with you to work for a speedy lunch or just enjoy it at home on a cold evening, this is a great product to have around when the urge for savoury broth hits!
12 individual servings for under £2 is an absolute bargain, and the recipe delivers authentic flavour from the bonito extract and wakame seaweed. A cost-effective choice that's a definite kitchen cupboard staple for miso newcomers and seasoned slurpers alike!
Marukome is one of the top miso manufacturers in Japan, and their variety pack of restaurant-style instant soup comes at a very reasonable price. Four different flavours (wakame seaweed, green onion and two different tofu options) are included, so you can try them all out and see which one is your favourite.
Perfect for larger households or those who just can't get enough of miso, the massive quantity should last you a while. If you’re looking for variety as well as convenience, these freeze-dried soup sachets won't disappoint!
Popular restaurant chain Itsu presents "Miso'Easy" — simple sachets of savoury goodness that can be turned into soup with a splash of hot water or used as-is in dressings and marinades. They're packed full of protein and vitamins thanks to ingredients like soya beans, yeast extract and kelp.
Itsu's recipe contains no artificial colours, preservatives, flavourings, MSG or other nasties. Plus it's free from gluten and animal products, making this miso paste a suitable option for coeliacs, vegans and vegetarians alike!
Featuring organic white miso that's been freeze-dried for freshness, this yummy soup is part of Clearspring’s extensive range of Japanese culinary staples. It's the perfect pick if you’re dipping your toe into the world of miso, as the flavour is mild and sweet so it won't overwhelm your tastebuds.
Readily available and super convenient to prepare, this organic powder features sea vegetables too. It's a must-have for any soup lover's kitchen!
After an instant miso soup with a richer flavour? Hanamaruki produces an easy-to-prepare option made with red miso, roasted barley and dried bonito for a salty, savoury slurp!
While this soup is a bit more difficult to get hold of online, it's worth seeking out if you’re a fan of red miso. The pack contains three sachets of freeze-dried powder, which locks in the fermented soya goodness to deliver a nutritious meal any time, anywhere!
Thanks to the brown rice miso paste, this instant soup will bring the flavours of Japan to your bowl in a matter of minutes. It's sweet and slightly nutty, plus it contains sea vegetables which make it a hearty dish for any time of day.
Part of the well-known Clearspring range, this product is organic, gluten-free and suitable for vegans. Although the intense flavour might not suit some palates, we find it to be totally tasty!
The Yutaka brand is widely available and highly popular here in the UK thanks to their MSG-free ingredients. Their "mellow yellow" soup offers a mild yet mouthwatering flavour courtesy of the Shinshu miso paste base.
This box contains three servings, which may not sound like many but it can feed a small family for one meal or will last a few days if you live alone. Plus, it's very low-calorie, so it's ideal for a light lunch!
This delicious recipe blends miso paste with authentic regional flavours to bring you an instant soup that’s a little bit different. It features ingredients like sweetcorn and spring onions that are popular in Hokkaido, an island in northern Japan.
If you’re looking for an instant miso soup that’s full of flavour yet still offers convenience in terms of preparation, this is a superb choice. Some people may find it too spicy, as it contains chilli and Sichuan pepper, but we think this makes it even more satisfying!
This reduced salt instant miso soup comes from renowned Japanese brand Hikari. It's a fantastic option if you're looking to lower your sodium intake but don’t want to miss out on Japanese cuisine!
Containing 12 portions of paste that you can transform into a heart-warming bowl of soup in seconds, this is a pack that's great value for money. It also contains wakame seaweed pieces for added umami flavour! Sadly though, it can be difficult to get hold of this particular brand as it's only available at one website.
Japanese food is not only delicious, but it's also really good for you! If you want to try your hand at making yummy meals like sushi, ramen or gyudon at home, why not check out the articles below for inspiration?
We hope that this guide will help you to serve up scrumptious miso goodness easily so you can enjoy it any time. Whether you're making it as a standalone meal or as part of a Japanese feast, having a pack or two of instant soup in your kitchen cupboard is a culinary necessity!
Author: Sonata Winchester
No. 1: Hikari|Enjuku Instant Miso Soup
No. 2: Marukome|Quick Serve Instant Miso Soup
No. 3: Marukome|Miso Soup, 4 Flavours
No. 4: Itsu|Miso'Easy Traditional
No. 5: Clearspring|Organic Instant White Miso Soup
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
Automotive
Baby Products
Beauty
Books
Business, Industry & Science
Computers & Accessories
DIY, Garden & Tools
Electronics & Photo
Fashion
Grocery
Health & Personal Care
Home & Kitchen
Large Appliances
Musical Instruments & DJ
PC & Video Games
Pet Supplies
Sports & Outdoors
Stationery & Office Products
Toys & Games