Nissin Hot & Spicy Shrimp

Nissin Hot and Spicy Shrimp is a widely available cup noodle. I see it everywhere. The lime notes that come through are actually the most interesting part of this bowl. Everything else is underwhelming.

Produced in the United States. Distributed by Japan.

What’s in the Package

Inside the bowl, you’ll find a round block of fried wheat noodles and three sachets. There is a silver Soup Base (1) sachet, a green vegetable sachet, and a small white Chili Sauce sachet.

How to Cook Nissin Hot & Spicy Shrimp

1. Remove the lid. Empty the silver Soup Base (1) and the green vegetable sachet into the bowl.
2. Fill with room-temperature water up to the inside fill line.
3. Microwave uncovered on high for 3 minutes.
4. Add the Chili Sauce sachet (the white packet). Stir well and let it sit for 1 minute.

How Does It Taste

The lime is present and pleasant but I wanted more of it. The shrimp flavor is the bigger disappointment. It’s barely there for a bowl that’s supposed to be built around it. The heat is a 1 out of 5, same story as the Nissin Hot and Spicy Chicken. It just kind of shows up briefly and disappears.

The broth is thin and the flavor is diluted at the standard water amount. Next time I’ll use less water to concentrate everything. That’s a fix that would help all three of those issues at once.

The noodles are thin and wavy. It’s the standard Nissin cup noodle quality, nothing exceptional.

How Does It Compare

Within the Nissin Hot and Spicy lineup the Shrimp has the most distinct flavor profile because of the lime note. The Chicken is more straightforward bouillon. The Shrimp at least has something interesting going on even if it doesn’t fully deliver. For a shrimp instant noodle with actual shrimp flavor the Mama Tom Yum Shrimp and Wai Wai Quick Zabb Tom Yum Shrimp are both significantly better.

How to Level Up Nissin Hot & Spicy Shrimp

Use less water than the package says. It concentrates the lime and shrimp flavor in a way that makes the bowl better. Tabasco Chipotle adds a smoky heat that this bowl is reaching for but not landing. Pulled pork is an unexpected but solid addition that adds the richness the thin broth is missing.

Final Verdict

The lime note saves it from being completely forgettable. The shrimp flavor and the heat both need more work than the packet provides. Use less water and add hot sauce and it becomes a reasonable budget cup. On its own it’s a miss.

How do I rate my ramen? Check out the Ramen Rating Guide.

Related Instant Ramen

• Nissin Hot & Spicy Chicken
• Mama Tom Yum Shrimp Instant Noodles
• Wai Wai Quick Zabb Tom Yum Shrimp Flavor
• Maruchan Shrimp Flavor Ramen Noodle Soup
• Nongshim Bowl Noodles Spicy Shrimp

Where to buy Nissin Hot & Spicy Shrimp

• Amazon
• Kroger
• Walmart