Four years ago, I reviewed one of the most unusual pumpkin spice products I’ve had: Pumpkin Spice Cup Noodles! It’s back under a new name, Pumpkin Pie instead of Pumpkin Spice. As far as I can tell, after tasting it again, it’s the same.

But that’s not all! It is now joined by the other iconic Thanksgiving food: Turkey Dinner Cup Noodles. Besides the turkey, this variety of Cup Noodles includes the side dishes of corn, green beans, and cranberries.

When I open the cup, it totally smells like stuffing. Sage, I think? I can’t know for sure, because the ingredients list only says “spice.”

Unlike an actual turkey dinner, this is easy to prepare: Just add water to the fill line, put it in the microwave for four minutes, and let it stand for one minute. Once it’s done, it has a cozy scent that reminds me of Thanksgiving morning at my grandparents’ house, even though that was decades ago.

I’m no food scientist, but I think the “turkey” is the “textured soy protein” listed in the ingredients. And to be honest. I’m fine with that representing turkey, because that sounds better than a freeze-dried bird. It has a vague Thanksgiving/poultry flavor and a slightly chewy texture that is almost like tough meat. The ingredients also include powdered chicken, turkey broth, and turkey fat, so there is actual poultry in the cup, even if it’s a negligible amount.

The corn, green beans, and cranberries make up less than two percent of the ingredients, and it is easy to miss them. Many Cup Noodles varieties include corn, and it’s no different here. It’s not my favorite way to consume corn, but it’s fine. The green beans are a little more noticeable, but it would be easy to overlook them if you weren’t paying attention. The cranberries are barely there. The pieces are so tiny that you maybe get a very slight tart, sweet flavor if you’re really looking for it. If cranberry sauce is your favorite part of a turkey dinner, you’ll want to bring your own here. (I expected Craisins, but they appear to be whole cranberries chopped into small pieces.)

The most obvious use for this variety is for a poor college student to buy if they can’t make it home for the holiday. It’s obviously not going to replace your family feast, but what did you expect for something that costs a little over a dollar?

Overall, Turkey Dinner Cup Noodles is a fun option for November. I can’t say it’s better than most Cup Noodles, but it’s not worse either, and it’s nice to have another seasonal variant.

Purchased Price: $1.18
Size: 2.89 oz cup
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 package) 370 calories, 15 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, less than 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 1170 milligrams of sodium, 51 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of dietary fiber, 4 grams of sugar (including 1 gram of added sugar), and 10 grams of protein.

“Have a backup…” a friend advised when I told them about my plan to pack Nissin Breakfast Cup Noodles for lunch (or, considering their namesake, more like brunch). When they realized I wasn’t joking, they added, “Maybe buy some Alka-Seltzer and Pepto Bismol too.” But life is short, and how many chances does one get to try noodles that taste like pancakes with maple syrup, sausage, and egg? That being said, I did bring a backup lunch just in case, but to my utter shock and delight, I didn’t need it.

The design on the cup offered a sunny start. The bright blue backdrop and vibrant cartoony illustration of a heaping helping of syrup-soaked pancakes, with a side of fluffy scrambled eggs and plump breakfast sausage doesn’t resemble what’s inside at all, but it’s still lovely!

What you get after peeling off the lid, pouring water up to the fill line on the inside of the cup, and doing an excited/happy/”oh gosh, what have I gotten myself into” dance in front of the microwave for four minutes, is a pile of greyish-yellow noodles in a pool of greyish-orange broth, topped with pea-sized bits of greyish-brown sausage and egg that’s… actually a regular (if slightly fluorescent) shade of yellow. (Your mileage may vary, but my cup had SIGNIFICANTLY more egg than sausage.) Don’t let the murky appearance fool you, though: there’s a wonderful taste in store.

The first word that came to my mind to describe the broth was “mellow.” I was expecting it to be saltier, but this stuff was straight-up sweet: maple-y, a bit malty, and all in all, surprisingly so hearty that I almost forgot that it had been created by simply combining dry, seasoned noodles and tap water.

The handful of sausage pieces were certainly not the most beautiful specimens in terms of appearance or texture (they could be described as both “gristly” and “grisly”). But they did a nice job adding a burst of flavor—savory, again with a strong streak of maple, plus an interesting peppery aftertaste.

As for the fluffy but dense eggs, despite their abundant quantity, they didn’t really have much flavor on their own, thoroughly overpowered by the broth. Once more, their defining characteristic was mapleness!

The stars of the show, the noodles, were similar. They were warm and comforting, but I got the feeling that their sweet-and-a-lil-zesty flavor came more from the broth and toppings rather than the soft, gummy strings themselves. (Fun fact — and added bonus, if you’re anything like me — it also smelled exactly like Post’s Waffle Crisp cereal.)

This novelty really surprised me. Not only was I not expecting Nissin Breakfast Cup Noodles to genuinely taste like breakfast, but I was also not expecting it to genuinely taste good, and it delivered tremendously on both counts. I am slightly befuddled, slightly disturbed, and totally pleased to tell you that if you enjoy noodles, breakfast, convenient packaging, or the terrifying-yet-thrilling anticipation of a food that doesn’t taste how you think it will, you really should try this. Seriously!

Purchased Price: $9.32 (I bought online from a third-party seller, but the retail price is meant to be just $1.18)
Size: 2.93 oz
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 container) 380 calories, 15 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 35 milligrams of cholesterol, 1020 milligrams of sodium, 54 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 10 grams of sugar (including 9 grams of added sugar), and 8 grams of protein.

What is Pumpkin Spice Cup Noodles?

Cup Noodles has added sweet ingredients to its traditional mixture of ramen noodles and savory seasoning. Just add water, microwave the cup, and you’ll have a quick lunch where brown sugar, powdered pumpkin, and spices join garlic powder and onion powder. It is exclusive to Walmart.

How is it?

I can taste both the sweet and savory elements. As far as pumpkin spice foods go, it’s not gross, but it’s also not delicious. It’s just kind of odd. I was going to rate it 6 out of 10.

But then I realized it’s not just a pumpkin spice product; it’s a Cup Noodles product. I asked myself, “Would I enjoy eating this for lunch multiple times during November?” And the answer is a definite yes! So I rate it 7 out of 10. The ramen noodles tie everything together, just like they’re supposed to.

The savoriness and sweetness are about equal. But I’d say the sweetness is stronger than the spices, which are stronger than the pumpkin.

The package says, “For an even more satisfying Pumpkin Spice experience, try topping with whipped cream after microwaving.” So I did, and I really enjoyed it! So much so that I might try whipped cream on savory instant ramen sometime.

Anything else you need to know?

I recommend trying Pumpkin Spice Cup Noodles, but you might have a hard time finding it. When I looked on Walmart’s website, the closest store that had it in stock was sixteen miles away. Of course, I made the trip, but I only found one in the entire store. It was evidently misplaced, and I could not find where it was supposed to be. I asked a worker, and he didn’t know either, even when he scanned it.

Conclusion:

The mixture of sweet and savory is a little weird, but I’ll definitely buy more Pumpkin Spice Cup Noodles if I can ever find it again.

Purchased Price: $0.88
Size: 2.75 oz. cup
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 package) 360 calories, 14 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 960 milligrams of sodium, 51 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of dietary fiber, 5 grams of sugar including 3 grams of added sugar, and 8 grams of protein.