Tom Yum is delicious but, preparing your own Tom Yum is not that easy! This dish requires a wide range of herbs and spices which may not be readily available to everyone. Having said that, if you are craving Tom Yum, especially if you are overseas, an instant noodle with Tom Yum flavor might answer your craving (temporarily). Mama Tom Yum noodle is a quick (3-5 minutes) option for those who are looking to enjoy a quick Tom Yum meal. In this article, we will cover different types of Mama Tom Yum noodle and how can you best enjoy them.
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Instant noodle: Tom Yum flavour

There are many brands and flavours of instant noodles in Thailand. In fact, there is even an “instant noodle restaurant” that offers meals made exclusively from instant noodles. However, whenever someone talks about Thai instant noodle, the first thing comes to mind would be the Tom Yum flavoured ones.
There are many Thai instant noodle brands but the 3 largest ones are below (source). Also, all of them offer Tom Yum flavoured instant noodle
- Mama: ~52% marketshare
- Waiwai: ~24% marketshare
- Yumyum: ~23% marketshare
Due to its market domination, the brand “Mama” became a Thai word for instant noodle. Its most popular flavor is also the Tom Yum flavor.
Mama Shrimp Tom Yum noodle

In the previous article, we have covered the 2 types of Tom Yum soups clear broth vs. creamy variation. As a quick recap, the creamy variation has chili paste and evaporated milk added on top of the clear broth variation.
The classic Mama Shrimp Tom Yum noodle taste closer to the clear broth version of Tom Yum soup. Its spicy and sour soup is reddish in color but is still transparent. Official name of this noodle is Mama Brand Oriental Style Instant Noodles Shrimp Flavour.
Mama Creamy Tom Yum noodle

As the name suggests, this variation resembles the creamy Tom Yum soup. When compared to the classic version, Mama creamy Tom Yum noodle has a smoother creamy texture but still retains the spicy and sour taste of the classic one. Appearance-wise, the soup color is more orange than red when compared to the classic version. Official name of the noodle is Mama Brand Oriental Style Instant Noodles Shrimp Creamy Tom Yum Flavour.
What can you add to Mama Tom Yum noodle?

Instant noodles taste great! However, they can be made better (and more nutritious) with some additional ingredients.
In terms of taste, Mama noodle is already spicy and sour. But, many still want to enhance the soup further to make the taste closer to the real Tom Yum soup. For this, adding more lime always works wonders. Those who prefer spicy taste can also add more chili to their liking.
For herbs, adding sliced shallots or coriander and green onion can make the soup smell even more fragrant! You can also add the original Tom Yum herbs like kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass or galangal. (But honestly, if you have these ingredients already, you might as well make the real Tom Yum soup!)
For protein, you can add minced pork or sliced pork. Pork tends to go well with the Tom Yum noodle. However, the real MVP of protein would be eggs. You can simply add the egg in while boiling the noodles or add boiled egg directly. They taste really good with Tom Yum noodles.
You can add any kinds of vegetables into Tom Yum noodle for more fiber. We like cabbage and Chinese spinach the best to go with our Tom Yum noodles.
Having said all the above, remember this pro tip from us: If you are adding many ingredients to the noodle, they might dilute its taste. Therefore, you might need to add additional seasoning accordingly.
Should you try Mama Tom Yum noodle?
You should, at least once. Definitely we will recommend you to try the real Tom Yum noodle that is freshly made at the store. However, sometimes you are hungry at night and stores are closed, you will not be disappointed with Mama Tom Yum instant noodle!
Also for those who are not in Thailand, you can get a taste of Thailand’s Tom Yum by eating this instant noodle. Moreover, the noodle itself has a taste (go ahead and try the dry noodle). It is often used without its seasoning in making Thai salad.
We believe in most households in Thailand, they have some stocks of Mama Tom Yum noodles – simply because it’s easy to make and very tasty.
Go ahead and try it yourself!
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