Takeout Kit Meal Subscription Box Review – August 2017

Takeout Kit is a meal subscription box aimed at helping you explore international food at home.

Each month, Takeout Kit will send along the ingredients to a globally inspired dish that ups the ante on your favorite takeout cuisine. According to Takeout Kit, all of their ingredients have a two-month shelf life, so you can cook your meal right away or wait until you have a free night to indulge.

Check out all of our reviews of Meal Delivery Services to see every meal kit subscription box option!

This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)

The Subscription Box: Takeout Kit Around the World Subscription

The Cost: $32.00+ for 1 kit per month, or $48.00 for 2 kits per month. Shipping is free!

ACTIVE DEAL: Save 10% off your first purchase on all non-subscription items!
CODE: ADDICTION10

The Products: The ingredients you need to make takeout-inspired meals from around the globe.

Ships to: U.S.

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Takeout Kit's menu assortment is quite extensive. Currently, you can choose from 10 offerings. This month, I went with Korean Soft Tofu Stew (Sundubu Jjigae). The stew has a spicy, umami broth balanced with soft tofu and crunchy kimchi (one of my favorite things!). It would be fantastic to warm you up on a cold day, but I planned to enjoy it just the same on my 83 degree day. You can read a bit of history on each takeout meal along with the region in which it originated on the info card provided.

On the flip side of your info card, you'll find your recipe along with a visual guide to what supplies you'll need (pots, pans, etc.).

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Serves: 3-4

Here are the ingredients:

Medium-Grain Rice - Estimated Value $0.75?

Longer than it is wide, this type of rice is moist and chewy when cooked making it perfect for Asian dishes, risotto, or paella.

Korean Kimchi - Estimated Value $8.00? (based on similar items)

Kimchi is a spicy fermented cabbage that adds a kick of slightly sour, umami, and salty flavor to a dish. Or you could eat it all by itself.

Sunchang Gochujang, 60g (2 tubes) - Value $12.50 ($6.25 for each tube)

I've experimented with gochujang in the past, but I was excited to get more acquainted with it here! Gochuhang is a spicy, sweet, and savory fermented chili paste made from soybeans, chili peppers, glutinous rice, and salt. It's sort of comparable to sriracha but with a bit more sweet heat.

Morinaga Firm Tofu, 349g (2 packages) - Value $4.16 ($2.08 for each package)

I often prepare tofu at home, but this brand was new to me. It's incredibly creamy and soft (surprisingly so for a variety that's labeled "firm" on the package). It broke apart quite a lot as I scooped it into the stew (we'll get to that below!), but no big deal. The tiny tofu pieces added a nice body to the soup's broth.

Native Forest Organic Portobello Mushrooms Sliced, 113g - Value $3.15

I'm used to large portobellos, and these were quite small at around 1" each. Their taste was familiar and not too overwhelming.

A cute little takeout box also comes packed with dried onion & garlic, dried green onion, and bonito stock.

Being that this dish is a soup, it was one of those 'throw everything into a pot' deals. Very straightforward and easy to execute! You begin by preparing your sticky rice. Meanwhile, start on your broth with boiling water, gochujang paste (one or both tubes depending on your spice level preference -- I went all in with two!), the onion & garlic mix, and bonito stock. Next, spoon in scoops of tofu and add the mushrooms. Finish with the green onion. So, so simple! I was surprised at how easily and quickly this stew came together with so few ingredients.

Takeout Kit also suggests that you poach an egg in the hot broth before serving, which I did. You can see it floating around in the middle of the bowl. I simply cracked an egg in the boiling soup, covered the pot, and waiting for it to cook. The result was a creamy yolk that added the perfect amount of richness to the dish.

Sticky rice is served on the side according to directions, but I ended up dumping most of mine directly into the soup bowl. The tart kimchi pairs so well with the silky tofu, and the rice makes this meal super satisfying. Can you tell how much I loved this one?

Verdict: I'm really happy with this Takeout Kit dish. I had never heard of sundubu jjigae prior to receiving this kit, and I think that it's so cool that Takeout Kit allows its subscribers to explore the world with such unique meal offerings. These authentic, specialty ingredients have a value of roughly $28.56, which is a couple dollars higher than the $25.00 box cost (including free shipping). These kits would be terrific for someone with a busy lifestyle and adventurous palate, or I could see them being a great gift as well.

What do you think of this Takeout Kit dish?