Māla Girl is the Savory Alternative to PSL

Add a little spice to your fall festivities with these spicy vegan broths

It may still be summer, but marketing geniuses are pushing autumn and Halloween early this year.

Stores like Homegoods are filled with aisles upon aisles of ceramic pumpkins and skeletons, seasonal candies have hit the grocery stores, and Beetlejuice is set to make a comeback next week.

The surest sign that sweater weather is on its way is the return of the PSL - Starbuck’s pumpkin spice latte. The coffee retailer just released its 2024 line of seasonal drinks that includes the OG, along with an iced apple crisp cream chai, an iced pecan crunch latte, and two utterly adorable treats - a “Mummy” cookie, wrapped in icing bandages and a raccoon cake pop.

If you’re an Affleck, you might prefer Dunkin’ Donuts’ new potion macchiato, a purple-and-black drink made with a ube swirl.

If, however, your tastes run savory, there’s Māla Girl.

What is Māla Girl Well, officially, it’s a line of instant herbal broths that are vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free with no MSG or sugar added. But to call Māla Girl a broth is to call your iPhone a wireless talking device: it’s just so much more.

I first got turned on to Māla Girl when its founder, Raechel Barfield, reached out to me on Instagram, offering to send me a few packets of her vegan broth.

They sat in my kitchen for a week or two until one afternoon I got peckish. I looked in my fridge and found nothing of interest — no snacks or anything that was easily assembled. I looked at my pantry and came across the colorful packets, each with a friendly, smiling woman on it.

I heated some water, poured some Mushroom Brainiac broth powder directly into my mug (the packet directions suggest using a tea infuser, but I was having no extra step), added the hot water, and stirred. The broth — rich, savory, loamy, and almost beefy from the mixture of reishi, lion’s mane, and porcini mushrooms, — was exactly the afternoon snack I needed.

I also enjoy the Soulful Classic, a vegan “chicken” ramen flavor made with lemon, ginger, turmeric, and cacao butter. Every single time I sip on this one (which I am doing right now), brings me back to crisp Fall afternoons doing homework after school with some Lipton Cup O Noodle soup — except there’s more depth to this flavor profile and less salt.

In total, there are six different flavors, including a sweet/spicy Fireball Basil, Cosmic Curry, Chili Chakra, and Miracle Moringa. And, while each is delightfully drinkable, they’re also fantastic for cooking. I’ve used the Cosmic Curry to add some depth to cauliflower rice and put some Chili Chakra in a chicken stir fry. The fact that these little packets do double duty makes them a great kitchen staple.

Barfield says she invented Māla Girl about four years ago when she was looking for healthier drinks and snacks and found nothing but sweet treats. “Māla Girl is the other end of the rainbow. She’s on the savory side.”

In a world of sugar-fueled items, Barfield says many people are searching for an alternative that speaks to their umami cravings. “Savory keeps creeping in with olive oil and rosemary-infused lattes. Miso is having a moment and Māla Girl is its Boho sister.”

When I suggested that Māla Girl could give the PSL a run for its money, Barfield agreed. “I feel like when you order a pumpkin spice latte, you’re just craving cinnamon. You don’t need a sugar bomb.”

The Māla Girl founder says her drinks are like, “warm, snuggly yoga for the insides”, adding that one of her customers called the drinks “a cup of liquid zen”.

Barfield also says that adding some Māla Girl to your favorite sweets is a perfect balance of sweet and savory. She suggests making an affogato with the broth instead of espresso, or pairing a cup of broth with a buttery croissant. I recently added some Fireball Basil to dark hot chocolate for a spicy treat while watching a spooky movie (perfect for the upcoming months). The site also offers a host of recipes that range from an easy queso dip to a spicy pineapple margarita.

Right now, Māla Girl is available online and at select stores, but in the next few weeks, it will be available on Amazon. They’re sold in single-serve packs, along with four and eight-serving bags.

If you’re a savory person like me, stock up so you can enjoy some hot beverages while you’re turning your home into a haunted house — in August.