Resources

As the days begin to shorten my feelings are mixed. I’m attached to the ease of summer with its seemingly limitless supply of juicy fresh fruit and flavorful vegetables and always something new to experiment with in the kitchen. But there’s something to be said for colder days too. Frost on the windshield and the stunning beauty of the glint of sunlight on freshly fallen snow reminds me of how cozy and safe it can feel in the winter—especially when you’ve got a steaming bowl of soup in hand. This Miso Noodle Soup is easy and fast to prepare and can seem totally different time to time, according to vegetables and spices you have on hand.

Yields – 4 Servings

Prep Time – 25 Minutes (while cooking)

Ingredients

• 9 cups light vegetable stock or water
• 1 small piece kombu
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced thin
• 1 bundle organic Soba or Udon noodles
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tablespoon light tamari
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil (optional)
• 2 carrots, sliced thin
• 3 cups broccoli florets
• 1 cup snap peas
• 10-12 very thin slices daikon radish
• ¼ cup sliced water chestnuts
• 4 tablespoons white miso paste
• 1 ½ tablespoons red miso paste
• ¼ cup minced scallions

Garnishes to serve alongside include: pickled ginger, Srirancha sauce, extra miso paste, tamari, or teriyaki sauce.

Instructions

Step 1

In a 2-quart saucepan, simmer the stock along with the kombu, ginger, garlic, and mushrooms as you prepare the vegetables and noodles.

Step 2

In a separate saucepan, cook the noodles in boiling water until just tender, then immediately drain, running cold water over the noodles to stop their cooking. Transfer to a bowl and toss to coat with the tamari, vinegar, and optional sesame oil. Cover and set aside.

Step 3

Trim the vegetables and place them on a try to add to the soup when ready.

Step 4

To finish cooking the soup, bring the broth to a medium boil. Add the vegetables individually, according to how quickly they will cook. In this case, they are listed in the order they should be added to all cook evenly.

Step 5

Remove the soup from the heat and stir enough soup liquid into the miso to make it pourable. Stir this along with the noodles into the soup.

Step 6

Sprinkle the scallions on top and serve immediately.