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Quick Vegan Miso Noodle Soup

This quick vegan miso noodle soup is perfect for those days when you need something soothing  and savory!

This recipe for Quick Miso Noodle Soup was never on my list to share. It is something that I have, in one version or another, pulled together for years when I feel like a soothing and fun soup for myself and really don’t have a ton of time. 

Miso Noodle Soup Envy

I recently made this vegan miso soup and Greg was having soup envy. He took a picture of my soup, which usually comes right before a request for a taste or, if he is feeling lucky, a request that I make him a serving. He posted the picture on Instagram and we got a bunch of requests for the recipe, so I had to stop and think about what I made. I jotted down what I had done, and he successfully made it from that scrap paper recipe and, boom, here we are!

Discovering Asian Markets

The recipe has some ingredients that I typically find in one of my favorite places to explore: Asian markets. When I lived in Connecticut, there was a little market jam packed with all kinds of produce, noodles, condiments and spices as well as dishes and teas and cooking ware. Every surface on the shelves in the narrow isles was stacked with adventures for me. The only English was on the sign outside that said Chinese Grocery.

The sweet Chinese Grocery in Westerly, RI

The women who worked there spoke no English and only took cash. You knew what you owed by looking at the cash register. Over the years that I shopped there, we developed a comfortable relationship of shared smiles and occasional pantomime in our mutual attempts to communicate. They appreciated my delight and would often guide me to the freshest produce in the store.  My time there was always more adventure than grocery shopping, and I never left without getting at least one thing I had never had before. I had so much fun there and loved sharing it with Greg, my children and friends. Everyone who went with me shared the fun and the adventure.

My Asian Market, Florida-style

Moving to Florida, I missed my sweet little market terribly.  A friend recently took me to an Asian market about 30 minutes from our new home. While it was bigger, and the staff spoke English, and I paid with my debit card, it was still the wonderful adventure that I had missed so much. I took in the big bags of rice, countless options of noodles, and shelves of curries and spices and it felt so good!! 

Miso Noodle Soup ingredients: miso, noodles, dried shallots, dried mushroom caps, thai basil, noodles
the lovely, aromatic ingredients

The ingredients in the soup came from that trip. If you have an Asian market nearby, you will easily find everything you need to make this soup. If not, any good grocery store will have most of the ingredients, except for maybe the Thai basil, which is optional. (I just started growing Thai basil on my Tower Garden, so I am SET) A good Ramen noodle (Lotus brand is excellent) can easily sub for the Chinese noodles, as will any quick cooking rice noodle.

Sharing is Caring (but only if you want to)

The recipe for me is for one, but it can easily be divided into two nice servings. I just love any soup that is a tasty vehicle for lots of noodles so I like a big bowl and tend not to share. Just sayin.

pouring a serving of vegan miso noodle soup
Isn’t that the coolest bowl? Its one of my favorites
vegan miso noodle soup in a bowl showing noodles
I don’t actually eat it with a fork 🙂
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Quick Miso Soup for One

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  • Author: Georgia @ Full of Beans
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 1 bowl 1x
  • Category: soup
  • Cuisine: Asian
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

This quick vegan miso noodle soup is perfect for those days when you need something soothing and savory. In about 15 minutes you can enjoy a delicious bowl and its completely up to you if you want to share!

🙂


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 Tbs miso paste
  • 1 serving Chinese noodles (or plain ramen or flat noodles)
  • 3 dried shitake mushroom caps, cut into small pieces
  • 1 Tbs dried shallots
  • 1/2 Tbs low-sodium tamari
  • 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • 12 tsp fresh Thai basil, chopped (optional but strongly encouraged)

Instructions

  1. heat water in a small saucepan on medium high heat
  2. add the miso paste, breaking it up with a spoon or whisk
  3. add shallots and mushrooms
  4. cook for about 5 minutes, allowing the mushrooms to soften
  5. add tamari, sesame oil, and basil
  6. stir and allow to come to a boil
  7. add noodles and cook for 2 minutes or per package instructions
  8. enjoy!

Georgia is an unpretentious foodie who, at 50, transitioned from a vegetarian diet to a whole foods plant based diet and is loving it. She works as a nurse, plays as a quilter, loves to run, hates to race.
She thinks dogs are actually angels (in dog suits).

This Post Has 7 Comments

  1. This was so good and very easy soup! I made it per your recipe, but after the noodles were cooked, I turned the heat off and then added the miso. Boiling reduces any nutritional benefits.

  2. Cheers! The other thing about miso is that it is never cooked; only fermented, so it’s a living thing and the boiling supposedly “kills” it.

  3. FOB,
    The miso separates and loses its oomph flavor wise and (I’ve read) nutrition-wise. I have tried making miso soup for years and it never came out like restaurant-style miso soup. Once I followed the tip of not bringing it back to a boil and also, to use the strainer or ladle method of adding the miso to the soup, I have been a very happy camper.
    Here are some references; none of which really “explain” why not to boil miso… and show examples of the methods of adding the miso so it dissolves well. Anyway, cheers!
    Jeff
    https://www.cookforyourlife.org/recipes/cabbage-miso-soup/
    https://www.justhungry.com/japanese-basics-miso-and-miso-soup
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lH7pgsnyGrI
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYDRX83-IRo
    https://food52.com/blog/9584-all-about-miso
    http://wholefoodsexplorer.com/miso-tips/

    1. Thanks, that’s so interesting – we will check into it (we’re always learning).
      The coming to a boil at the end is really about the noodles. At the point that the noodles go in everything has been cooking and the miso nicely dissolved. Its been working well for us 🙂

      Thanks so much for coming to the blog and for the comments, we appreciate it.

  4. I learned a long time ago to never bring soup back to a boil once adding the miso. Recipe looks wonderful, though, and I will try it. Thanks!

    1. Thanks for the comment. Please let us know how you like the soup once you’ve tried it. But, why don’t you bring it back to a boil after adding the miso?

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