I struggled just a little bit with what to call this. Miso soup with vegetables and udon noodles? Udon noodle bowl with miso and veggies? Umami bowl with vegetables and noodles?  Miso soup for the soul? Restorative soup for your immune system and mental state of health so that you can get back to feeling human again? Okay, that last one may be a little over the top but in a sense, it’s true.

I’ve had a stressful few weeks and am also feeling a little sad that summer is, once again, sliding past me. Whenever I feel like I need an energy and immune system boost, I whip up a quick pot of something packed with veggies and/or miso and/or noodles and/or beans. Eating a power-packed bowl of goodness always puts me in a better place, both physically and mentally.

The beauty of miso is that it’s a fermented food, so it’s jam-packed full of probiotics. The key to enjoying these benefits is to not boil it or heat it to an extreme heat. It’s important to add the miso at the end of the cooking time so you can reap its benefits.

I’ve already shared my Miso Soup with Shitake Mushrooms and Tofu Recipe, which is another delicious way to enjoy miso. This a  recipe for 2-4 people depending on the serving size, but you can easily double it.

Don’t be discouraged by the odd ingredients or multiple steps. The ingredients can all be found at your local Asian grocery store or delivered to your doorstep via Amazon. (please use smile.amazon.com when ordering from Amazon and use it to donate to your favorite worthy cause). You’ll find you’ll use these ingredients again and again once you realize how easy they are to work with and the incredible flavor they pack into a dish. This soup actually comes together pretty quickly despite the multiple steps. Personally, I find prepping the veggies the most labor-intensive part which you can easily side-step by just slicing or dicing them. The rest of this is a breeze and you can easily make this whole dish in under an hour.

Let’s give a go, shall we? I think you’ll feel a lot better once you’ve slurped up some of this delicious soup. 🙂 Keep in mind that all measurements are approximate…if you want a few more or a few less noodles, or a few more or a few less vegetables, have at it.

Miso Soup Bowl with Vegetables and Udon Noodles Recipe

• About 3 oz. udon noodles
• 2 tablespoons dried wakame  (a type of seaweed)
• 2 1/2 – 3 inch piece kombu (also a type of seaweed/kelp)
• 1/2 cup bonito flakes (flakes of dried, smoked bonito fish)
• 2 tablespoons white (shiro) miso
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 thin carrot, ends removed and peeled, cut in half lengthwise and julienned into about 1 1/2 inch pieces (I used an heirloom purple carrot here, which turned a gorgeous golden black when cooked)
• 1/2 small zucchini, ends removed,  cut in half lengthwise and julienned into about 1 1/2 inch pieces
• 4 asparagus spears, tough ends peeled, cut in half lengthwise and julienned into about 1 1/2 inch pieces
• 4-5 medium portobello mushrooms, quartered or sliced
• 2 scallions, white and tender green only, ONE cut in half lengthwise and julienned into about 1 1/2 inch pieces and ONE thinly sliced for serving

Directions

• In a stockpot of water, cook udon noodles for about 12 minutes and then drain in a colander and rinse under cool water. Set aside. (you’re going to reuse the pan to make the soup).
• While you’re getting the water hot and noodles cooked, place dried wakame in a bowl, add 2 cups hot water, stir and set aside for 20 minutes to reconstitute.
• When kombu is done reconstituting (you’ll be amazed at how much this stuff expands) drain well and chop
• In another stockpot, add 4 cups water and the piece of kombu.
• Bring just to a boil over medium heat, shut off heat, stir in bonito flakes, cover and let sit 10 minutes. This is the dashi that will become the base of the soup.
• When cooled, drain the dashi into a bowl through a fine-mesh colander lined with paper towels. Discard solids.
• Scoop out 1/4 cup of your dashi into a deep mug or measuring cup, add miso and whisk well until miso has dissolved.
• Add remaining dashi to empty pot you cooked the noodles in (you’ll add the miso dashi at the very end) and garlic and heat over medium heat.
• When dashi starts to simmer, add all of your veggies, bring back to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes.
• Add chopped kombu and cooled noodles and heat through, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in reserved miso broth, cover, remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes.
• Stir well again before ladling into serving bowls.
• Sprinkle with sliced scallion and serve.

You have a lot of options with this soup, so don’t be afraid to play around with it. You can add whatever veggies you prefer, just make sure they’re all cut into uniform sizes so they cook evenly and quickly.  Soba and rice noodles work just as well in this soup and, if you don’t have any of them, add some cooked and cooled vermicelli.

If you love noodle bowls, you should check out my Asian-Style Meatball and Noodles, my Udon Noodle Bowl with Shrimp and Veggies, and my Udon Noodle Soup with Pork and Veggies.

Enjoy!