You can read it in the title: this miso and noodle soup is easy. And when I say easy, believe me — IT IS. I’m not a soup or ramen expert; in fact I used to dislike soups. To be precise, I always hated minestrone and chicken broth.
But this soup is different. It has a flavorful vegetable broth (I could eat it now, even if it’s almost snack time) and a tasty seasoned tofu (I never thought I’d say that). This one made me fall for soups (or at least this one).
And you’ll probably love it too, if you try it!
P.S. Isn’t this perfect for winter days? I’m thinking of friends in the U.S. who are freezing in -20/-40°C (poor things!)
My miso soup and my “fails”
I’ve written it in several posts on the blog: I usually work all morning and all afternoon, so when lunch or dinner comes I need something simple and quick. This soup isn’t the absolute fastest (the upside is you can make it ahead), but it’s definitely easy. The ingredient list looks a bit long, but don’t worry: everything is easy to find.
Low-sodium soy sauce, barley miso and Udon noodles are available at ethnic shops or organic stores (I buy them at NaturaSì); sometimes you’ll even find them in the supermarket. Otherwise, buy them online.
The essential element:
When I decided to make noodle soup for lunch a couple of weeks ago, I spent hours — not joking — searching the internet and reading many recipes.
You’ll find millions, but most call for chicken or other meat broths. Chicken broth probably does a lot of the “work” because it adds deep flavor and nutrients. But as I said, I’m not a fan, so I went for a vegetable version.
You only need water, a pinch of salt, carrot, celery and onion (classic broth) to get a solid base. To take it further you need barley miso, which adds so much flavor! This is the essential ingredient — otherwise you risk a bland result like my first attempt: barely salted broth and too little miso, and it turned out tasteless.
For the rest of the soup you can (and should!) have fun experimenting. Try adding boiled eggs, different vegetables, or whatever you like.
One small note: I wouldn’t call this ramen — that would be an insult to traditional ramen, which uses meat-based broths and other specific components. This is simply a miso soup — my version — but I promise it’s tasty and satisfying!
How to make a GREAT miso soup
You might be thinking: You said you’re not an expert, so why are you telling us how to make miso soup?
Because I tested it, failed, tested again, failed… and learned. So I want to share the not-so-secret for an excellent noodle soup: the broth. As my friend Chiara once reminded me, the key is making a flavorful broth (which, in hindsight, is obvious).
From my mistakes I learned:
- Even if soy sauce is in the tofu marinade and you add miso, you still need to salt the broth properly or it will taste flat.
- Don’t be afraid to use a good amount of miso, but always taste as you go before adding too much.
- The same goes for ginger: it’s easy to add too much or too little, so…
- …taste and adjust!
It may sound complicated, but once the broth is ready everything else falls into place.
If you like this recipe, please give it 5 stars — it would make me so happy!
MISO SOUP WITH UDON NOODLES
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Ingredients
For the vegetable broth:
- 1 liter and a half Water
- half Onion
- 1 Carrot
- 1 Celery stick
- 1 teaspoon Salt
For the tofu:
- 125 g Natural tofu
- 1 tablespoon Low-sodium soy sauce
- half tablespoon Whole cane sugar
- A small piece of ginger
Other ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons (about 40 g) Barley miso
- 100 g Udon noodles
- about 90 g Spinach – (frozen or fresh)
- Spring onion
- Carrot, julienned
Instructions
For the broth:
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First step to a great soup: make a good broth. In a medium-large pot pour the water, add the peeled halved onion, peeled carrot and celery. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and let it gently cook for 20–30 minutes.
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Add the salt halfway through cooking.
For the tofu:
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While the broth cooks, prepare the tofu: pat it dry and cut into pieces.
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In a bowl mix soy sauce, grated ginger and sugar. Marinate the tofu pieces for 20–30 minutes.
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After marinating, fry the tofu in a pan with a little oil over medium-high heat until golden. Set aside.
For the spinach:
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Blanch the spinach in a little salted boiling water for a few minutes (about 3), then drain.
To cook the noodles:
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Cook the noodles directly in the broth (follow the package instructions; I cooked them for about 14 minutes), then turn off the heat.
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Finally, add the miso: dissolve it in a little warm broth, then stir it into the rest.
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NOTE: As my friend Alessandra told me, add miso to hot but not boiling liquid to preserve its beneficial probiotics.
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Assemble the soup: divide broth and noodles into bowls, add the spinach, spring onion, julienned carrot, a little ginger and the tofu. Enjoy your soup!
Remember: if you recreate one of my recipes or make your own version, tag me on Instagram or send me a private message — I love seeing your photos!
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