Sew French: Double Mushroom Soba Noodle Soup

Today, I needed a major break after a pattern I was about to publish had a mistake in it. Oh well, stuff happens, right? Cooking always soothes my soul. A big bowl of Asian noodles offered me the best kind of kitchen-comfort. After being nourished by this slurp-worthy soup, I took a long stroll with my eager beagle and switched-stitching-gears. I decided to finish working on a cheerful monogram. It's springtime colors are inspired by Cath Kidston fabrics (see below for photo).

I love cooking with soba noodles because they're quick and nutritious. I make many soups with these tasty noodles. I riffed on my usual recipe because my husband loves mushrooms. Between the soba noodles, the mushrooms and the soy sauce, there's a major umami-vibe going on here. Ginger, sesame and scallions also give this recipe lots of flavor. The soup is finished cooking in under 30 minutes. It's a light, healthy and satisfying meal.

Double Mushroom Soba Noodle Soup

Serves 4

Some Notes:

Toss in some crispy fried tofu or thinly sliced chicken for added protein. If you want to make it with chicken, just add 6-ounces of thinly sliced, boneless chicken to the soup, along with the mushrooms and proceed with the recipe.

Real soba noodles are gluten free. Always check the labels because some are made with wheat. I keep the cooked noodles separate from the broth so they don't get mushy and soak up all the broth. You can use ramen or rice noodles in place of the soba noodles too.

Two types of mushrooms are used in this recipe: Shiitakes and regular white button mushrooms. If all you can find are the regular button mushrooms then that's fine too. Any mix of mushrooms will work here. It may seem like a lot of mushrooms in the recipe, but they'll cook down in the soup and give the broth wonderful flavor.The broth can be made ahead of time and gets better as it sits.

If you've read this blog long enough you're probably tired of me yammering on about Rapunzel No Salt Vegan Bouillon Cubes. But I can't help how much I love this product for its clean taste and homemade flavor. I learned about it from Heidi Swanson of 101 Cookbooks. I find it at Whole Foods or buy it online at Amazon. It's a lifesaver for quick soups like this one. But you can swap it and the water for 8 cups of your favorite broth or stock.

I use a microplane zester to grate the peeled ginger directly into the soup pot.

Ingredients

8 ounces of soba noodles
2 10-ounce packages of white button mushrooms, chopped
2 cups of chopped shiitake mushrooms, tough stems removed
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
6 scallions, chopped. Reserve the dark green parts for garnish.
1 inch pieces of ginger, peeled and grated
8 vegetable bouillon cubes. I use Rapunzel No Salt Vegan Vegetable Bouillon.
8 cups of water
A couple of good splashes of soy sauce. I use shoyu.
A few drops of Asian sesame oil. I use Trader Joe's Toasted Sesame Oil.
Salt to taste

Instructions

Cook the soba noodles according to the package instructions. Rinse them in cold water, drain well and set aside. You can spray some cooking spray on them to prevent them from sticking.

Return the pot used to cook the soba noodles to the stove and fill it with 8 cups of cold water. Turn the heat on high and add the light green and white parts of the scallions, carrots, celery, ginger, bouillon cubes, salt and soy sauce. Partially cover the pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the vegetables are soft (about 10 minutes). Stir in all the mushrooms. Continue cooking for another 10 minutes until the mushrooms are done. Adjust to taste with soy sauce and mix in a few drops of sesame oil. Put the soba noodles in bowls and ladle the hot soup over them and sprinkle on some of the reserved dark green scallions. Enjoy!