This quick and easy recipe is great for busy weeknights when you don’t have much time to cook but still want a meal that’s nourishing and tasty. Not only is it packed with flavor, but it’s also incredibly customizable. From proteins to vegetables, you can top this flavorful soup with a variety of ingredients for an all-in-one meal that will satisfy the whole family. Give it a try, and let me know what you think!
Topping Recommendations
Step By Step Instructions
Start by prepping your aromatics by mincing a small piece of ginger (you are looking for about two teaspoons of minced ginger) and two garlic cloves.
You can usually find them in either the frozen or in the Asian section of most supermarkets. See the ingredient notes below for the best options for this recipe.
Garlic: Fresh garlic adds the best flavor. If you need a shortcut, add a couple of whole, peeled garlic cloves instead of minced ones. You’ll get the flavor without chopping. Then discard them before serving.
Miso Paste: Miso paste is fermented soybean paste commonly used in Japanese cooking. It comes in different varieties, but white miso paste and red miso paste are great options for this recipe.
Scallions: Also known as green or spring onions, add a subtle onion flavor that cooks quickly. If you don’t have them, you can use shallots or onions, but be sure to adjust the cooking time accordingly and cook them before you add the garlic.
Mirin: A sweet, low-alcohol rice wine used in Japanese cooking. You can substitute it with sweet sherry, a combination of white wine and sugar. For a non-alcohol option, use a little extra rice vinegar and sugar.
Rice Vinegar: Mildly sweet and slightly acidic, it is available in white and red varieties. The red variety has a slight sweetness that pairs well with the other ingredients in this soup.
Udon Noodles: For this recipe, I suggest using pre-cooked or frozen noodles, as they won’t absorb too much of the broth as they cook. If you only have dried Udon Noodles, cook them until just undercooked and then finish cooking them in the broth.
Stock: I highly recommend using homemade stock for this recipe. It gives it the best possible flavor. I make this recipe using my homemade chicken stock, but you can use bone broth or vegetable stock. If you don’t have homemade, use a good quality store-bought version.
Hard Boiled or Soft Boiled Eggs Toasted Sesame Seeds or Furikake Sliced Scallions or Fresh Herbs Like Cilantro or Thai Basil Cooked Chicken, Meat, or Seafood Steamed or Stir-Fried Mushrooms & Vegetables
Then slice the scallions into rounds and separate the dark green from the light green and white portions of the scallions, and set them aside. Over medium heat, heat two tablespoons of sesame oil in a saucepan. Add the garlic, ginger, and white portion of the scallions to the pot and cook them until they’re fragrant. You don’t want to brown them. Just cook them to release flavor. This will take about thirty seconds. Add four cups of stock, to the pot with three tablespoons each of soy sauce, miso paste, and mirin. Then mix in two teaspoons of sugar, and a tablespoon of rice vinegar and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let the broth simmer for 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to come together. Add 16oz of udon noodles and cook them for the amount of time listed on the package. Taste the broth for seasoning before serving and adjust accordingly. Add more soy sauce for saltiness, mirin or sugar for sweetness, or rice vinegar for a bit of acidity. If it’s salty, add more stock or water until the desired seasoning is reached. Assemble the soup in bowls and divide it evenly between them. Top each bowl with a green portion of the green onion and whatever other toppings you desire. Serve hot, and enjoy! To store leftovers: Let the soup cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container and refrigerating for up to 3 days. To Freeze: The soup can also be frozen in an airtight, freezer-safe container or freezer bag for up to three months. When ready to enjoy, defrost overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat on the stovetop over medium heat until warm. Erren’s Kitchen is written and produced for informational intentions only. We are not certified nutritionists, and the nutritional information found on this site has not been assessed or authorized by a nutritionist or the FDA. The nutritional information found in our recipes is offered as an estimate and should not be considered a guarantee or fact. The estimated data is provided as a courtesy and calculated through a third-party online nutritional calculator, spoonacular API. Although we do our best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered rough estimates. Many factors, such as brands or products purchased and the nutritional fluctuations that naturally occur in fresh produce, can alter the effectiveness of the nutritional information in any recipe. Furthermore, various online calculators provide different results depending on their particular algorithms and nutrition fact sources. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
