The Best Miso Noodle Soup recipe! 10 minutes to make, packed with umami flavor, healthy, and vegan. Just 8 ingredients – including meaty mushrooms, shirataki noodles, and protein-packed tofu – make this Asian-style soup so satisfying. Plus, it's nutrient-dense but very light!
This is the best soup I've ever made in 10 minutes! The umami flavor from the miso and mushrooms was so good, and the chunks of tofu were so tasty and satisfying. Plus, this soup is good for you! It's balanced with plant-based protein, lots of nutrients from the cabbage, and provides iodine from the seaweed which is lacking in so many of our diets.
Most brothy soups contain a lot of salt. However, miso is the predominant source of sodium in this Miso Noodle Soup. The evidence that chronic high salt intake can lead to a gradual increase in blood pressure throughout life is clear and consistent. However, salting foods with miso may not have the same detrimental effect. Two bowls of miso soup a day may add a half teaspoon of salt to one’s daily diet, yet those who had two or more bowls of miso soup every day appeared to have a five times lower risk of becoming hypertensive.
I used plant-based shirataki noodles ('miracle noodles') made from the root vegetable, konjac. These noodles are made by mixing konjac flour with water and then shaping the mixture into noodles. They are then cooked and packaged in water to keep them fresh. Shirataki noodles are very low in calories and carbohydrates, and a good source of soluble fiber. They have become popular as a low-carb alternative to pasta.
This noodles in miso soup idea was inspired by my comforting Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup with tofu as well as this Lemony Soup with Orzo Pasta on my site.
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👩🏼🌾 Ingredients
- White miso, also known as "Shiro miso" in Japanese, is a type of miso paste that is lighter in color and flavor compared to other varieties of miso. It's made from soybeans that have been fermented with a larger proportion of rice or barley, giving it a milder and sweeter taste compared to darker miso varieties like red miso or barley miso.
- Noodles
- Green cabbage
- Tofu
- Vegetable broth
- Nori seaweed sheets
- Mushrooms
- Green onion
- Sesame seeds (optional)
See the recipe card for quantities.
🍜 Substitutions
- Vegetable broth - substitute with mushroom broth or no-chicken broth
- Cabbage - use savoy, napa, bok choy, green cabbage, or kale as desired
- Mushrooms - enoki, shiitake, white, crimini, oyster, or most varieties of mushroom work in this miso noodle soup recipe
- Sesame seeds - omit as needed
- Tofu - Use soft, firm, extra-firm, or super firm tofu. Soft tofu is more traditional for miso soup, but the firmer the tofu, the more protein it typically contains.
- Noodles - Use shirataki, vermicelli, udon, soba, or glass noodles. Or add cooked barley instead.
- Chili crisp - add a drizzle of my home-made viral chili crisp for a hint of spice
- Nori - use dulse flakes instead of or in addition to nori sheets
Visit my Vegan Asian-Inspired Recipes page for more noodle recipes.
📖 Instructions
For the full recipe with quantities, scroll down to the bottom of the post. This is an overview.
Step 1. Optional for crispier tofu and an additional crispy mushroom topping: Transfer the tofu and an additional 2 cups of mushrooms to a large baking sheet. Toss with a drizzle of olive or sesame oil, a dash of garlic powder, and salt to taste. Bake at 400ºF for about 15 minutes, or until the mushrooms are golden brown.
Step 2. Bring the broth to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low.
Add the cabbage, one-half of the chopped green onion, and (the remaining) 2 cups mushrooms to the simmering vegetable broth and simmer for 5 minutes.
Step 3. Meanwhile either mix the miso, water, and sesame seeds in a small bowl or blend in a small chopper until smooth. Set aside.
Step 4. Add the tofu and seaweed and simmer for about 2 minutes more, or until the tofu is warmed through.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and mix in the dissolved miso.
For serving: Serve over cooked noodles. Garnish with the remaining chopped green onion, and the baked mushrooms and chili oil, if using.
✔️ Expert Tips
- Mix the miso with water in a bowl using a spoon, or blend them in a small chopper for a creamier emulsion.
- Cut the nori sheets with kitchen shears or a sharp chef's knife for ease. You can also tear them using your hands.
- Use a mixture of mushrooms. Most types of mushrooms will work.
- Shirataki noodles do not require cooking. Simply strain and rinse them. For vermicelli noodles, you can add them dry to a bowl for serving and top them with the hot soup. They should soften in about 5 minutes. For all other types of noodles, cook them according to the package directions until al dente.
- Storage: Store the soups and noodles in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to two days.
🙋🏽♀️ Recipe FAQs
Traditional miso soup typically does not contain noodles. It's typically a clear soup made with a dashi (stock) base flavored with miso paste and often contains various ingredients such as tofu, seaweed (such as wakame), green onions, and sometimes mushrooms or other vegetables.
Boiling miso is not recommended because it can negatively impact the flavor and nutritional value of the soup. Miso contains live beneficial bacteria and enzymes that contribute to its unique flavor and health benefits.
Boiling miso at high temperatures can destroy some of these beneficial bacteria and enzymes, reducing its probiotic properties and altering its taste.
It's best to add it to the soup just before serving, after removing the soup from heat or reducing it to a gentle simmer. Dissolve the miso in liquid before adding it to the soup so it dissolves evenly.
This miso noodle soup pairs well with seaweed salad, easy tofu dumplings, crispy sesame-baked tofu, Marinated Tofu Steaks, or my Soy Curl and Veggie Stir-Fry. It is also hearty enough to be a main dish on its own.
Miso soup can be vegan or not, depending on the ingredients used in its preparation. Traditional miso soup typically contains dashi, which is often made with ingredients like bonito flakes (fish flakes) or dried anchovies, making it non-vegan.
However, vegan versions of dashi including kombu dashi (made with dried kelp seaweed) or shiitake mushroom dashi, achieve a similar umami flavor without the use of animal-derived ingredients.
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📖 Recipe
Miso Noodle Soup (10 Minutes)
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Ingredients
- 4 cups vegetable broth or mushroom broth (preferably low sodium)
- 7 ounces firm tofu or soft, extra-firm, or super firm, cubed
- 2 cups sliced shiitake mushrooms or enoki, oyster, or cremini mushrooms, plus 2 cups for roasting (optional)
- 2 cups thinly sliced cabbage napa, savoy, green, or bok choy
- 2 green onion sliced
- 3 tablespoons white miso or mellow miso
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)
- 1 large sheet nori seaweed cut into about 1-inch squares
- 7 ounces shirataki noodles or udon, vermicelli, soba, or rice noodles
Optional for garnish:
- Drizzle of Chili crisp
Instructions
- Heat the broth: Transfer the vegetable broth to a medium saucepan. Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low.
- Optional: Transfer the tofu and an additional 2 cups mushrooms to a large baking sheet. Toss with a drizzle of olive or sesame oil, a dash of garlic powder, and salt to taste. Bake at 400ºF for about 15 minutes, or until the mushrooms are golden brown, tossing them after 10 minutes.
- Add the veggies: Add the cabbage, one-half of the chopped green onion, and (the remaining) 2 cups mushrooms to the simmering vegetable broth and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Dissolve the miso: Meanwhile either mix the miso, water, and sesame seeds in a small bowl or blend in a small chopper until smooth. Set aside.
- Add the tofu and seaweed and simmer for about 2 minutes more, or until the tofu is warmed through.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and mix in the dissolved miso.
- For serving: Serve over cooked noodles. Garnish with the remaining chopped green onion, and the baked mushrooms and chili oil, if using.
Notes
- Baking the tofu is optional for a slightly crispier texture. It can also be added cubed from the packet.
- Use a mixture of mushrooms. Most types of mushrooms will work.
- Shirataki noodles do not require cooking. Simply strain and rinse them. For vermicelli noodles, you can add them dry to a bowl for serving and top them with the hot soup. They should soften in about 5 minutes. For all other types of noodles, cook them according to the package directions until al dente.
- Storage: Store the soups and noodles in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to two days.
Nutrition
This information is provided as a courtesy and is an ESTIMATE only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased can change the nutritional information in any given recipe.
Gale
Delicious and simple - thank you!
Nisha Melvani, RDN
I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Thank you for leaving a comment.
Davi
Recipe looks like it would be delicious. Can't wait to try it. Thank you
Nisha Melvani, RDN
Thank you. Enjoy!