Soups really have been a big part of my winter meals, although I've been really loving a few new vegetables bowls that I'll be sharing soon! They're so easy to throw together and will last me a good day or two. This soup happened to come about as a combination of ingredients I've never had together. It was something I threw together on a whim. I shared my first attempt here (this one looks better) and thought it was ultimately good enough to make it to the recipe collection. So here it is! It fits my criteria for being simple to pull together, has versatility and is fairly well-balanced. Now, I know that roasting vegetables and serving them in soup is not really typical but I'll be darned if it didn't taste great and make my life simple. I gently roasted them just until softened, about 20 - 25 minutes. It helps to cook your vegetables faster if they're chopped on the smaller side. You don't have to use all the vegetables I have here either, maybe just 3 of the 4 opting between the broccoli or brussels sprouts. I wasn't sure what direction I was going to go in, using the broccoli or brussels sprouts and decided to just add them both using 4 vegetables. Suits me perfectly! The miso broth is super simple. I'm in love with red miso at the moment (it's robust & flavorful) but you can use your favorite. You may even like to add a tablespoon or so of tahini to the broth for something different. Making the miso broth as suggested with keep the integrity (health benefits) of the miso paste at it's highest. The soba noodles are easy too and cook pretty much the same as any other noodle. Add some freshness to the soup with sliced scallions, a few greens and cilantro if you have it on hand. A dash (or two) of sriracha isn't a bad idea either! And if you feel the need for some added protien, add a serving of cubed organic tofu (firm or extra firm). If you have a few veggies left over, save and serve them with a grain like rice or quinoa and a protein like lentil or beans (or make more soup!). Enjoy this soup....it's filling, flavorful and easy. Win, win, win!
ROASTED VEGETABLE MISO SOUP + SOBA NOODLES
Ingredients
- 1 purple sweet potato (or any color), peeled and cubed
- 2 carrots, sliced
- handful brussels sprouts, quartered
- handful broccoli florets
- drizzle of sesame, olive or grapeseed oil
- 1 package 100% soba noodles
- 5-6 tablespoons miso (I used red, use your favorite)
- 4 cups water
garnish
- 2 scallions, sliced
- toasted sesame seeds (raw black and/or white are great too)
- handful of shoots, sprouts or greens and/or cilantro
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Prepare vegetables and place on a large rimmed baking sheet that's lightly greased or lined with a silpat or parchment paper. Add a drizzle of oil and toss well. Add a sprinkle of salt over top. Place sheet on the middle rack and cook for 20-30 minutes stirring every 10 minutes, vegetables are done when just fork tender.
Cook your soba noodles according to the package directions. Be sure to use a large pot filled just under half way when cooking soba noodles. Once the noodles have come to a boil, the water tends to foam up quickly and overflow (ugg, I've learned from experience). Pay attention and reduce the heat as needed to prevent the water from boiling over while keeping the water at a gentle rolling boil.
For the miso broth, heat your water until nicely warmed, but not boiling, in a small pan or use the pot the noodles were cooked in. Remove from heat, add miso and mix until miso is dissolved. For me, I fill my 4 cup measuring cup using my hot water dispenser, add the miso and mix (works great for me!).
Add noodles and vegetables to your serving bowl, top with broth and add a few of the garnishes. Some other optional garnishes would be a dash or two of sriracha or red pepper flakes.
Serves 2-3.
Serves 2-3.
Notes:
Try adding a tablespoon or so of tahini to the broth for something different.
No need to use all these vegetables, three is enough. You may opt to use either the brussels sprouts or broccoli. My Vegetarian Flavor Bible didn't suggest that broccoli was a match for miso, but I liked it and it's available all year long. You can also try using butternut or kabocha squash in place or along with the sweet potato. I used butternut squash in my first attempt and it was delicous!
The smaller you cube your vegetables the quicker they cook.
Add a serving of cubed organic tofu (firm or exta firm) for added protein.
For the noodles, it's 4 servings per package but I can easily eat half a package myself which is why I suggest this serves 2-3.