Vegetable Soup with Noodles
This recipe delivers a quick and healthy vegetable soup with thin noodles, featuring a vibrant mix of button mushrooms, soy bean sprouts, carrots, beets, celery, and Chinese cabbage. It's a light and flavorful dish, perfect for a speedy lunch or dinner, ready in approximately 30 minutes.
Equipment
- 1 Large Stockpot For simmering the soup
- 1 Chef's knife For efficient vegetable preparation
- 1 Cutting Board A sturdy surface for chopping
- 1 Vegetable Peeler For carrots and beets
- 1 Ladle For serving the soup
Ingredients
Main
- 1 ¼ liters clear Vegetable broth Homemade or instant
- 50 grams thin soup noodles
- 80 grams Button mushrooms
- 50 grams Soy bean sprouts
- 50 grams Carrots
- 50 grams Beet
- 50 grams Celery
- 2 Chinese cabbage leaves
- 2 Lettuce leaves
- Salt
- freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Thoroughly wash and prepare all vegetables: peel and julienne or finely dice carrots and beets; slice button mushrooms; thinly slice celery; shred Chinese cabbage and lettuce.
- In a large stockpot, bring 1 ¼ liters of vegetable broth to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
- Add the firmer vegetables (carrots, beets, and celery) to the simmering broth. Cook for 5-7 minutes, or until they begin to tenderize but still retain a slight crispness.
- Stir in the sliced button mushrooms and shredded Chinese cabbage. Continue to simmer for another 3 minutes.
- Add the thin soup noodles to the pot and cook according to package instructions, typically 3-5 minutes, ensuring they are al dente.
- During the final minute of cooking, stir in the soy bean sprouts and shredded lettuce leaves to warm them through without over-wilting.
- Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground pepper as needed.
- Ladle the hot vegetable noodle soup into individual bowls and serve immediately.
Notes
Achieving even cooking and vibrant color for the vegetables is key. Ensure all vegetables are cut to a similar, manageable size – julienned or finely diced works well for quick cooking in soup. Add vegetables in stages, starting with denser ones like carrots and beets, followed by mushrooms and cabbage, to prevent overcooking. The noodles should be added last and cooked just until al dente to avoid a mushy texture. For an extra layer of flavor, consider sautéing a small amount of finely minced ginger and garlic in the pot before adding the broth. Adjust seasoning diligently at the end, as the broth's saltiness can vary.