Baby Bok Choy Soup with Rice Noodles and Shiitake Mushrooms Recipe
A light and comforting baby bok choy soup packed with umami and savory flavors, featuring tender bok choy, aromatic garlic and shallots, soaked rice noodles, and a flavorful broth enhanced with shiitake mushrooms and ginger. Perfect for a quick, nourishing vegan meal.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Vegetables
- 2 baby bok choy or 1 regular bok choy
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 1 thumb sized piece of ginger, peeled and chopped into thin strips
- 2 dried shiitake mushrooms
Liquids & Sauces
- 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Others
- 4 ounces dried rice noodles
- Sambal oelek or other chili paste, to taste
Instructions
- Clean and slice the bok choy: Rinse the bok choy thoroughly under running water to remove any dirt or sand. Chop into bite-sized pieces and place in a bowl of water. Then remove the bok choy without draining to keep any sediment at the bottom, transferring the clean pieces to another bowl.
- Cook the garlic and shallots: Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and finely chopped shallots, cooking for about 3 minutes until the shallots turn translucent and fragrant.
- Simmer the broth: To the pot, add the vegetable broth, soy sauce, ginger strips, and dried shiitake mushrooms. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer gently for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Cook the bok choy: Add the cleaned bok choy pieces into the simmering broth. Cover and let it cook over low heat for 4 minutes until tender but still vibrant.
- Cook the noodles: Meanwhile, bring a separate pot of water to a boil. Turn off the heat and add the dried rice noodles, covering the pot. Let them soak for about 6-7 minutes or according to package instructions until softened, then drain.
- Assemble and serve: Divide the drained noodles into two bowls. Ladle the hot broth along with bok choy over the noodles. Add sambal oelek to taste, starting with 1/4 teaspoon and increasing if more heat is desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Make sure to rinse bok choy thoroughly to avoid grit in your soup.
- Dried shiitake mushrooms add depth of flavor; soak or rehydrate them if necessary before use.
- You can substitute vegetable broth with low sodium chicken broth for a non-vegan option.
- Sambal oelek is quite spicy—add gradually to suit your heat preference.
- Gluten-free soy sauce can be used to make this recipe gluten-free.
