Soba Noodle Soup with Soy Ginger Mushrooms

A comforting bowl of Soba (Bucket Noodles) Soup with Ginger Mushrooms. The buckwheat noodles are in a light yet tasty broth and topped with ginger mushrooms, tofu seasoned with salt and togarashi (Japanese spice blend), green onions, sesame seeds, and sesame oil. 

INGREDIENTS YOU'LL NEED FOR THIS NOODLE SOUP

SOY GINGER MUSHROOMS

• 5 small dried shiitake mushrooms - soaked overnight ion 4 cups water or in hot water for 1 hr
• 10.5 oz fresh mushrooms - I used a mix of maitake, shimeji, and shiitake mushrooms
• Neutral cooking oil
• 2 tsp minced ginger
• 2 tbsp hon mirin
• 1 to 1.5 tbsp soy sauce to taste
• Sprinkle ground white pepper for mushrooms

TOFU

• 3.5 oz “Q” tofu - see notes, thinly sliced
• Sprinkle of salt
• Togarashi or Japanese spice blend

WHAT TYPE OF TOFU CAN I USE INSTEAD?

• The pack of Q tofu I buy is already seasoned so I just lightly season this with salt. A good alternative would be smoked tofu, since these already come seasoned and would be a good addition to this noodle recipe.
• You can also use regular extra firm tofu and be sure to press the tofu before slicing into 1/4-inch thick pieces. You can opt to season the tofu with soy sauce to get more flavor in. 

NOODLES

• 6.5 oz dried Japanese soba or Japanese buckwheat noodles (2 servings)

BROTH

• 2 tbsp hon mirin see notes
• 1 tbsp soy sauce adjust to taste
• 2 tsp sugar
• 3.5 to 4 cups shiitake mushroom broth from soaked mushrooms
• 1 tbsp Yondu umami seasoning or more soy sauce

TO SERVE

• Drizzle sesame oil
• Sesame seeds
• Togarashi
• Chopped green onions or scallions

BROTH AND MUSHROOMS

• Soak the dried mushrooms overnight or for at least an hour in hot water. Don’t discard the liquid. Take out the rehydrated mushrooms and remove the stems. Thinly slice the caps to add to the fresh mushrooms for sautéing.

• Thinly slice or separate the fresh mushrooms. Heat a large skillet or non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms. I don’t add oil at this point, I just add the mushrooms (both fresh and rehydrated) to get a nice sear around the edges and draw out any excess moisture.
• Once the mushrooms have a nice sear, move the mushrooms to the side of the pan. Add some oil. Once hot, add the minced ginger and cook until aromatic, around 1 minute. Mix the mushrooms into the ginger mix.
• Add the hon mirin and soy sauce. Allow the liquid to evaporate and mix well to coat the mushrooms. Taste the mushrooms and season with more soy sauce, if needed. Finish with ground while pepper and mix well. Remove from the pan and set aside.

TOFU

• On the same pan, heat oil to coat the pan. Once hot, add the thinly sliced tofu. Sprinkle salt and togarashi or Japanese spice blend. If using regular extra firm tofu, add some soy sauce, to taste.
• Once the tofu get a nice brown on one side, flip over and repeat for the remaining side. Set aside.

NOODLES

• Heat a medium pot of water. Once it boils, add the noodles.
• Cook until chewy to your liking. Drain the noodles and run through water.

BROTH

• Heat a medium sized pot. Once hot, add the mirin, soy sauce, and sugar. Mix well to dissolve the sugar. Add the shiitake mushroom broth from the soaked mushrooms.
• Cover the pot and allow the broth to come to a boil. Lower and allow to simmer for 3-4 minutes.
• Season the broth with yondu umami seasoning or more soy sauce, to taste, if desired. You can also add some sugar to add sweetness (see notes).

ASSEMBLING THE SOBA NOODLE SOUP WITH SOY GINGER MUSHROOMS

• Transfer the noodles to a bowl. Pour boiling hot broth over the noodles. Top with the mushrooms, tofu, green onions, sesame seeds, sesame oil, and togarashi. Serve while hot and enjoy!

MORE RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE

• Jjajangmyeon (Noodles in Black Bean Sauce)
• Thai Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao)
• Easy Spicy Miso Noodles
• Ginger and Scallion Noodles
• Chili Garlic Oil Noodles
• Mie Goreng (Indonesian Fried Noodles)
• Chili Garlic and Black Bean Eggplant Noodles
• Easy Sweet, Spicy, and Saucy Noodles
• Stir-Fried Tofu and Basil Noodles
• Tantanmen (Vegan Ramen)
• Peanut Satay Noodle Soup
• Yaki Udon
• Chinese-Style Bolognese
• Kimchi Noodle Soup with Dumplings

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