Soba Noodle Bowls with Tofu, Spinach and Shiitakes

Unfortunately it’s been an especially brutal winter for a lot of the country.  I’m so grateful to now be living in Florida, but I still remember how rough the winters can get up north. When you’re stuck indoors on a cold day, there’s nothing more comforting than curling up with a hot bowl of soup.  I decided I wanted to make a soup that would fill me up but not leave me feeling heavy afterwards.  So I looked in my pantry and found a packet of soba noodles- perfect!  Soba noodles are Japanese noodles made of buckwheat. They’re often served at room temperature or chilled with a dipping sauce but they can also be served hot in soups like these Soba Noodle Bowls with Tofu, Spinach and Shiitakes. They cook very quickly so they’re perfect for a delicious, fast weeknight meal.

The base of my Soba Noodle Bowl is chicken broth infused with aromatic ginger and garlic as well as chili flakes, soy sauce and mirin, a sweet rice wine used in Japanese cuisine.  You can use vegetable broth if you want to keep the soup vegetarian.  I cook the noodles directly in the broth and add plenty of vegetables like scallions, shitake mushrooms and spinach, which add color, texture, flavor and lots of nutrients.  I add tofu for protein but sliced chicken, pork or beef would work equally well in this dish.  This would also be a great way to use up store-bought rotisserie chicken.  Use this recipe as a guideline- get creative and add your own favorite ingredients to the soup.  If you’re using vegetables that need a little time to cook, sauté them in the beginning with the aromatics.  If you’re using faster cooking veggies, stir them in at the end.  I think the next time I make this dish, I’ll try topping it off with a fried egg- yum!