Keeping records of anything online for an extended time can be a very humbling experience. Essentially, all your growth in a particular area is out there, and unfortunately, on the internet, it should stay out there, or else the internet overseers get grumpy.

What does all of this have to do with a recipe for bok choy noodle soup? A lot. I posted a recipe for a similar soup roughly five years ago, and it’s been a more popular recipe of mine. However, my understanding of building flavors has grown, and as such, the meal I make now is a bit different from the original recipe. And I’m sure, in five years, I’ll be writing this again with a similar but different method.

This updated version pulls a bit of guidance from Vietnamese Phở with the use of star anise and cinnamon in the broth and a finish of miso to bring depth to this vegan soup, inspired by traditional Japanese miso soup.

Why Bok Choy?

I think bok choy is beautiful. The way it grows, the shape of the leaves, the color gradation from leaf to stem. And yet, I don’t use it near enough. I love it in this noodle soup because it just melts away. The stems are cooked apart from the greens, but in the end, it all blends in with the noodles.

Don’t have bok choy? Shredded kale, chard, or even spinach would work (although spinach gets a bit soft for my taste.

Tofu addition

Over the years, I’ve bulked up this soup quite a bit. I’ve added jammy eggs, poached eggs, tempeh bacon, and tofu (in various forms). I’ve left the tofu addition in the recipe to keep the recipe vegan. Plus, I love the texture with the noodles and the bok choy.

Miso

I keep a few different misos on hand for different uses. In more recent recipes, I’ve used a lot of white miso, but this recipe needs a firm flavor to balance the spices and ginger. I like using the brown rice miso because it’s noticeable, a flavor that brings the umph without being the only flavor you taste.

You could, however, use the lighter miso. You might want to add a touch more. If you only have darker miso, try a smaller amount, and work your way up. Add/taste/repeat.

Salt

I’m putting this here because you must pay attention to salt. Salt in the broth, the saltiness of the miso, and any extra salt you might feel compelled to add. I’ve found, when I make this with my homemade broth, even with the miso, I add a pinch of salt or soy sauce. This adding of extra salt is primarily because I make a low-sodium vegetable broth. The flavors are lovely as is but sing when you balance the salt levels of everything.

My recommendation, start without adding any salt, and once you add the miso and lime, taste. If you feel compelled, add more miso paste. If you’re looking for a balance, add a pinch of salt. Taste again; repeat as needed adding only small amounts. The goal is that when you take a bite of the noodles and broth, you can taste everything.

Dried Mushrooms

Finally, I’m getting more into using dried mushrooms for flavor. It’s not something I’ve done a ton because, to be honest, I’ve written mushrooms off for a long time (it’s a texture thing which I realize means I can still use them for flavor). If you fee so inclined, add a small amount of dried mushrooms to the broth while it cooks.