Warming and cozy, Ginger Miso Soba Noodle Bowls with Wakame (seaweed) are so comforting and can be seasonally adapted by switching up the veggies. This vegan ramen comes together in about 30 minutes! This recipe is vegetarian, vegan and easily gluten free.
This past Spring, Rob and I took a long weekend and headed to one of our most favorite destinations, Orcas Island. It’s a one-hour ferry ride from Anacortes, just a short drive over Deception Pass Bridge from Whidbey Island.
Orcas Island, the largest in the San Juan Islands archipelago, is a treasure. The terrain is varied: heavily forested with rocky outcrops, rolling hills, streams, wetlands, and open fields. It’s well known for its Environmental Outdoor Schools, preserves, Moran State Park, pristine lakes, miles of hiking trails, family farms, and quaint Eastsound downtown.
It’s easy to unwind and slow down to the island’s pace. And so we go, at least once a year. Twice if we can.
For this trip, we booked an AirBnB cabin near Doe Bay. Imagine a cedar-shingled cottage nestled in a Douglas Fir forest with a tree-filtered view of Puget Sound, wood-burning fire place, rain tapping on the metal roof with enough cozy to make you feel like you’re in a cocoon.
Rain forced us in for a few days… a good thing.
We both have difficulty relaxing. But the days ventured out were spent hiking with a butt kicking haul up Turtleback Mountain Preserve. It was worth the effort for expansive views of islands dotting the Sound and to listen to nuthatches and chickadees sing their Spring songs.
An evening out to Doe Bay Cafe for dinner was the inspiration for this vegan ramen. A farm-to-table restaurant serving fare from their organic garden, craft cocktails, and creative desserts is my kind of find.
Rob and I ordered a fruit and cheese board to start then shared a HUGE noodle bowl.
Even after the two of us finished eating, there were leftovers!
I was so excited about this ramen bowl, with its layers of flavors and oodles of noodles, I knew I wanted to create my own version and share it with y’all.
How to Make Ginger Miso Soba Noodle Bowls
Miso has a distinct umami flavor. If you’ve had it once, it’s easily detectable in other recipes.
- First, cook the soba noodles, set aside to cool.
- Next, make the base of the soup by mixing water with ginger, garlic, Tamari, Sriracha, and Wakame. Take a bit of the broth and measure it into a small bowl. Stir in the miso paste to make a slurry.
- Then, stir in the mushrooms and white parts of the bok choy. Warm through.
- Finally, add the cooked soba noodles and miso slurry.
- Just before serving, it’s all about the toppings, like carrots, bok choy greens, and snow or snap peas. Piled high, they soften just a bit as they’re stirred into the warm broth.
- Finish with plenty of sesame seeds, green onions, Thai basil or cilantro and a good squeeze of lime.
This vegan ramen bowl is a snap to pull together and is perfect for busy weeknights or an easy weekend dinner.
Did I mention how easy this ramen bowl is? You’re going to love it!
What’s your favorite noodle bowl (or cocktail for that matter – lol)?
More Noodle Bowls to Love:
- Sesame-Ginger Noodle Salad with Cashews
- Garlicky Asparagus, Mushroom and Bok Choy Noodle Bowls
- Speedy Miso Spinach Mushroom Ramen
the recipe
Ginger Miso Soba Noodle Bowls with Wakame
Ingredients
- 1 Bundle Soba Noodles** 76g
- 1 Tbs Sesame Oil
- 4 C Water 900g
- 1 1/2 tsp Fresh Ginger microplaned or finely minced
- 1 tsp Fresh Garlic microplaned or finely minced
- 1 Tbs Tamari or add to taste
- 1 tsp Sriracha
- 1 Tbs Wakame optional but recommended
- 2 C Fresh Cremini or Shiitake Mushrooms stemmed and quartered, 126g
- 2 Small Bok Choy chopped thin, greens and whites separated, 212g
- 3 Tbs White Miso Paste*
- 2 Medium Carrots julienne, 78g
- 1 C Sugar or Snow Peas sliced thin on the bias, 92g
- 2 Green Onions sliced thin on the bias.
For Garnish:
- Sesame seeds
- Thai basil
- Cilantro
- Lime
- Sriracha
Instructions
- Cook the soba noodles according to package directions (about 5 minutes). Drain well, rinse with cold water and drizzle with sesame oil. Set aside to cool.
- In a medium sauce pot or Dutch oven, and on medium heat, add the water, ginger, and garlic. Whisk in tamari, and sriracha and bring just to a steam. Scoop out about 1/2 cup of broth and add the miso paste to the cup, stirring throughly so it dissolves completely. Set aside. To the sauce pot, add the wakame, mushrooms and white parts of the bok choy. Warm through on medium low for 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and pour the miso broth into the sauce pot.
- To the broth, stir in the soba noodles. Ladle into bowls and top each serving with the leaves of the bok choy, carrots, peas, and onions, then garnish as desired.
- This recipe is best enjoyed fresh. I find the noodles to get a bit soggy if stored overnight in the broth. But it can be stored, broth and noodles in a lidded container, and toppings in a separate container for up to two days.
