Creamy Umami Noodle Soup with Crispy Mushrooms

4.95 from 77 votes

Creamy Umami Noodle Soup with Crispy Mushrooms

An umami-rich and creamy broth, bouncy udon noodles, and crispy roasted mushrooms make up this gourmet, ramen-inspired Noodle Soup with Crispy Mushrooms. Every bowl is a celebration of comforting umami flavors and dreamy textures!

Prep Time25

Cook Time30

Total Time55

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Japanese

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings:

Author: Nisha Vora

Ingredients

Mushrooms

16 to 20 oz (450 to 570g) mixed mushrooms, (e.g., oyster, shiitake, maitake, king trumpet or oyster, cremini)
2 tablespoons neutral-flavored oil
Kosher salt

Noodles and Broth

16 ounces (450g) fresh udon noodles (see Note 1 for sub)
1 tablespoon neutral-flavored oil
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 ½ inch piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 bunch scallions, sliced (thinly slice dark green tops for garnish)
2 to 4 Thai chili peppers, thinly sliced (see Note 2)
1 to 2 cups (240 to 480 mL) mushroom broth (see Note 3 for sub)
2 cups (480 mL) unsweetened soy milk (or oat milk)
¼ cup (32g) roasted white sesame seeds (see Note 4)
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons tamari or soy sauce, divided
2 tablespoons white miso
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
¼ teaspoon white pepper

Finishing

Toasted sesame oil, for drizzling
Topping options: scallion greens, Chinese chili crisp, thinly sliced fresh chili peppers

Instructions

Mushrooms

Arrange a rack in the top third and in the bottom of the oven. Preheat to 425ºF/220ºC. Brush two rimmed sheet pans with oil to prevent sticking.
For soft mushrooms (e.g., oyster or maitake), slice off any tough white stems, then use your hands to tear them into thin strips, trying to tear as evenly as you can (see Note 5).
For sturdier mushrooms (e.g., shiitake or cremini), slice them quite thinly.
For skinny mushrooms, like beech, leave whole (just trim tough bottom ends).
Divide mushrooms across the two pans and drizzle with the 2 TBSP oil. Toss well to coat (if they feel very dry, add a bit more oil). Season with salt (about ¾ tsp kosher salt) and toss again. Spread out on the pan. It’s okay if some touch, but they shouldn't overlap on top of one another.
Roast for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir with a spatula. Consolidate all the mushrooms onto just one pan and spread out.
Roast for 10 more minutes, or until mushrooms are browned and crispy.

Noodles and Broth

Noodles: While the mushrooms roast, bring a medium or large saucepan of water to a boil. Cook the noodles according to the package, then drain. Drizzle noodles with a little toasted sesame oil and set aside. Return the saucepan to the stove.
Broth: Heat a medium frying pan over medium heat with the 1 tablespoon oil. Once hot, add the garlic, ginger, scallion whites and light greens, and chili peppers.
Cook, stirring frequently, until the aromatics have a little color and are very fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes. If there are lots of browned bits, add a splash of water and deglaze. Take off the heat and transfer to a stand blender.
To the blender, add 1 cup (240 mL) mushroom (or vegetable) broth, soy milk, sesame seeds, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, miso, rice vinegar, and white pepper.
Blend until smooth and creamy. Taste, adding the additional 2 teaspoons of soy sauce as needed. You want the broth to be quite salty and savory.
Pour the broth into the saucepan. Gradually bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Warm until hot, 4 to 6 minutes, whisking frequently (it will bubble up if you ignore it).
NOTE: If the broth gets very thick, add more of the mushroom broth or vegetable broth. When using soy milk, I typically add ½ cup (120 mL) additional mushroom broth.
Divide noodles among four bowls. Whisk the hot broth, then pour it on top of the noodles. Top with crispy mushrooms. Garnish with scallion greens and a drizzle of toasted sesame oil. If desired, finish with a spoon of Chinese chili crisp or sliced chili peppers.

Notes

1. No fresh udon noodles? Use either 24 oz (680g) frozen udon noodles or 8 to 9 oz (250g) dried udon or wheat noodles of choice. For GF, use rice noodles.

2. Sub with ½ of a serrano pepper or jalapeño pepper. Omit for no heat.

3. If you can find it, use a mushroom broth like this. If using regular vegetable broth, taste the blended broth and add more tamari or miso as needed for extra savoriness. If using mushroom bouillon or “vegan chicken” bouillon, you may not need all of the tamari, as these can be quite salty. For a homemade vegan dashi substitute, check out the last FAQ in the blog post.

4. If you don’t have a high-powered blender, you may want to add the sesame seeds to a mortar and pestle or electric spice grinder and grind until mostly crushed. Otherwise, they might not get fully blended into the broth.

5. The thinner the mushrooms, the crispier they’ll get, but you have to pay closer attention to prevent burning.

Nutrition