Ginger Garlic Noodle Soup with Bok Choy (Bok Choy Soup) (2024)

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Ginger Garlic Noodle Soup with Bok Choy is a nutritious, comforting, and flu-fighting twenty-minute recipe made with a vegetarian broth, noodles, mushrooms, and baby bok choy. You can easily make this Bok Choy Soup your own by adding chicken, shrimp, spicy chilis, or other veggies.

The most popular recipe on my blog, this Bok Choy Soup remains a personal favorite thanks to its delicious simplicity. If you love this bok choy soup you may also enjoyHomemade Chicken Noodle Soup,Kimchi Ramen Noodle Soup, or this fast and healthy10 Minute Garlic Bok Choy Recipe.

I have made a lot of soup in my life. Creamy soups, brothy soups, vegetable soups, and meaty soups. I’ve made them all. However, if I had to pick one soup to eat for the rest of my life it would be this Ginger Garlic Noodle Soup with Bok Choy. This Bok Choy Soup is that good.

Some of you may be wondering…why?

WHY THIS IS THE BEST GINGER GARLIC NOODLE SOUP WITH BOK CHOY

The broth. The key to a delicious and memorable brothy soup is the broth. Unfortunately, achieving this wonderous broth often takes HOURS (learnhow to make bone brothhere!). The broth in this Bok Choy Soup? Twenty minutes, my friends. Thirty minutes tops.
It tastes a lot likePhở. Ok, I know, this is basically the same as what I said above. But it deserves two points because it kinda blows my mind a little.
It’s like chicken noodle soup…but better.
This Bok Choy Soup will fight your flu. Now, I can’t claim that it will cure anything (I’m not a doctor), but things like ginger and garlic are there to help when you feel like crap.
It’s completely customizable. In other words, you have the base, but that doesn’t mean you can’t go wild with it. This bok choy soup lovesall the veggies and really loves shrimp.

INGREDIENTS IN THIS GINGER GARLIC NOODLE SOUP WITH BOK CHOY

Shallots and green onions (white AND green parts)
Ginger
Garlic
Low-sodium chicken broth (or veggie broth/water to keep it vegan)
Soy sauce (or Tamari to keep it gluten-free)
Bok Choy
Mushrooms
Rice noodles
Star Anise

That’s the basic overall list of what you need to make this awesome soup. You’ll also need salt, pepper, and red chili flakes.

What is star anise?

This is one of the most frequent questions I get from readers planning to make this recipe. Every other ingredient is fairly easy to find, but whole star anise? What’s this?Star anise is the seed pod from the fruit of theIllicium verumplant. Shaped like a star, star anise has six to eight points, each containing a single seed.

ThisGinger Garlic Noodle Soup with Bok Choy Recipe calls for 2 whole star anise. The star anise is not meant to be eaten. I repeat- you do not eat the whole star anise. Star anise provides wonderful flavor to soup, sauces, and marinades, but tastes horrible when eaten whole. Remove the seed pod after simmering the broth.

What does star anise taste like? Star anise is a mix of sweet, spicy (not the chili kind of spicy), and very similar to licorice. As someone who mostly hates licorice, I guarantee you won’t feel like your slurping a bowl of licorice (unless you forget to remove the star anise pods and bite into one).

No idea where to buy star anise? Most major supermarkets sell this must-have spice, but just in case,

>>PURCHASE STAR ANISE HERE<<

If you are one of those people who absolutely HATE star anise, simply substitute with cinnamon sticks. The flavor won’t be quite the same, but it will still be delicious.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BOK CHOY AND BABY BOK CHOY

Since several of you have asked, I did a little research and this is what I have found.

Baby bok choy and Bok choy are basically the same things.
The difference is that baby bok choy is harvested earlier producing smaller, more tender leaves.
This means that baby bok choy is much sweeter than bok choy and is often served directly in soups (oh HAY!) or even in salads.
Bok choy, on the other hand, is much heartier, perfect for longer cooking times as in stir-frys.

That said, this Ginger Garlic Noodle Soup with Bok Choy could technically handle either baby bok choy or bok choy. Just remember that bok choy will be slightly more bitter and less sweet.

Bok Choy Soup Frequently Asked Questions

Can I freeze this soup? Yes and no. Yes, you may absolutely freeze the broth.However, I do not recommend freezing this soup with the vegetables or the noodles. Fortunately, the vegetables and noodles in this bok choy soup take only minutes to heat together.
Do I pre-cook the noodles? No no no no nooooo. Rice noodles cooksuper fast. Add the noodles to the broth just a few minutes before you are ready to eat.
Does this bok choy soup taste good leftover? Similar to freezing, this soup can be eaten leftover but tastes best fresh- unless, of course, you make a big batch of broth and keep the vegetables and noodles separate.

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THIS GINGER GARLIC NOODLE SOUP WITH BOK CHOY

“This was a-mazing. A lot of flavour and very little prep and cooking time. Makes you feel warm inside. Tasty, delicious and satisfying, yet light. This seriously picked me up!” -Emma
See Also
Thai Chicken Salad with Ginger Lime Dressing Chipotle Turkey Burger Bowl with Sweet Potato Fries | PWWB Honey Mustard Chicken with Spinach and Artichoke Rice Bowls - Oh Sweet Basil Spring Veggie + Lemon Moroccan Chicken Skewers with Minted Goat Cheese Yogurt.
“This really was delicious. I used ramen noodles from a pack, I think any kind of noodles, even angel hair pasta would work well. I love bok choy but don’t usually buy it to fix just as a veggie. Now I have an excellent reason!” -Judith
“OMG! Thank you for this recipe, it is sooooo good! I couldn’t help myself and had a second bowl.” -Bonnie

For morebok choy recipescheck out,

Easy Sheet Pan Thai Chicken with Bok Choy
Sweet Chili Tofu with Coconut Rice and Bok Choy
Spicy Stir Fried Tofu with Bok Choy
Udon Noodle Soup with Bok Choy and Poached Egg
Spicy Stir Fried Tofu with Bok Choy

For moresoup recipescheck out,

Easy Chicken Avocado Soup Recipe
Vegetarian Butternut Squash Black Bean Soup
Turmeric Broth Soup with Wild Rice and Vegetables
Pho Recipe (How to Make Vietnamese Noodle Soup)
Minestrone Soup Recipe
Easy Six Onion Soup

DON’T FORGET TO PIN THIS GINGER GARLIC NOODLE SOUP RECIPE WITH BOK CHOY TO MAKE FOR A FAST AND EASY DINNER, WHEN YOU HAVE THE FLU, OR ANY OTHER TIME YOU WANT TO MAKE A BIG BOWL OF BOK CHOY SOUP.

If you try making thisBok Choy SoupRecipe, please leave me a comment and let me know!I always love to hear your thoughts.

RECIPE CARD

Ginger Garlic Noodle Soup with Bok Choy

4.86 from 2519 votes

AuthorAuthor: Jessica Randhawa

Ginger Garlic Noodle Soup with Bok Choy is a nutritious, comforting, and flu-fighting twenty-minute recipe made with homemade vegetarian broth, noodles, mushrooms, and baby bok choy. Easily make it your own by adding chicken, shrimp, spicy chilis, or other veggies.

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Ingredients

▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
▢ 3 shallots - diced
▢ 1 bunch green onions - chopped, green and white divided
▢ 4 cloves garlic - minced
▢ 2 tablespoon ginger - fresh, minced
▢ 5.5 cups low sodium chicken broth - or vegetable broth for vegan
▢ 2 whole star anise
▢ 2 tablespoon soy sauce - or Tamari for a Gluten Free option
▢ 10 oz crimini mushrooms - sliced
▢ 6 oz rice noodles
▢ 1.5 heads bok choy - roughly chopped
▢ sesame seeds - for topping
▢ red pepper flakes - for topping

Instructions

Heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium-sized stockpot over medium heat.
To the oil add the diced shallots and mix well. Cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, or until the shallots turn translucent and start to soften. Stir often.
Chop the end off of each green onion- dividing the white part from the green part. Chop and set aside the green part for topping. Meanwhile, finely chop the white part of each green onion.
Add the white part of the green onions, minced garlic, and ginger to the shallots and mix. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1-2 minutes or until garlic and ginger is fragrant.
Carefully pour the chicken stock or water (or mix) into the pot and bring to a simmer. To the pot add the star anise and soy sauce. Cover and continue to simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove lid from the pot and carefully remove and discard each star anise from the soup.
Add the sliced mushrooms, uncooked noodles, and bok choy to the pot and simmer for 5-8 minutes, or until noodles and bok choy are tender. Season to taste.
Divide soup between bowls and garnish with sesame seeds, the green parts of green onions and red pepper flakes (if desired).

Video

Jessica's Notes

Not everyone loves the taste of star anise. However, I find that it plays a crucial role in the flavor of the broth. That said, if you hate it or don't have any on hand, I have found cinnamon sticks to be a good substitute.
Need a little protein? Don't be shy about adding some chopped chicken or shrimp to the soup approximately 5 minutes before serving (assuming the chicken has been previously cooked).
For a lower sodium diet, you can substitutelow sodium soy sauce, and/or substituteunsalted chicken broth.
Garnish with Cilantro optional.

*Updated September 14, 2018* Updated to use low-sodium chicken broth in place of regular chicken broth. If you like saltier foods, use regular chicken broth instead.

Nutritional Information

(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)

Keyword bok choy soup, ramen noodle soup recipe, Soup with Bok Choy

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Ginger Garlic Noodle Soup with Bok Choy (Bok Choy Soup) (2024)

FAQs

What part of bok choy do you eat in soup? ›

The cool thing is that both the leaves and the stalks can be eaten, and this wonderful little plant is an excellent go-to for fiber, as well as for beta-carotene and vitamins C, K and A. It's also a good source for calcium and vitamin B6. Bok choy can vary in flavor, size and color.

Learn More ›

How to use bok choy in ramen? ›

Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Add the bok choy and ramen noodles along with the reserved ramen flavor packet. Cover and cook, stirring halfway through, until the boy choy is wilted and the noodles are tender, about 4 minutes.

Read On ›

Can I cook rice noodles in broth? ›

If you're making a soup, you can cook the noodles directly in the broth. Add them just before serving and monitor closely to make sure they don't over-cook. Even with a bit of sesame oil, the noodles still tend to clump up after you drain them.

Read On ›

Should you blanch bok choy? ›

It can be eaten raw or cooked with a slight difference in taste and texture. Generally, bok choy has a mild flavor. It is sweet with a bit of bitterness and mustard-like taste. Uncooked bok choy stems are crunchy like celery, whereas blanched bok choy should be tender with delicate leaves.

Get More Info ›

Is it okay to eat bok choy every day? ›

A meta-analysis and review of research in the journal Food Chemistry found that eating 100 grams of cruciferous vegetables, such as bok choy, every day was associated with a 10% reduction in the risk of death from any cause. (100 grams of cooked bok choy is a little more than a half-cup.)

Know More ›

What part of bok choy do you not eat? ›

All of Bok Choy is edible, so once you get to that point, you can chop up the stem and the bulb. If you want to keep the whole bok choy intact, we recommend using your fingers and opening the stalks so the water can reach it.

Should I soak bok choy before cooking? ›

The simplest way to prep bok choy is to cut it in half lengthwise and submerge it in cold water for a few minutes. This will soften the dirt and allow you to remove it easily. Drain the water, check for dirt between the stalks, and run each half of bok choy under cold water.

Keep Reading ›

Is it better to steam or boil bok choy? ›

The best way to eat bok choy is to lightly steam or stir-fry it to retain its crisp texture. Overcooking makes it mushy. Bok choy has a delicious, mild flavor that pairs well with garlic, ginger, sesame oil, oyster sauce, soy sauce, chiles, or Whole30 peanut sauce.

Get More Info Here ›

Should noodles be cooked before adding to soup? ›

→ Follow this tip: Adding noodles to the soup should be the very last thing you do before taking the pot off the heat. Wait until the soup is just about finished, mix in the noodles, and simmer until the noodles are about halfway cooked.

Read The Full Story ›

Can you add uncooked rice noodles to soup? ›

Can you put rice noodles straight into soup? Yes, you can cook the noodles directly in the soup if you plan on making the stovetop version. They only take a few minutes to become soft and tender.

Tell Me More ›

Are rice noodles healthier than pasta? ›

Not just vitamin-enriched but even plain pasta has a lot more B-complex vitamins like riboflavin, thiamin, niacin, and folate than rice noodles. However, compared to regular pasta, rice noodles do have one advantage. It's their gluten-free composition.