Soba Noodle Soup with Smoked Trout and Spinach

Since my first few meals in Chicago were so meat-heavy (Longman & Eagle, Purple Pig, Courtney's meat-intense barbeque), I've been looking for lighter fare lately. I haven't quite scoped out the farmers market scene here yet, but I stocked up with what looked best at the ridiculously large Whole Foods nearby. I'm telling you, this Whole Foods is humongous. It has TWO bars, a DJ playing, a diner, and the biggest salad bar I have ever seen among other things. It is so funny to see people walking around grocery shopping with glasses of wine in their hands. This soup comes together quickly and is filling, but not heavy. As much as I poo poo mushrooms on this site, they really make an excellent broth and this simple broth has great umami flavor. Even though this recipe is so simple, it felt great to be back in the kitchen after weeks of eating out and I am looking forward to cooking up more recipes soon.


Just a few ingredients


Season the broth with soy sauce


Meanwhile cook the noodles


Toss the drained noodles with sesame oil


Divide the noodles amongst bowls


Steep the broth, spinach, trout, and onions


Serve with an egg if desired (I desired)


One year ago: Thin Mint Brownies
Two years ago: Lemon Scented Grain Salad with Asparagus, Almonds, and Feta
Three years ago: Bacon and Tomato Tart



Soba Noodle Soup with Smoked Trout and Spinach
(Adapted from The New York Times)

Makes 4 servings

*Note: the original recipe called for seasoning the broth with salt or soy sauce to taste. Since I cooked my noodles in salted water, I was very careful about how much to add, especially since you will have extra saltiness from the smoked trout

6 cups vegetable, chicken, or kombu stock
Soy sauce or salt to taste
6 ounces soba noodles
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
6 ounces baby spinach
8 ounces smoked trout fillets, skinned and cut into 4 portions
3 green onions, thinly sliced
2 hardboiled eggs, cut in half (optional)

In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer. Season with soy sauce and/or salt to taste.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot full of water to a boil. Add salt to the water and add the soba noodles. Cook for 5 minutes or until the noodles are al dente. Drain the water and toss the noodles with the sesame oil. Divide the noodles amongst 4 bowls.

Add the spinach, trout, and most of the green onions to the stock. Let the mix sit for at least three minutes. Gently ladle the soup over the noodles. Garnish each bowl with the remaining green onions and serve with a hardboiled egg if desired.

Printable Recipe