Chili vegetable wonton noodle soup

This fresh broth is packed full of flavour and nutrients and makes a delicious weeknight dinner when you feel like something easy and delicious. The flavour combination of chili, fresh herbs, and lime, with yummy rice noodles, packs a punch and the recipe is also gluten-free if you can get your hands on some gluten-free wontons.

Ingredients

(Serves two)

Soup Base

• 1 tbsp sesame oil

• 1 scallion or 3 spring onions chopped

• 2 cloves garlic minced

• 1 tbsp ginger, grated or finely chopped

• 100g fresh mushrooms of choice

• 6 cups vegetable broth plus additional 1 cup water or broth if needed

• 1 tbsp tamari/gluten-free soy sauce

• 2 tsp coconut sugar

• Salt and pepper

• 130g flat rice noodles

• 12 vegan wontons (gluten-free if possible) *these may also be called gyoza

Vegetables

• 1 bunch bok choy

• 1 head broccolini

Tofu

• 1 packet organic firm tofu, sliced into thin rectangles

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• Salt and pepper to taste 

To serve (optional)

• Lime

• Chili oil

• Chili flakes

• Fresh coriander or mint

• Sesame oil

Method

1. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add the sesame oil.

2. Sauté the scallions or spring onions, ginger, and garlic over medium heat for 30 seconds or until aromatic.

3. Add in the mushrooms and cook for 1-2 minutes until lightly brown.

4. Pour in 6 cups of vegetable broth. Add in the tamari/soy sauce, coconut sugar, and pepper. Cover the pot and leave to simmer over medium high heat until it boils.

5. In a large frying pan, heat olive oil or sesame oil on medium heat until hot, and add sliced tofu. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until crispy, flipping once so both sides are cooked evenly. Set aside.

6. Once the soup boils, add in the noodles. Cook until still very chewy. It's important not to overcook these so they're still chewy when the soup is added later on.

7. Remove the noodles from the soup. This is optional but you can run the noodles through cold water to stop these from cooking. Divide the noodles into two bowls. Set aside.

8. Add the vegan wontons to the soup. You may need to cook them in two batches depending on the size of your pot. Leave the wontons to cook for 1-2 minutes or until they float and the wrappers turn slightly translucent. Do not overcook the wontons since they’ll still continue to cook in the soup later on.

9. Remove the wontons from the soup and then divide them into the two bowls with the noodles.

10. Add the crispy tofu to the bowls.

11. Add the veggies to the soup, then set aside in the bowls once lightly steamed.

12. Taste the soup and feel free to add an additional cup of water or vegetable broth to thin out if the soup gets a bit salty due to the gyoza. If not, you can season it with more salt to taste. Add pepper, coconut sugar, lime, or chili to taste.

13. Once you’re happy with the flavour of the soup, turn off the heat and ladle the hot soup into the bowls of noodles and wontons.

14. Garnish the bowls with some fresh coriander or mint, then drizzle with some chili oil or sesame oil, and fresh chili and lime. Enjoy!