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Miso Soup with Scallops, Soba, and Spinach

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Makes 4 servings 1x

Time 30 minutes

In How to Cook Everything Fast, recipe directions are separated into “prep” and “cook.” Here, we’ve made that distinction with italics for prep-work and plain text for cooking. This reflects the most efficient order and timing of tasks.

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 large piece dried kelp (kombu; 4 to 6 inches long)
  • Salt
  • 1 bunch spinach (1 pound)
  • 8 ounces sea scallops
  • 1/2 cup dried bonito flakes
  • 8 ounces soba noodles
  • 1/3 cup any miso
  • Pinch of five-spice or black pepper

Instructions

  1. Put the dried kelp and 8 cups water in a large pot over medium heat. Bring another large pot of water to boil; salt it.
  2. Trim off any thick stems from the spinach and chop the leaves.
    Cut each scallop crosswise into 2 or 3 thin rounds.
  3. When the water with the kelp just starts to bubble, turn off the heat, remove the kelp (you can save it for stir-fries if you want), and stir in 1/2 cup bonito flakes. (The broth is the dashi.)
  4. When the pot of salted water comes to a boil, add 8 ounces soba noodles. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are barely tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
  5. When the noodles are ready, drain them and rinse under warm water, then return them to the pot. Add the spinach and put the raw scallop slices on top.
  6. Strain all but 1 cup of the dashi into the pot with the noodles and cover. Return the pot to high heat. Cook undisturbed until it just starts to bubble, the scallops are barely opaque at the center, and the spinach is tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
  7. Strain the remaining dashi into a small bowl. Add 1/3 cup miso and whisk until smooth.
  8. When the soup is ready, turn off the heat and stir the miso mixture into the pot.
  9. Taste and add more salt if necessary. Serve with a sprinkle of five-spice or pepper over the top.

— Recipe from How to Cook Everything Fast

Recipe variations

Miso Soup with Shrimp, Soba, and Spinach Substitute thawed peeled shrimp for the scallops. Chop them into bite-sized pieces or—slightly fancier—slice them in half lengthwise into crescents.

Miso Soup with Tofu, Soba, and Bok Choy Substitute one 12-ounce brick firm silken tofu for the scallops and bok choy (include the stems) for the spinach. When you stir in the miso mixture, break the tofu into big, irregular pieces with a large spoon.