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 enjoy Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup, Kimchi Ramen Noodle Soup, or this fast and healthy 10 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 (learn how to make bone broth here!). The broth in this Bok Choy Soup? Twenty minutes, my friends. Thirty minutes tops.
- It tastes a lot like Phở. 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 loves all 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 the Illicium verum plant. Shaped like a star, star anise has six to eight points, each containing a single seed.
This Ginger 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,
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 cook super 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
“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 more bok choy recipes check 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 more soup recipes check 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 this Bok Choy Soup Recipe, 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
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 substitute low sodium soy sauce, and/or substitute unsalted chicken broth.
- Garnish with Cilantro optional.
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
Pat says
Very well done soup recipe, with easy to source ingredients.
Pamela says
I just made this with a few minor substitutions based on what I had on hand and YUM! I ladled the broth onto brown rice noodles in my bowl and then when they had softened up I ladled on the bok choy and mushrooms. I can see where this recipe would work for a variety of vegetables. I’m definitely going to riff on it again.
Kitty says
This has become our absolutely favourite soup – I think I have sent it to at least a dozen people. I use buckwheat noodles in it. Excellent flavour, easy to do … DO NOT skip the star anise!!
Megan says
I made this recipe yesterday and it was really good! I added cilantro and lime juice and Sriracha sauce. I will definitely make again. Will probably add carrots and perhaps some other veggies.
Jade says
This soup is fantastic! I’ve made it many times with different additions and it’s always great. I’ve made it with kale instead of Bok Choy and added sliced tofu. I never have shallots on hand so I don’t add them. I usually use 5 cups of broth and two cups of water (I like it with lots of broth). I also like to add a little sesame oil in the bowl before serving. I agree that the star anise doesn’t make it taste like licorice but adds loads of flavour. This is a go to for me now! Thanks for sharing!
Louise says
Delicious, easy and so versatile!
Artemisia says
Just made this–it came out great! This one is a keeper! The broth is really tasty, and also versatile. It could be easily tweaked to different moods; it’s already excellent. I love ginger, so I added extra ginger. I also had partial beef broth, so that went in. It’s very adaptable! The lingering star anise comes through on the finish–really lovely.
The only thing I did slightly differently was sauté the mushrooms first–I did them separately and then added them back in towards the last simmer. You could probably sauté them the same pot too before adding liquid. Sautéed mushrooms have better texture and flavor, but that’s just my take.
If you are planning on making enough for leftovers, definitely cook the rice noodles separately and portion them into your bowl, then ladle the broth over. If they go in the big pot, the noodles that sit in broth overnight will get mushy.
This recipe is a big win–definitely filing this with recipes to make again! Thank you!
Liz says
This is a weekly recipe in my abode. I add spinach, use homemade bone broth, substitute liquid aminos for soy sauce and this week I had some yellow squash to burn thru (so in it all went!) Delish.
Jessica Randhawa says
That sounds like a good combo Liz, thanks for the kind comment 🙂
Elis says
This soup is amazing! I added extra firm tofu and genmai miso and it taste delicous.
JO says
very delicious meal – it will definitely be a repeat
Ella says
I loved this soup! It’s the perfect healthy comfort food and so easy to make! We added tofu and used shitake mushrooms and some sesame oil which was really tasty. We’re making it again tonight for the second time in a week 🙂
Sheila says
Loved the soup broth was excellent taste, note to self .. dont add a extra pack of noodles lol or Just add separate then broth mix over top. But very very good. Definitely making this again. One of my favorites so far.
Thank you
Jessica Randhawa says
Thanks for the kind comment Sheila 🙂
Laly says
I love this soup, I have made it since I first saw this recipe, dozens of times. I use vegetable broth instead of chicken since I am a vegan. I have also used different types of mushrooms. Yummy!!
Marbella says
I did the recipe and it was delicious!!!! The whole family love it. For sure is a keeper.
Thank you for sharing this amazing and easy recipe.
Jessica Randhawa says
Thanks for the delicious feedback Marbella 🙂
Kay says
Overall it was pretty easy to make. Broth could have used more flavor in my opinion, so i added a lot more cayenne for spiciness. But easy to follow recipe. I admire that there is a video.
Daver says
I’ve made this soup several times now and I really do like it. The broth has such a good flavor. In my opinion this is 4 large servings rather than 2. I find with 6 oz of noodles you really need to have 2 additional cups of broth or the soup is mostly very flavorful noodles with little broth. This last time I made it I could not find baby bok choy so I used napa cabbage instead and it worked great as a substitute. I also used morel mushrooms and they gave a wonderful qdded flavor. Next time I’m going to try shiitake mushrooms.