Udon Noodle Soup with Soft Eggs and Greens
Thanks to Safest Choice Eggs for sponsoring this post
Last week nearly a quarter of the kids in my daughter’s grade were out sick. According to newspaper headlines, this year may be the worst cold season in decades. And reports are floating about that the flu vaccine this year may not be as effective as one would hope. So where does that leave us parents with kiddos down for the count? Beyond delivering cups of tea, perching bedside, and administering meds, what’s a mom to do? Here’s what: Make this udon noodle soup with soft eggs and lovely greens.
An Udon Noodle Soup that Heals
We know that soup heals. Research shows that chicken soup is an anti-inflammatory, can help relieve congestion, and prevent dehydration, a common side effect of feeling crummy. I’d argue that if chicken noodle soup heals, why not Udon Noodle Soup with Soft Eggs and Collards? It’s a flavorful elixir that’s packed with all manner of “get better” potential:
Garlic
-known for its antibacterial properties and prized by Native Americans as a cough and cold remedy.
Onions
-rich in flavonoids and antixoidants, thought to ward off viruses.
Ginger
– long used as a treatment for nausea and other GI distress.
Chicken Broth
– hydrating, with the potential to prevent dehydration.
Egg
– cooked soft, so that it’s easy to get down, while delivering protein and nourishment. Since we’re talking about making soup for someone who is sick, or for little ones, consider opting for pasteurized eggs here, such as Safest Choice.
Sriracha
– That’s right, Thai chili sauce, which adds just enough heat to the mix that it may do some good for stuffy sinuses.
So go gather all of the goodies in this recipe, and make soup. It won’t take you much time and when you’re done you’ll have a beautiful bowl of delicious comfort. Feed it to your family when they’re under the weather, or better yet, when they’re wonderfully well.
If you like Udon Noodle Soup with Soft Eggs, check out these other cozy brews:
Instant Pot Rice and Vegetable Soup
Udon Noodle Soup with Soft Egg and Greens
A flavorful comforting Asian noodle soup crowned with a soft egg. Delicious and nourishing. Adjust the number of eggs depending on the size of the appetites at your table.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2- inch piece fresh ginger, finely chopped (2 heaping tablespoons)
- 1/3 pound ground pork
- 6 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce
- 2 star anise (this soup will survive if you don't have it, but it does add lovely flavor)
- 12 ounces cooked udon noodles (sold in packages in the refrigerated section of the market along with other asian specialties. Weights per package vary by brand)
- 3 large handfuls roughly chopped, stemmed collards or other leafy greens
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more if needed
- 2 to 4 eggs
- 2 scallions white and light green parts, thinly sliced
Instructions
-
Set a medium to large pot over medium heat and add the olive oil, swirling to coat the bottom. Add the onion and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.
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Add the garlic, ginger, and pork and cook, stirring regularly to break up the pork into crumbly pieces until cooked through.
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Add the chicken broth, fish sauce, sriracha (adjust amount based on tolerance to spiciness), star anise, and salt. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil, then drop heat so it simmers. Simmer gently for about 8 minutes until the ginger, garlic, and pork lightly season the broth. Taste and add more salt and more sriracha, if needed
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While the soup simmers, soft cook the eggs (instructions under Notes below).
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Once the soup has simmered, add the noodles and collard greens and cook until the noodles break apart and the collards are tender, and are warmed through, 3 to 4 minutes.
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When the eggs are cooked and cool enough to handle, peel them and cut in half.
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Ladle soup into bowls and top each one with 1 or 2 egg halves. Scatter scallions on top and serve immediately, with sriracha on the side.
Recipe Notes
To cook the eggs, start by filling a small pot with 1/2 inch of water. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring the water to a full boil. Quickly (though gently) set eggs (straight from the fridge) in the pot, add the lid, and immediately set a timer for 6 1/2 minutes. As soon as the timer rings, put pot into the sink and run cold water over the eggs for 30 seconds to stop the cooking.
Reference: The Essential Guide to Healthy Healing Foods, by Victoria Shanta Retelny, RD, LDN (Alpha, 2011)
Comments
01.21.2015 at9:15 AM #
Sarah
Sick or not, I would LOVE someone to make a bowl of this for me – ha! Noodle soups make for great cold weather comfort food, and this sounds like it would really hit the spot. Plus that soft boiled egg – yum!
01.21.2015 at9:15 AM #
Katie Morford
What’s hard about being the cook in the house is that there isn’t someone to make this for ME when I’m sick!
01.21.2015 at9:41 AM #
Allie
This looks so delicious. Warm,comforting and healthy and perfect for the winter
01.21.2015 at9:41 AM #
Katie Morford
It really is a perfect winter meal and manages to not feel heavy like many winter stews and soups.
01.21.2015 at11:04 AM #
Leslie
This looks great. We’re largely vegetarian here – would it be as tasty without the pork and fish sauce?
01.21.2015 at11:04 AM #
Katie Morford
If I were to make this vegetarian, I’d probably add firm tofu, cut into smallish cubes. I’d add it at the end. You could try soy sauce in place of fish sauce, but will have to experiment with how much. Maybe a little roughly chopped cilantro along with the scallions for extra flavor? Let me know if you make it. I bet it would be good.
01.21.2015 at4:03 PM #
tracy
oh my goodness WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SOUP!!! That egg is gorgeous and you’ve reminded me that I need to bring more Udon noodles into my life. I know Cooper would appreciate that.
01.21.2015 at4:03 PM #
Katie Morford
Thank you Shutterbean! And yes, Cooper needs udon in his life.
01.21.2015 at10:02 PM #
genevieve @ gratitude & greens
Mmm, udon is one of my favourite comfort foods!
01.21.2015 at10:02 PM #
Katie Morford
Me too! By the way, your blog is beautiful. Pinned those sea salt brownies!
01.25.2015 at6:52 PM #
Rebecca Bunting
I made this for dinner tonight, and it is DELICIOUS. Since I’m a Celiac, and Udon noodles contain wheat, I made half a recipe of my gluten free pasta dough and rolled it into fettuccini sized strips and dropped them into the simmering soup. Thank you for making an Asian treat so straight forward and simple, I will definitely make this on a regular basis this winter! Yum!!!
01.25.2015 at6:52 PM #
Katie Morford
Wonderful…and so glad you were able to adapt it. Homemade noodles sound delicious. Thanks for sharing.
01.26.2015 at9:21 AM #
Jessica @ Nutritioulicious
I love soup and this udon soup looks right up my alley! Love the addition of a soft-boiled egg too!
01.26.2015 at9:06 PM #
Dana
I just want to slurp up all the noodles! Looks so delicious and I love the addition of fish sauce to add that tangy/savory flavor!
02.03.2015 at5:43 PM #
Kasey
That egg!! It’s cooked to perfection. Soup is my comfort food and I can’t think of a better combo than udon + greens + and a perfect runny egg.
02.03.2015 at5:43 PM #
Katie Morford
Thanks Kasey. It is comfort in a bowl. Nothing like a soft egg
02.10.2015 at9:20 PM #
Kristen
This was a big hit especially for my kid with a cold…couldn’t find the udon so made it with Chinese style noodles sold at Mollie Stone’s. Udon would be better as these noodles were a little gummy, but the flavors were just right. The egg…perfect! Will make again, but will look harder for the precooked udon.
02.10.2015 at9:20 PM #
Katie Morford
Oh good…glad you liked it. Sorry you couldn’t find the udon. I’ve bought it at Whole Foods and Safeway in the past, if that’s any help.
02.27.2017 at8:41 PM #
Travis Haggart
Hi. 6 1/2 minutes does not cook an egg any where in America. A hard boiled egg takes ten minutes. I was disappointed as I was going to serve that the eggs that the hard boiled eggs were anything but. Beyond a yolk. Everything else was still stuck to the shell. This left what should have been a done meal in an out of order mess.
Please cook eggs for ten minutes as Betty Crocker suggests in her cook book from years ago.
12.09.2019 at6:13 PM #
Robin
I just made this soup tonight, and it was delicious! I took your suggestions for a vegetarian version, and it worked out perfectly: vegetable broth, a little pour of soy sauce instead of fish sauce, added some finely chopped tofu at the end, and garnished with cilantro along with the scallions.
Also, in case others find themselves in the same boat, I could only find uncooked udon at my grocery store, so I threw them in for about 8 minutes while the broth was on a high simmer. And I forgot to get collards, so I used some frozen spinach I had.
And don’t skip the soft boiled egg! It’s a perfect addition! Thanks, Katie!
12.09.2019 at6:13 PM #
Katie Morford
Hi Robin, thanks for all that good feedback about the recipe! I appreciate the input about the noodles. I know that supermarkets do vary depending on where you live!
02.07.2022 at7:04 AM #
Laura
Katie, what about making this gluten free?
02.07.2022 at7:04 AM #
Katie Morford
You could use any GF Noodles you like…maybe a rice noodle, for example.