This is a satisfyingly simple Bok Choy and Mushroom Soup that highlights the delicate flavor of Bok choy. Perfect for lunch, or a quick weeknight dinner! This soup has a wonderfully aromatic broth and meaty mushrooms that make it hearty and filling. Make it a whole meal by adding a block of chopped tofu or about 12 ounces of chopped chicken breast.
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Bok choy and mushroom soup is perfect for Springtime, when you're looking for something lighter. And Bok choy is Spring produce, despite being available year round now.
This soup pairs well with stir fry dishes. Try it with this Simple Stir Fry recipe.
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Heart Health Benefits of Bok Choy Mushroom Soup
We already know there is a dose-response relationship between fruit and vegetable intake, and cardiovascular disease risk (1). That means that as we eat more servings of fruits and vegetables, our risk of heart disease decreases. Different fruits and vegetables have slightly different effects, and that's why it's important to consume a variety of produce, and not just one or two different types.
Nutritionally speaking, Bok choy has many of the same cancer busting benefits of vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts, as it is in the same family. It’s not usually a vegetable that comes to mind when we think of cruciferous vegetables! Bok choy is about 95% water, making it incredibly low calorie - 1 cup contains only 12 calories!
But it’s also helpful in managing blood pressure: Bok choy is an excellent source of potassium (which most of us don’t get enough of!), and vitamin A, and a good source of vitamin C and folic acid. It also contains some iron and calcium, making it a great addition for older people, or those who don’t consume dairy.
A bonus: Bok choy contains lower levels of oxalic acid than other greens like spinach, which makes its calcium and iron more easily absorbed!
Mushrooms, on the other hand, are high in β-glucans, a type of soluble fiber found in the cell walls of bacteria, fungi, yeast, and some plants. It has shown the potential to reduce cholesterol, triglycerides, hypertension, and obesity (2, 3). You may have also heard of β-glucan with regard to oats - a good source of this fiber as well.
A note: this Bok choy vegetable soup is a little higher on the sodium side, so make sure to take that into account when making other food choices for the day.
Ingredients
This Bok choy soup recipe is easy, and uses commonly available ingredients. Bok choy can be found in the refrigerated produce section, and miso paste can usually be found in the same refrigerated section you find tofu.
- Homemade vegetable stock
- Fresh ginger
- Cinnamon stick
- Low sodium soy sauce
- Button mushrooms
- Bok choy
- Green onions
- Miso paste
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
You will love how easy this vegan Bok choy soup is to make. Here's how!
- Combine the vegetable stock, sliced ginger, cinnamon stick, and soy sauce in a pot, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Slice the mushrooms.
- Slice the white part of the green onions.
- Chop the Bok choy into pieces no bigger than the mushroom slices.
- Remove the cinnamon stick and ginger slices from the broth with a slotted spoon.
- Add the sliced and chopped vegetables to the broth, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Measure the miso paste into a bowl, and ladle a little of the broth from the pot over it.
- Whisk until the miso and broth are fully combined.
- Pour into the soup.
- Stir to combine.
Hint: turn off the heat, and make sure the soup isn't boiling any longer, before adding the miso paste to preserve the probiotic benefits of the miso!
Substitutions
- Bok choy - use any type of Chinese cabbage you can find at the store (but not regular green or purple cabbage). You could also use celery in place of the white stems, and spinach in place of the greens in a pinch.
- Mushrooms - use any combo of mushroom types
- Miso - use white, red, or yellow miso paste - whatever you can get
To make the soup lower sodium, use only half the amount of low sodium soy sauce - that is the source of the majority of the sodium here.
Variations
- Spicy - add chili pepper flakes, or sliced hot peppers of your choice, while cooking
- High protein - make this a meal by adding a block of chopped tofu or 12 ounces of cooked chicken to the pot
Equipment
You need some basic equipment to make Bok choy and mushroom soup:
- Soup pot with lid and spoon to stir
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Liquid measure
- Cutting board and knife
- Small bowl and whisk
Affiliate links are in the recipe card if you need some new equipment!
Storage
Store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to three days. The Bok choy will start to break down after that.
This is not freezer friendly.
Pro tip
If you already have regular soy sauce, avoid wasting money by diluting it with ⅓ to ½ water. Buy low sodium moving forward. Once you get used to the taste of low sodium, you can start diluting that with ¼ or more water for even lower sodium if you need.
FAQ
Bok choy is just one of about 33 varieties of Chinese cabbage, belonging to the cruciferous vegetable family. It first came to the United States around the end of the 19th century by Chinese prospectors during the gold rush. Find it fresh in your grocery store's produce section near the other lettuce and cabbage.
Bok choy, also known as Pak-choi, looks kind of like celery and Swiss chard, but has a mild flavor that makes it perfect to complement boldly flavored foods. The white, fleshy ribs also remain crisp and crunchy when cooked, lending a nice texture to soups and stir fries.
The stems can also be used in place of celery in many recipes, and the leaves can be used in place of spinach or kale. All parts of Bok choy can be eaten raw, and is a delicious addition to salads.
Bok choy is very healthy! It is a cruciferous vegetable, and has many of the same cancer busting benefits of other cruciferous veggies. Bok choy is incredibly low calorie - only 12 calories per cup! It’s may also help manage blood pressure: as it's an excellent source of potassium and vitamin A, and a good source of vitamin C and folic acid.
I highly recommend replacing your soy sauce with low sodium soy sauce. You can dilute low sodium soy sauce further with a ratio of 1:3 water to soy sauce, or more if you need less sodium.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Bok choy and mushroom soup:
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📖 Recipe
Bok Choy and Mushroom Soup
Ingredients
- 4 cups Homemade Vegetable Stock (or low sodium vegetable stock/broth)
- 2 inch Piece of Ginger sliced
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
- 2 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
- 8 oz Button Mushrooms sliced
- 4 cups chopped Bok Choy stems and leaves
- 4 Green Onions sliced, whites and greens separated
- 2 tablespoon miso paste
- Sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Add the vegetable stock, ginger, cinnamon, and soy sauce to a large pot, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for at least 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, slice the mushrooms and white part of the green onions, and chop the Bok choy.
- Remove the spices from the broth with a slotted spoon.
- Add the mushrooms, the whites of the onions, and Bok choy to the broth. Simmer, covered, for 10-15 minutes, until mushrooms are cooked through.
- Turn off the heat.
- Measure the miso paste into a small bowl, and ladle some broth into it. Whisk until miso paste is dissolved into broth, and pour into the pot. Stir to combine.
- Garnish with sliced onion greens and sesame seeds if desired.
Nutrition
*Nutrition information is an estimate, and will change based on the brand and individual ingredients and amounts you use. This is provided for your convenience only.
Food safety
Safety is our top priority in the kitchen! Always keep these tips in mind.
- Wash hands before touching food, and after touching raw meat, your hair, face, pets, etc.
- Make sure all needed utensils and equipment are clean
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
- Always open the lid of cooking pots away from your face to avoid scalding burns
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