I’m sitting here having leftover five spice mushroom noodle soup. I’ve been so cold all morning in my office that it is perfect!

This Asian noodle soup uses Chinese five spice and my favorite fresh thin egg noodles that I get from 99 Ranch. They are really thin, but hold up really well and have a nice chewy-ness, and they freeze amazingly well, so I can buy them way ahead of time.

I used a combination of crimini and shiitake mushrooms, but any combo would work. I pick mushrooms according to price. It is amazing to me how much different shiitake mushrooms cost at different stores. At an Asian market, you can get a whole bunch of shiitake mushrooms for just a few dollars. Go somewhere like Whole foods and you’re looking at $1 per mushroom! I went to Trader Joe’s today and they were a little better at 8 mushrooms for under $3, so I got one pack and filled out the rest of the mushrooms with crimini.

On a side note, my husband, who puts peanuts in anything Asian–whether or not it goes–of course did top off this soup with peanuts 🙂

This made about three big bowls.

1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
4 ounces snow peas
3 green onions chopped
4 ounces crimini or white mushrooms
8 shiitake mushrooms
Salt
1 piece ginger minced
1-2 green chilis chopped (optional)
6 cups water
2 tablespoons Better than Bouillon Mushroom Base
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon more sesame oil
1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice
1 teaspoon sugar
6 ounces tofu cubed
Juice from a lime
8 ounces fresh thin egg noodles (1/2 package)

1. Bring a lot of water to a boil in a medium stock pan for the noodles.
2. In another sauce pan, heat sesame oil and throw in the snow peas, white parts of the green onions, mushrooms, and a little salt and saute for a few minutes.
3. Add ginger, green chilis, water, mushroom base, soy sauce, sesame oil, Chinese 5 spice, and sugar, and cook for a few minutes.
4. Add tofu and heat through.
5. Squeeze in some lime.
6. Throw the noodles into the boiling water for a few seconds (if they were frozen, use tongs to untangle the noodles, once they are all spread out, they are done).
7. Add noodles to soup, top with the green part of the green onions and serve.