What’s For Dinner Tonight? Vegetable Ramen Meatball Soup

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Somewhere I heard that there is a restaurant in Old China Town in NYC that just serves Ramen Noodles in soup. It seems that this Ramen noodle soup is so delicious and popular that there are lines around the block just for a table at this tiny restaurant. I guess they know my secret -there is just something so satisfying about slurping down those long never ending crimpy ropes of Ramen noodles.

These buck-wheat Japanese noodles are traditionally served in a Miso soup with all sorts of added vegetables or meat. Making Ramen noodles is a true art, and not many people outside of the Asian culture actually attempt doing it at home. Recently I came across a great food blog, tinyurbankitchen.com, where she demonstrates how really simple it is to make once you get the hang of the technique. Something I definitely will be trying on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Fresh Ramen Noodles seem like they would be a really unique and delicious taste buds experience.

But in the meantime I am very happy to make this soup dish, with those $1 packages we all lived on  in college. This soup, which is really more like an entire meal lets me enjoy my Ramen noodle cravings and makes a great dinner for the whole family. I literally threw in what ever odds and ends vegetables I had and made some Asian inspired meatballs and dinner tonight is served – truly delicious, hearty and satisfying with every bite.

Vegetable Ramen Meatball Soup

Ingredients:

For the Meat Balls:

1 lbs. ground meat

1/2 cup panko crumbs

1 egg

1/4 cup sweet teriyaki sauce

2 tbsp. spicy brown mustard

1 tsp. cilantro

1 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. garlic

salt and pepper

For the glaze:

2 tbsp. teriyaki

1 tbsp. honey mustard

For the soup:

1 medium white onion, diced

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil

1 tsp. cilantro

1 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. dried parsley

salt and pepper

2 large cloves of garlic, diced

1/2 cup frozen peas

1 cup frozen broccoli

1/2 cup diced cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1 cup sweet corn nibblets

1 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1 package ramen noodles

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 375

For the meatballs: Throw all the ingredients together in a bowl, mix well until fully combined. Form small meatballs and lay them down on a prepared sprayed baking sheet.

Prepare glaze in a small bowl, then brush on the tops of each meatball. Bake in oven for about 20 minutes until done.

For the soup:

In a wok or pot,  get both of the oils hot and then add the onions and sauté for 3-4 minutes on medium high. Then add all the spices and mix well.

Add all the vegetables mix with spatula and cook for about 5-6 minutes.

Pour in the vegetable broth, lower the flame to medium, and cook for about 20 minutes.

When soup has come to a boil and the vegetables have been fully cooked, add the ramen noodles.

Mix well into the hot soup and remove the soup from the flames. Let soup stand for a few minutes and then add the meatballs and serve.