Soba Noodles with Asparagus, Miso Butter and Egg
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You can never have too many lightning-fast noodle recipes in your back pocket. They’re comforting, beginner-friendly and dependent on pantry staples. Such is the case with these soba noodles with asparagus, miso butter and egg from Christopher Kimball’s new cookbook, Milk Street: Noodles.
Soba noodles—which get their nutty, earthy flavor from buckwheat—are just the match for funky miso, grassy asparagus and revitalizing ginger. Salted butter rounds out the intensity and imparts just enough decadence.
Most soba noodles cook in about four minutes but be sure to check the package instructions in case your brand of choice takes longer. As for the veg, splitting the asparagus at the thick end will help it cook evenly. “We separate the tender tips from the sturdier stalks,” explains Kimball. “Toss the stalks, cut into pieces, into the noodle cooking water first, and a minute later add the tips.”
Excerpted from Milk Street: Noodles by Christopher Kimball. Copyright © 2023 by CPK Media, LL. Photography Credits: Connie Miller of CB Creatives. Behind the Scenes photography by Gabriella Rinaldo. Used with permission of Voracious, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company. New York, NY. All rights reserved.
Ingredients
1 pound asparagus, trimmed
⅓ cup white miso
4 tablespoons salted butter, at room temperature
1½ tablespoons ginger, finely grated
12 ounces soba noodles
3 scallions, finely chopped, plus more for serving
4 fried eggs (see note)
Shichimi togarashi, for serving (optional)
Lemon wedges, for serving
Directions
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, snap or cut off the tender tips of the asparagus and set aside. Slice the stalks on the diagonal into ½-inch pieces and set aside separately. In a large bowl, combine the miso, butter and ginger, then mash and stir until well combined.
2. Add the noodles to the boiling water and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the asparagus stalks and cook for 1 minute more. Add the tips and cook, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender and all of the asparagus is tender-crisp, about 2 minutes. Reserve ½ cup cooking water, then drain.
3. Add the soba-asparagus mixture and the chopped scallions to the miso-butter mixture. Using tongs, toss until the butter is melted and the noodles are well coated. Add the reserved cooking water as needed so the mixture is lightly creamy.
4. Divide the noodles evenly among four serving bowls and top each with a fried egg. Sprinkle with sliced scallions and shichimi togarashi (if using) and serve with lemon wedges.
Note: While the soba cooks, heat the skillet, then fry the eggs while tossing the noodles with the miso butter.
535 calories
19g fat
76g carbs
23g protein
4g sugars