There’s something grounding about making a meal with what’s in season—whether from your garden, the woods, or the back of your fridge. This simple noodle bowl came together with homemade vegetable stock made with a generous amount of leek greens, plus a mix of wild and cultivated spring greens: mustard, lambsquarters, violet, and sochan. It’s nourishing, full of texture, and ready in one pot.
The greens wilt beautifully in the hot broth—no need for separate cooking if they’re still young and tender. And for the flavor base, I went with a warming miso-ginger finish that felt just right: a little savory, a little bright, and deeply comforting.
Ingredients:
- 4 cups homemade vegetable stock with leek greens
- ½ cup cooked French lentils
- ½ cup cooked mixed quinoa
- 1 cup chopped mustard greens
- 1 cup chopped lambsquarters
- ½ cup chopped violet leaves
- ½ cup chopped sochan leaves (if harvested before May 25)
- 1 cup dry rice noodles (thin or medium-width)
- 1 green onion, thinly sliced
- ½ tsp freshly grated ginger (or more, to taste)
- 1–2 tsp mellow white or chickpea miso
- Optional: lemon wedge or extra green onion to garnish
Instructions:
- In a medium pot, bring the leek-rich vegetable stock to a gentle boil.
- Add the dry rice noodles and cook according to package instructions (usually 4–5 minutes). Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- When the noodles are nearly done, stir in the cooked lentils, quinoa, and grated ginger. Simmer 1–2 minutes to warm everything through and mellow the ginger.
- Stir in the mustard greens, lambsquarters, violet leaves, and sochan. Simmer for 1–2 minutes more—just until the greens are wilted and vibrant. (If the sochan is older than late May, cook it separately or blanch first.)
- Turn off the heat. In a ladle or small bowl, mix the miso with a bit of the hot broth until smooth, then stir it back into the pot.
- Taste and adjust if needed. Serve hot, garnished with sliced green onion or a squeeze of lemon.
Notes:
- The leek greens in the stock add a buttery depth that gives this simple bowl real richness.
- If you don’t have sochan or violet leaves, feel free to double up on lambsquarters or mustard greens.
- The ginger is gently simmered, not raw—adding warmth without overpowering the broth.
- This recipe is fully WFPBNO—no oil, no dairy, just real ingredients layered with care.