Brothy Miso Tofu and Vegetable Soba Bowl
Silky-firm tofu, buckwheat soba, and a tangle of napa cabbage, shiitake, and edamame in a warm ginger-miso broth. A whole lot of bowl for not a lot of calories.
Why it works
A large volume of warm, savory broth is one of the most reliable ways to raise fullness per calorie. The water dilutes energy density to roughly 0.5 kcal per gram, while the heat and the umami slow down how fast you eat. Tofu and edamame supply about 24 grams of protein for the appetite-suppressing protein-leverage effect, and the buckwheat soba, napa cabbage, and mushrooms add fiber and chewing volume that stretch satiety without pushing calories up.
Rolls and colleagues built the research on this directly: low-energy-density, water-rich meals, soups and high-volume vegetables, increase satiety and reduce how much you eat afterward.
Ingredients
- 1 block (14 oz) firm tofu, pressed and cubed
- 6 oz dry buckwheat soba noodles
- 1 cup shelled edamame
- 4 cups thinly sliced napa cabbage
- 4 oz fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 3 tbsp white miso paste
- 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or water, 1 tbsp grated ginger, 2 cloves garlic minced, 2 tsp toasted sesame oil, 2 tsp soy sauce
- 3 scallions sliced and 1 tbsp sesame seeds to finish
Method
- Cook the soba in a separate pot of boiling water for 4-5 minutes until just tender, rinse under cool water to stop the cooking, and divide among three bowls.
- In a large pot, warm the sesame oil, then soften the ginger and garlic for 1 minute; add the broth and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Add the shiitake and edamame and simmer 5 minutes, then add the napa cabbage and tofu and simmer 3-4 minutes more until the cabbage wilts.
- Ladle out about 1/2 cup of the hot broth into a small bowl, whisk in the miso until smooth, then stir it back into the pot; add soy sauce and do not boil after adding miso.
- Ladle the tofu, vegetables and broth over the soba, and finish each bowl with scallions and sesame seeds.
