My kids love Chinese Noodle Soup (AKA: Kung Fu Panda Soup) & I love that it’s ready in less than 30 minutes! A perfectly healthy & frugal weeknight meal with authentic Asian flavors. Serve with my Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli.
I love soup. Love, love, LOVE soup.
My family, on the other hand… not so much.
To them, there’s no difference between Potato & Corn Chowder and Minestrone. Other than the noodles, of course.
“It’s just soup,” they tell me. Bleh.
And they much prefer to have the same soup over and over again. They’ll take Tomato Basil Soup ANY day of the week. In fact, once when I was sick, Mr. Crumbs and the kids made dinner for me.
We had Tomato Basil Soup and grilled cheese (made with Man Bread, of course) for a whole week! I’m still not sure if I’m ready to have tomato soup again…
Personally, I like variety. My inner adventurous eater NEEDS variety.
I’m talking about BOLD flavors so it doesn’t feel like I’m eating a bowl of boring vegetables in chicken stock.
Which is fine every now and then, but not every week.
Tortilla Soup is a good example of what I’m talking about. It’s spicy and filling all on its own, but when you add sour cream, cheese, crushed tortilla chips and cilantro (which, you really should add ALL of them), it’s a big bowl of hearty deliciousness that I can’t help but have seconds of.
That’s what Kung Fu Panda Soup is. Something bold, different and definitely not like most other soups on our menu.
I know your family will love it as much as mine does!
Quick & Easy Chinese Noodle Soup
Not only will the whole family love this recipe, it’s also great because it’s:
- Quick & Easy. Between your prep time and cook time, you will have dinner on the table in 30 minutes!
- Healthy. Using only real food ingredients, this soup is much healthier than store-bought soups.
- Authentic Asian flavors. Between the sesame oil, soy sauce, mushrooms, cabbage, garlic and ginger, this recipe tastes deliciously authentic. YUM!
Ingredients for Chinese Noodle Soup
- water
- soy sauce or liquid aminos
- sesame oil
- crushed red pepper flakes
- sugar ( I use coconut sugar or honey)
- fresh ginger + onion + garlic
- carrot + celery
- fettuccine or spaghetti noodles
- green cabbage + mushrooms
- lime
- green onions + cilantro (optional)
- salt & pepper, to taste
Notes on Chinese Soup Ingredients:
- Dark soy sauce can be used in this recipe, if that is what you have on hand. It’s more concentrated than lighter soy sauce, so start with a little less. You can always add more later.
- For gluten free soup, sub in rice noodles rather than pasta noodles. Also be sure to choose gluten free soy sauce or liquid aminos.
- Some people like to add oyster sauce to Chinese noodle soup recipes. I didn’t for this recipe, but you can always try it to add another level of richness.
- Fresh ginger really shines in this recipe, but dried can work if you’re absolutely in a pinch. Use 1-2 teaspoons, to taste. (One trick to keep fresh ginger readily available is to freeze it! Find out how in this tutorial.)
Can I omit the sugar in Chinese Noodle soup?
I’ve made this recipe with both coconut sugar and honey and didn’t have a preference either way. Feel free to use either one!
Can I use chicken broth instead of water in Chinese Soup?
I first made this recipe with homemade chicken stock and then tried it again with water. I thought the flavor of the stock was overpowering in the soup, so I preferred the water instead.
A mild vegetable stock might work okay, but I recommend trying it with just water the first time so you can gauge the intended flavor of the soup.
How to Make Chinese Noodle Soup (AKA: Kung Fu Panda Soup)
- In a large pot, bring 8 cups water + 4 Tbsp soy sauce + ½ tsp sesame oil + 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes + 2 tsp sugar + 1 clove ginger to a boil. (If your family likes it spicy, add the remaining 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes.)
- Meanwhile, start preparing the vegetables and add them to the soup in the order listed.
- The soup is done when the noodles are cooked through, about 10-15 minutes.
- Serve with optional lime wedge, green onion, cilantro, salt and pepper.
Is Chinese Soup Cheap to Make?
Yes! This noodle soup recipe is super affordable. Why?
The answer is easy: because we’re using seasonal produce. Cabbage is super cheap in the winter, and staple veggies like onions, carrots, celery and mushrooms are affordable year-round. As you can see, eating seasonal really does save money!
Can I use leftover spaghetti for Chinese Noodle Soup?
Yes! Please use your leftover spaghetti or fettuccine from another recipe on your meal plan. Perhaps you made Slow Cooker Hearty Spaghetti the day before? If you made extra pasta, use it!
Additional Chinese Soup Recipe Tips
Remember, you can plan an extra batch of pasta on your meal plan, just so you’ll have it ready for your Chinese soup recipe!
Also, since you probably can’t buy just 2 ounces of mushrooms, I recommend pairing this soup with Autumn Rice Pilaf on your meal plan. If you still have some left, make risotto and add mushrooms, or caramelize them with onions for a simple chicken cheesesteak sandwich!
What to Serve with Chinese Noodle Soup?
- Beef and Broccoli
- Instant Pot Korean Beef
- 30 Minute Cashew Chicken
- Weeknight Vegetable Stir Fry
- 15 Minute Kung Pao Chicken
More Quick & Easy Soup Recipes
- Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
- Curried Butternut Squash Soup
- Homemade Cream of Celery Soup
- Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup
Dinner on a Dime
Subscribe to my newsletter and get instant access to “Dinner on a Dime”: 15+ family-friendly and kid-approved recipes that are quick, cheap and healthy!Chinese Noodle Soup (Kung Fu Panda Soup)
My kids love Chinese Noodle Soup (AKA: Kung Fu Panda Soup) & I love that it’s ready in less than 30 minutes! A perfectly healthy & frugal weeknight meal with authentic Asian flavors. Serve with my Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 1x
- Category: Soup & Salad
- Method: Stove top
- Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients
- 8 cups water
- 4 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 1/8 – 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 tsp sugar (coconut sugar or honey)
- 1” fresh ginger, minced
- 1/2 onion, any color, sliced thin
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 large carrot, sliced thinly
- 1 rib celery, sliced thinly
- 4 oz fettuccine or spaghetti noodles, broken into 2” pieces
- 1/4 head green cabbage, shredded
- 2 oz mushrooms, sliced thinly
- 1 lime, cut into wedges (optional)
- 4 green onions, green parts sliced (optional)
- 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped (optional)
- salt & pepper, to taste (optional)
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring 8 cups water + 4 Tbsp soy sauce + ½ tsp sesame oil + 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes + 2 tsp sugar + 1 clove ginger to a boil. (If your family likes it spicy, add the remaining 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes.)
- Meanwhile, start preparing the vegetables and add them to the soup in the order listed. (Tip: I slice/shred as the broth comes to a boil and just add each ingredient in as it’s ready.)
- The soup is done when the noodles are cooked through, about 10-15 minutes.
- Serve with optional lime wedge, green onion, cilantro, salt and pepper.
Keywords: Kung Fu Panda Soup
This looks tasty, but I’m trying to wrap my mind around this as a main course dish for dinner for 4-6 people. One carrot, one celery stick, 4 ounces of noodles, 2 ounces of mushrooms, and a quarter head of cabbage… and lots of water? We have vegetarian meals around here, but they are much more substantial.
In the ingredient list you said 1/8 – 1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes but in directions you said to put in 1/4 tsp of the flakes and to add the other 1/4 tsp if your family likes it spicy. 1/4 + 1/4 = 1/2. Did you mean to say we should start with 1/8 tsp and add the other 1/8 tsp for a total of 1/4 tsp? I just don’t want to make the end result too spicy for my kids.
You are correct Heather, start with 1/8 tsp. I’ll go fix the recipe now – thanks for catching this!
Made this tonight. I used brown rice noodles instead of the fettuccine. YUMMY! My “mushroom hater” ate it up. Thanks for the recipe! I will make this again.
My favorite soup is “must go” minnestrone. I use leftover spaghetti sauce (with or without meat, depending on what “must go” ) and homemade stock, usually chicken bone broth but beef or vegetable are good too. Then I add whatever vegetables I have on hand. Always celery, onion, carrot but after that it depends. I’ve used both summer and winter squash, sweet pepper, cabbage, cauliflower, corn, beans, peas, whatever is in the fridge. I’ve even used frozen mixed vegetables when I’m desperate. Cooked or canned white beans are an option, as is pasta of some kind and rice. Sometimes extra Italian spices help to add flavor. A little garlic never hurts either.
Sandy – I like how you start with leftover spaghetti sauce in the soup rather than adding tomatoes to stock. It’s essentially the same thing anyway, right? Your mix/match recipe sounds a lot like mine. Thank you for the tip on the spaghetti sauce!!
Yum – I’m definitely making this!
Let me know how it turns out Amy!
This sounds really good, I think I’ll try it on our Asian night later this week. Thanks for the simple recipe!
You’re welcome Lisa!
The 1/2 onion–is that just to flavor the broth? Should it be put in whole or sliced, diced…? I am making this right now! It is like lo mein in soup form.
Jodi – I like it sliced thin. I’ll clarify the instructions!
I really like the fact that you try things with honey. I can no longer eat refined sugar without it making me deathly ill. Somehow honey does not effect me the same way.
Thanks Shannon! I try to use honey as often as I can, and find that I tend to feel better when I use it too. Sometimes I admit though that the sugar is just easier for me to reach… maybe I should just move the honey pot, lol!