Nourishing noodle soup is the ultimate comfort food that feeds both body and soul with its warming broth, tender vegetables, and satisfying noodles. This wholesome soup combines a rich, golden broth made from scratch with fresh vegetables and hearty noodles to create a bowl that feels like a warm hug when you need it most. The slow-simmered broth develops deep, complex flavors while the colorful vegetables add nutrition and visual appeal. Unlike heavy cream-based soups, this recipe relies on the natural goodness of vegetables and herbs to create something that’s both deeply satisfying and genuinely healthy. Perfect for cold days, recovery from illness, or whenever you need something that nourishes from the inside out.
Serves: 6-8 people
What You Need
- 8 ounces wide egg noodles
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion
- 3 medium carrots
- 3 stalks celery
- 3 cloves garlic
- 8 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 cups fresh spinach leaves
Preparing All Your Vegetables
Peel the onion and chop it into small pieces. Peel the carrots and slice them into rounds about one-quarter inch thick. Wash the celery and chop it into small pieces. Peel the garlic cloves and chop them finely.
Wash the fresh herbs thoroughly and remove the leaves from their stems. Having everything chopped and ready makes the cooking process smooth and enjoyable.
Building the Flavor Base
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften and the onion becomes translucent.
Add the chopped garlic and cook for another minute until it smells wonderful. These vegetables form the foundation of flavor for your soup, so take time to let them cook properly.
Creating the Broth
Add the turmeric to the vegetables and stir for 30 seconds until everything is coated and fragrant. The turmeric adds a beautiful golden color and subtle earthy flavor to the soup.
Pour the broth into the pot and add the bay leaves and fresh thyme. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 20 minutes. This simmering time allows the vegetables to become tender and the flavors to blend together beautifully.
Cooking the Noodles
While the soup simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the egg noodles and cook according to the package directions until they’re tender but still have a slight bite to them.
Drain the noodles in a colander and rinse them briefly with cool water to stop the cooking process. This prevents them from becoming mushy when added to the soup.
Bringing Everything Together
Remove the bay leaves from the soup and discard them. Add the cooked noodles to the pot and stir gently to distribute them evenly throughout the soup.
Add the fresh spinach leaves and stir them in. The spinach will wilt quickly in the hot soup, adding beautiful color and nutrition.
Final Seasoning
Stir in the salt, pepper, fresh parsley, and lemon juice. The lemon juice adds brightness and helps balance all the flavors. Taste the soup and adjust the seasonings as needed – you might want more salt for depth or more lemon juice for freshness.
The soup should taste rich and comforting with a beautiful balance of vegetables, herbs, and tender noodles.
Serving Your Soup
Ladle the hot soup into bowls, making sure each serving gets plenty of noodles and vegetables. Serve immediately while everything is hot and the noodles are at their best texture.
This soup is wonderful on its own or with crackers, crusty bread, or simple dinner rolls. A sprinkle of extra fresh parsley or a crack of black pepper on top makes a nice finishing touch.
Storage and Reheating
This soup is best enjoyed fresh, but leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep in mind that the noodles will continue to absorb liquid as the soup sits, so you may need to add extra broth when reheating.
When reheating, warm the soup gently over low heat and add additional broth or water as needed to reach your desired consistency. For the best texture, consider cooking fresh noodles and adding them to reheated soup rather than storing them together.
Variations for Every Taste
You can easily customize this soup by adding other vegetables like peas, corn, or green beans in the last few minutes of cooking. Different herbs like dill or oregano can change the flavor profile completely, and you can substitute different types of noodles based on what you have available.
