Indian Vegetable Noodle Soup with Ginger and Garam Masala
A cozy, fragrant soup of toasted vermicelli, sweet carrots, green beans and peas in a ginger-forward tomato broth, warmed with cumin and garam masala and brightened with lemon and cilantro. It's vegan and ready in under an hour.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Makes
- About 6 cups (1.4 L), 4 generous bowls
Steps
Before you start
- Chop all vegetables before you turn on the heat. The spice steps move quickly.
- Use wheat vermicelli (seviyan or thin broken vermicelli nests). Rice vermicelli and gluten-free noodles cook faster and need the timing adjusted.
- Taste your broth. If it is regular (not low-sodium), start with 1 tsp salt and add more at the end.
- Have the lemon and cilantro ready. They go in at the very end.
Prep the vegetables
- Dice the onion and carrots, cut the green beans, grate the ginger, mince the garlic and chili, and chop the cilantro.
- Break the vermicelli into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces and set everything within reach of the stove.
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Ready when: Carrots are in even ¼-inch dice so they cook at the same pace.
Tip: Freeze the ginger for 20 minutes first if you find it stringy to grate.
Toast the vermicelli
- In a 4- to 5-quart pot over medium heat, warm 1 tbsp (15 ml) of the ghee or oil.
- Add the broken vermicelli and stir constantly for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Transfer to a plate.
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Ready when: Noodles are evenly golden brown and smell nutty.
Tip: Keep stirring. Vermicelli goes from golden to burnt in seconds.
Bloom the cumin
- Return the pot to medium heat and add the remaining 2 tbsp (30 ml) ghee or oil.
- When it shimmers, add the cumin seeds and stir for about 30 seconds.
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Ready when: Seeds sizzle, darken slightly and smell toasty.
Soften the onion
- Add the diced onion and ¼ tsp of the salt.
- Cook, stirring often, for 6 to 7 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is soft, translucent and just starting to turn golden at the edges.
Tip: If it browns too fast, lower the heat and add a splash of water.
Add ginger and aromatics
- Stir in the ginger, garlic, chili (if using) and turmeric.
- Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
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Ready when: The raw garlic and ginger smell has turned sweet and fragrant, and the onion is bright yellow.
Cook the tomato masala
- Stir in 1½ tsp of the garam masala and the canned tomatoes with their juices.
- Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, mashing the tomatoes with the spoon.
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Ready when: The mixture is thick like a jam and oil shimmers at the edges.
Simmer the vegetables
- Add the carrots, green beans, broth, water and the remaining ¾ tsp salt.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, about 5 minutes.
- Reduce to medium-low, cover with the lid slightly ajar, and simmer for 12 minutes.
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Ready when: A carrot piece is tender when pierced with a fork but not mushy.
Tip: If the pot boils hard, lower the heat. A gentle simmer keeps the broth clear.
Cook noodles and peas
- Raise the heat to medium.
- Stir in the toasted vermicelli and frozen peas.
- Simmer uncovered for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally so the noodles don't clump or stick to the bottom.
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Ready when: Vermicelli is soft with a slight chew and no hard white center when you bite a piece; peas are bright green and tender.
Tip: The noodles keep absorbing broth, so serve right away or the soup will thicken.
Finish and season
- Turn off the heat.
- Stir in the lemon juice, the remaining ½ tsp garam masala and half of the cilantro.
- Taste and add salt and black pepper as needed.
- If the soup is too thick, stir in ¼ cup (60 ml) hot water.
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Ready when: Soup tastes bright, balanced and fragrant, with no flat or bland edge.
Tip: Adding garam masala off the heat keeps its aroma lively.
Serve hot
- Ladle into four warm bowls, making sure each gets plenty of vegetables and noodles.
- Top with the remaining cilantro and serve immediately.
Good to know
Tips
- Toasting the vermicelli gives a nutty flavor and helps the strands hold their shape in the broth.
- Keep the lemon juice and the last bit of garam masala for the end. Their flavors fade with long cooking.
- For a heartier meal, add 1 cup (about 170 g) of cooked chickpeas with the peas.
- Don't skip the final taste. Salt and lemon make the biggest difference in this soup.
Make ahead
"Make the soup through step 7 up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. Reheat to a simmer, then add the toasted vermicelli and peas and finish as written so the noodles stay firm."
Storage & reheating
"Room temperature: up to 1 hour. Fridge: up to 3 days in an airtight container; the noodles will absorb broth, so add ½ cup (120 ml) water or broth per serving when reheating gently on the stove over medium-low heat. Freezer: freeze the soup without noodles for up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the fridge, then simmer and add fresh toasted vermicelli."
Substitutions
- wheat vermicelli → broken angel hair pasta or thin rice vermicelli. Angel hair works with the same timing. Rice vermicelli needs only 2 to 3 minutes and does not need toasting.
- ghee or neutral oil → vegetable oil or coconut oil. Makes the soup fully vegan. Ghee gives a richer, nuttier flavor.
- green beans → cauliflower florets or diced zucchini. Cauliflower goes in with the carrots. Add zucchini with the peas, since it cooks quickly.
- canned diced tomatoes → 2 medium fresh tomatoes, chopped. Cook an extra 2 to 3 minutes until they break down fully.