Green Spring Dumpling Soup

This green spring dumpling soup is such an easy way to pack extra greens into your meal! Not to mention, you can have this delicious ramen bowl ready in under 15 minutes.

With the arrival of warm weather, it’s time to swap hearty soups and stews for refreshing spring ramen. This green spring dumpling soup is a great example of a light but nourishing meal.

It doubles as a Hidden Veggies recipe and part of the Quickies series. Packed with greens and ready in less than 15 minutes!

If that sounds like your cup of tea, you should also check out the Scrappy Cookbook, available to buy from all major retailers. This cookbook is not only filled with simple plant-based recipes, it also contains so many ways to reduce food waste and save money at the same time!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• If you struggle to eat enough greens, this green broth is a great way to incorporate spinach into your meals. This is also a wonderful way to get your kids to eat more veggies.
• Pictures don’t do this recipe justice. The stellar green of the broth, along with the peas, is a sight for sore eyes!
• Speaking of peas… If you ask me, they are underrated! In reality, peas make such a great addition to soups, salads, curries, and stir-fry dishes. Plus, they contain plenty of plant-based protein while being allergen-friendly.
• Many people think of ramen as a fast-food item devoid of nutrients. The truth is, it only takes a few tweaks to make humble ramen noodles into a well-rounded, nourishing meal.
• This soup is super easy to adjust to your preferences! You can use any noodles, dumplings, and extra veggies.

Key Ingredients

I am a firm believer that using quality whole-food ingredients is the key to making any dish delicious and nutritious. Even when you use shortcuts (like ready-made dumplings), it’s easy to make the most of your ingredients.

• Vegetable broth. In traditional ramen, broth is the most important component. You can use store-bought broth or enjoy this recipe with vegetable scraps broth from my cookbook PlantYou Scrappy Cooking.
• Spinach. Spinach offers a variety of nutrients like vitamins A, C, and K, along with antioxidants, supporting bone health, heart health, and digestive health.
• Ginger. Ginger provides potent anti-inflammatory effects, aids digestion, boosts the immune system, relieves nausea, and may help alleviate pain.
• Garlic. In addition to its pungent aroma and flavor, garlic is rich in sulfur compounds like allicin, offering antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, supporting heart health, immune function, and reducing the risk of certain chronic diseases.
• Green peas. Green peas are rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals, including dietary fiber and antioxidants, supporting muscle health, blood sugar regulation, and overall well-being.
• Soy sauce. A source of deep umami flavor, soy sauce works in combination with garlic and ginger to create a familiar flavor profile for a ramen dish.
• Noodles. You can use instant ramen noodles or really any type of quick-cooking noodle. I love pad Thai noodles and rice vermicelli.
• Vegetable dumplings. This green spring dumpling g soup wouldn’t be complete without the dumplings. Pro tip: if you can get to an Asian store, raid their frozen section. So many vegan-friendly dumpling options!

Go Green (In More Ways Than One)!

I love a monochrome moment! I’ve done plenty of all-green recipes including homemade pasta, green vegetable juice, green spaghetti sauce, and green goddess soup. You might be wondering, why is that a trend in the first place?

There is actually a correlation between the green pigment in different foods. The green color in foods is primarily due to the presence of chlorophyll, a pigment responsible for photosynthesis in plants.

Foods that are green in color often contain chlorophyll-rich vegetables and fruits, such as spinach, kale, broccoli, green peas, green beans, cucumbers, avocados, and kiwi. These foods tend to be rich in nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and are associated with various health benefits, including supporting heart health, improving digestion, and reducing the risk of chronic diseases.

Unfortunately, many green foods are also prone to spoilage. The greens and herbs need to be used before they wilt, avocados need using before they turn brown… Which is why all-green recipes are also a good way to reduce food waste and use up those veggies!

How to Make This Recipe

Did I mention already that this green spring dumpling soup is SUPER QUICK?

Start by adding the vegetable broth to a boil and add the spinach for one minute. This process is called blanching. Using a slotted spoon, remove the spinach and pop it to a blender.

Then, add the parsley (or cilantro), ginger, soy sauce, and garlic to the blender. Wait for the spinach to cool, then blend everything together with a quarter cup of the vegetable broth.

Pour the spinach mixture back into the pan with the broth. Next, add the noodles, dumplings, and green peas.

Cover and let the soup heat back up to a simmer. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until the dumplings have softened, the peas have thawed and the noodles are cooked. Use this time to quickly chop up some jalapeno and herbs.

Serve with fresh lime juice, jalapeno, cilantro and any other garnish you prefer.

Hack It!

• Get creative with the garnishes! I used cilantro, jalapeno, sesame seeds and lime juice. You can also use fresh bean sprouts, baby bok choy, matchstick carrots, green onions, crushed peanuts, or chili oil. Yum!
• Depending on the type of noodles and dumplings you use, you may adjust the cooking time. If you are using thicker noodles (like udon), be sure to cook them separately first to avoid clouding the soup.
• Meal prepping? Good for you! You can make the green soup base in advance, and heat it up when you want to enjoy your green spring dumpling soup.
• If you’re eating gluten-free, be sure to use tamari instead of regular soy sauce and pick the type of noodles that agrees with you.
• Add a little bit of spice by blending a green chili with your broth!

Other Recipes You’ll Love

• Sick Day Noodle Soup
• Easy Red Curry Soup
• Creamy Vegetable Soup
• Homemade Mason Jar Ramen
• Vegan Cabbage Wrapped Dumplings

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