Taiwanese Sesame Oil Lion’s Mane Noodle Soup
Lion’s mane is a wild-looking mushroom with luscious, hair-like strands. If you’ve never tried it, you might be a little hesitant, but trust me, it is packed with flavor, meaty texture, and nutrients. You have probably seen lion’s mane used in vegan “steaks” or burgers because it is incredibly juicy and naturally savory. That’s exactly why it works so well in this Lion’s Mane Sesame Oil Noodle Soup. It is hearty, umami-rich, and deeply comforting.
I grew up eating Sesame Oil Chicken Noodle Soup that my mom used to make. The fragrance of the slow-cooked meat and sesame oil would fill the whole house. I wanted to recreate that nostalgic flavor in a plant-based way, so this recipe uses both lion’s mane and shiitake mushrooms, which are two of my favorite power ingredients.
The broth is easy to make in a big pot or a pressure cooker, and you can pair it with your favorite vegetables and noodles. I also add goji berries, which are commonly used in Chinese soups for their immune-boosting benefits and subtle sweetness.
Ingredients:
10 pieces of dried shiitake mushrooms
2 tbsp black sesame oil (or regular sesame oil)
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 cup chopped carrots
2 cups chopped broccoli
2 cups roughly chopped bok choy
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp mushroom bouillon
1 tbsp minced ginger or two 1-cm slices of fresh ginger
1 tbsp white pepper
4+ cups leftover water from soaking mushrooms (used as broth)
Wheat noodles (amount as desired)
1 cup fresh maitake mushrooms, hand-torn (optional)
1 tbsp goji berries
1 tbsp Shao Xing wine
Sesame seeds (for topping)
Instructions:
Prepare the Mushrooms:
Soak lion’s mane mushrooms in water for 10 minutes. Squeeze out the water and save the liquid.
Repeat the soak and squeeze process 3–4 more times, reserving the soaking liquid from the first two soaks for broth.
Rinse the shiitake mushrooms and soak them in water for 10 minutes. Remove the mushrooms and save the soaking water.
Make the Broth:
In a pressure cooker or large pot, add the lion’s mane, shiitake mushrooms, bok choy, carrots, 2 tbsp sesame oil, soy sauce, salt, mushroom bouillon, ginger, white pepper, and all reserved mushroom soaking liquids (at least 4 cups total).
Pressure cook on Soup mode for 30 minutes (or simmer on medium heat in a pot for 30 minutes or until vegetables and mushrooms are tender).
Cook the Noodles:
In a separate pot, bring water to a boil and cook wheat noodles to your desired texture. Drain and set aside.
Marinate the Goji Berries:
While the soup is cooking, soak goji berries in 1 tbsp Shao Xing wine.
Finish the Soup:
Once pressure cooking is done, switch to Sauté mode or stay on medium heat if using a pot.
Add broccoli, fresh maitake mushrooms (if using), marinated goji berries with the wine, and an extra splash of sesame oil.
Cook until the broccoli is tender and the soup is aromatic.
Serve:
Place cooked noodles into bowls.
Ladle soup and vegetables over the noodles.
Top with sesame seeds and serve hot.
