EASY INSTANT POT ASIAN BEEF NOODLE SOUP

This is a delicious and comforting soup that is good for any time of year, whenever you need a big old food filled hug! If you don’t have Asian 5 Spice blend, you can use any combination of spices that you like! I also used my ‘Shroom Salt to add depth of flavor to the broths (told ya I used it in everything!). This recipe can be doubled easily. This feeds 2 heartily with some leftovers. It's an easy meal that tastes like it took forever, but only literally takes 30-45 minutes!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound beef stew meat, cubed (can substitute cubed flank or skirt steak)
• Oil for browning the beef
• Asian 5 Spice seasoning mix (or use any combination of these spices you happen to have on hand: cinnamon, fennel &/or anise, cloves, ginger, white pepper or black pepper)
• Garlic powder or fresh garlic cloves to taste
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 4 c. beef broth (can use canned or boxed broths, dried bouillon powders, or Better Than Beef Bouillon which is what I used)
• ‘Shroom Salt for depth of flavor for the broth (optional)
• ½ onion, sliced
• Ramen noodles, rice noodles, or even spaghetti or vermicelli
• 4 cups veggies (carrots, broccoli, celery, onion, peas (sugar snap, English peas, snow peas), cabbage, kale, mushrooms, etc…) thinly sliced and set aside
• Garnish: cilantro, green onions, hoisin sauce, sriracha

DIRECTIONS:

1. Turn instant pot on to “SAUTE” mode. Splash a tablespoon of oil in the pan.
2. Take cubed beef and toss in salt & pepper and 1-2 teaspoons of Asian 5 Spice & ¼ - ½ tsp. garlic powder and brown on all sides.
3. Add in 4 cups of broth to the browned meat in the instant pot. Add sliced onion. {Broth can be canned or boxed, or you can use powdered beef broth, or Better Than Beef Bouillon. When making my broth I used the Better Than Bouillon as directed and added my ‘Shroom Salt instead of plain salt to add depth of flavor approximately a teaspoon. Taste the broth before adding seasoning as the amount of seasoning will vary depending on which broth method you use.}
4. Put on lid, select High Pressure and cook for 10 minutes. When the cook time ends, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes and finish with a quick pressure release. When the valve drops, carefully remove the lid.
5. Add in heartier prepared veggies like celery, carrots, broccoli, mushrooms, cabbage, kale. Replace the lid and cook on High Pressure for 2 minutes.
6. When the second cook time ends, turn off the pressure cooker. Do a quick pressure release. When the valve drops, carefully remove the lid. Add in peas (fresh or frozen) and stir, the residual heat will warm the peas without over cooking them.
7. Prepare noodles of your choice as directed on packaging. In the boiling noodle water, add in bouillon and ‘Shroom Salt (optional) to add another layer of flavor. Cook noodles until they are your preferred doneness. Save cooking liquid to top off the bowls.
8. Prepare your waiting soup bowls with your garnish. I added a drizzle of hoisin sauce for sweetness and some sriracha for heat.
9. When noodles are cooked, add them to the bottom of your bowl on top of garnishes and pour vegetable and beef soup over the noodles. Use the extra noodle broth to add to your bowl to top off the soup. The starches from the noodle cooking liquid will slowly thicken the broth as you eat it and it cools.
10. Top with slivered scallions, cilantro and more sriracha or hoisin sauce. BOOM! You just got a cozy culinary hug! Enjoy!