Miso Soup Recipe
This classic Japanese Miso Soup recipe transforms five simple ingredients into a light, comforting, and umami-rich starter or side dish.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons wakame seaweed
- 6 cups dashi
- 4 tablespoons white miso
- 10 ounces medium-diced silken tofu
- 2 thinly sliced green onions
Instructions
- In a small bowl, cover the wakame with water until it is submerged, and let it stand for 10 minutes. This is done to reconstitute it and soften it.
- Add the dashi to a medium-sized pot and heat over low to medium heat.
- Whisk in the miso and cook until it is completely dissolved. Feel free to add more if you would like it to be saltier. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes.
- Next, add in the tofu, green onions, and reconstituted wakame.
- Cook for 5 to 7 minutes and serve.
Notes
You’ll always want to treat your dashi and miso with care when making homemade miso soup. The dashi and miso should never be boiled because high heat can make the broth cloudy, taste overly “fishy,” and strip away the complex flavors and probiotic benefits of the miso. Maintain a low to medium heat as you make the soup and keep your patience—it will make all the difference for that silky, restaurant-quality finish.
Avoid clumps: Do not add all the miso to the broth at once, as clumps will form. Instead, whisk some into a small bowl with a splash of warm dashi until the miso dissolves, then stir the mixture into the pot. Alternatively, add some of the miso into a fine mesh sieve, lower it into the broth (without submerging it), and whisk the miso in the warm broth until it dissolves.
Season to taste: Each brand and type of miso will vary in saltiness. This is why I recommend tasting the soup before serving so you can adjust the umami or salt levels with a little extra miso or a splash of soy sauce.
Add-in ideas: For a heartier miso soup, stir in shiitake mushrooms, shredded napa cabbage, spinach, sliced carrots, daikon, udon noodles, or leftover white rice. To finish, sprinkle sesame seeds over top for crunch or a dash of shichimi togarashi (Japanese chili pepper blend) for a spicy kick.
Vegan miso soup: For a plant-based version, swap the bonito-based dashi for shiitake dashi, kombu dashi, or regular vegetable broth. The flavor will be slightly different but still delicious.
Make-Ahead: The soup can be prepared up to 1 hour before serving. Cover the pot and keep it over low heat to keep the soup warm.
How to Store: Store the leftover miso soup in a covered container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. It can be frozen as-is, but for the best textures and flavors, freeze the dashi-miso broth separately, then add fresh tofu, seaweed, and green onions when reheating.
How to Reheat: Reheat the soup gently over low heat on the stovetop, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust the flavors with extra miso if needed.
Nutrition
Calories: 89kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 9gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1206mgPotassium: 331mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 61IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 100mgIron: 1mg