The aroma and umami flavor of miso soup is a treat that brings me back to my favorite childhood Japanese restaurant. It wasn’t until fairly recently that I realized that not only is miso soup delicious and healthy, but it’s also easy to make containing only a handful of ingredients.
Table of Contents
What is Miso Soup
Miso soup is a simple and popular Japanese soup consisting of a dashi broth flavored with a good amount of miso paste. The fillings include soft tofu, diced green onions, and wakame seaweed. I like to add komoboko (fish cake) slices as well.
To say miso soup is popular in Japan is a bit of an understatement. According to Wikipedia, it’s estimated that around 75% of Japanese people eat miso soup at least once a day.
How do You Make Miso Soup
As mentioned above, miso soup is very simple to make. Below are step-by-step instructions on how to prepare this umami packed soup:
1. Prepare the ingredients by making the dashi, dicing the green onion, and cutting the tofu into 1/2 (1 cm) cubes.
2. Once the ingredients are assembled, bring the dashi to a simmer on medium heat. Once the dashi comes to a boil, turn off the heat.
3. In a separate bowl, mix a couple ladles of the hot broth with the miso paste and stir until the miso paste is dissolved. Once dissolved, add the miso and broth mixture to the soup.
4. Add the tofu, kamaboko, diced green onion, and the dried wakame seaweed to the miso soup and gently stir in to combine for a minute or two. Tip: Make sure you are ready to serve the soup prior to adding these last few ingredients as it’s best when they are freshly added.
5. Serve and enjoy!
Miso Soup Recipe
Miso Soup Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Small Soup Pot
- Whisk
Ingredients
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients by preparing the dashi, dicing the green onion, and cutting the tofu into 1/2 (1 cm) cubes.
- Bring the dashi to a simmer on medium heat. Once the dashi comes to a boil, turn off the heat.
- In a separate bowl, mix a couple ladles of the hot broth with the miso paste and stir until the miso paste is dissolved. Once dissolved, add the miso and broth mixture to the soup.
- Add small amounts at a time of miso paste to the dashi. Stir to dissolve until the miso paste is fully dissolved before adding more. You can use a fine mesh strainer to help you dissolve the miso paste into the dashi.
- Add the tofu, kamaboko, diced green onion, and the dried wakame seaweed to the miso soup and gently stir in to combine for a minute or two. Tip: Make sure you are ready to serve the soup prior to adding these last few ingredients as it's best when they are freshly added.
- Serve and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Is miso soup healthy?
Yes. Miso soup is very healthy for you as it contains several vitamins and minerals in addition to probiotics.
Is miso soup gluten-free?
Yes. All ingredients in miso soup are naturally gluten-free.
Is miso soup common in Japan?
Yes, miso soup is commonly served with rice as a part of a traditional Japanese breakfast. In fact, it’s estimated that 75% of Japanese people eat miso soup at least once a day.
Final Thoughts on Miso Soup
Not only is miso soup delicious, but it’s quick to prepare and very healthy for you. It has become a regular side to all of our Japanese meals from sushi to tempura. I hope you enjoy this as much as my family does. Happy cooking!
Check out the following links for more recipes:
Tuna Onigiri: Prepared Two Different Ways
Oyakodon (Japanese Chicken and Egg Bowl) Recipe
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