Classic Miso Soup
This miso soup is the one I make when I need something warm, quick, and a little bit healing. It takes about 25 minutes from start to finish, and most of that is just letting the dashi steep. If you have never made Japanese soup at home before, this is a great place to start. Just a handful of ingredients turn into something that tastes like it came from a restaurant.
Equipment
- Medium saucepan or pot
- Miso strainer or muddler For dissolving the paste smoothly
- Fine-mesh strainer For straining the finished dashi
- Ladle
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
Ingredients
- 4 cups water 960ml
- 1 piece kombu about 4 inches, wiped clean with a damp cloth
- 1 cup bonito flakes katsuobushi, loosely packed
- 3 tablespoons white miso paste plus more to taste
- 7 ounces soft or silken tofu cut into small cubes (about 200g)
- 2 tablespoons dried wakame seaweed
- 2 scallions thinly sliced
Instructions
- Wipe the kombu with a damp cloth and place it in a saucepan with 4 cups of water. Soak at room temperature for 30 minutes (or up to several hours in the fridge).
- Heat the saucepan over medium until small bubbles form (about 7-10 minutes). Remove kombu before it boils. Bring to a full boil, turn off heat, add bonito flakes, and steep for 2 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer.
- Place dried wakame in a small bowl, cover with cold water, and soak for 5-10 minutes until softened. Drain well.
- Pour strained dashi back into the saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Add cubed tofu and warm for 1-2 minutes, stirring gently.
- Reduce heat to low. Place miso paste in a strainer and lower into the hot dashi. Press and stir through the mesh until fully dissolved. Taste and add more miso if desired. Do not boil.
- Stir in drained wakame and turn off heat. Divide sliced scallions among bowls, ladle hot soup over them, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Never let the soup boil after adding miso paste, as high heat breaks down its flavor and beneficial enzymes.
- Taste as you go and add miso gradually, since saltiness varies between brands.
- Cut the tofu gently and add it late so the cubes hold their shape.
- Use room temperature or cold water for soaking the kombu rather than hot water, which can draw out bitterness.
- Make a double batch of dashi and freeze half in small portions for up to a month for faster soup next time.
- Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Reheat gently over low heat on the stovetop, stirring occasionally. Never let it come to a full boil.
- Miso soup does not freeze well, as the tofu texture changes significantly once thawed.
- Swap white miso for red miso or a mix of both for a deeper, more robust flavor.
- For a fully vegetarian version, use kombu-based dashi or vegetable stock instead of bonito flakes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 80kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 7gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 680mgPotassium: 200mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 2IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 6mgIron: 8mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!