Miso Soup
Miso Soup is a classic vegetarian soup that’s so easy to make at home! This Japanese restaurant staple calls for just six inexpensive ingredients and comes together with quick and easy to follow steps. It’s a little salty, rich with umami flavor, and makes a great side dish or entree for meatless Mondays.
Miso Soup
When I go to a Japanese restaurant, I always order the Miso Soup as my side. Same goes for delivery – Miso Soup is just one of those things that always makes me smile when it shows up to my doorstep. With that being said, I never realized until I started making my own just how easy and budget-friendly it is to make myself! Serving it at home with my own hibachi chicken has totally changed my dinner game.
They key to making perfect Miso Soup is mastering the dashi base. However, you can easily swap the dashi out for some vegetable or chicken stock if you can’t get your hands on any dashi granules and you’ll still have a tasty soup.
If you are able to grab some dashi (either online or at your local Asian market), I highly recommend using it here! It’s what creates that signature umami flavor.
The only other ingredients you need to make this classic soup are tofu, red or white miso paste, scallions, and nori (or dried seaweed). All of the ingredients are served simply in the dashi stock to create a soup that’s filling, flavorful, and nutritious. It’s the perfect side dish for your hearty entrees because of how refreshing, yet savory and complimentary it is.
How to Make Miso Soup
Once you get the hang of it, you’ll see why this soup is as popular as it is in homes across Japan. It’s easy to make and tastes so much better than any instant soups you can buy!
- Make the dashi. Combine the water and dashi granules in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for about 1 minute, then remove the pan from heat. Stir in more water if needed to make 3 cups of stock. Once you have enough, bring the dashi to a rapid simmer over medium-high heat.
- Dissolve the miso. Place the miso in a small bowl or measuring cup. Ladle about half a cup of the broth over the miso, whisk until dissolved, then pour the miso mixture back into the pot with the simmering broth.
- Add the tofu. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir in the cubed tofu. Simmer for about 1-2 minutes, just long enough to warm the tofu. You do NOT want to bring the mixture back to a boil once the tofu has been added!
- Finish it off. Stir in the chopped nori and serve the Miso Soup with a sprinkle of scallions on top.
Is Miso Soup healthy?
Everyone’s personal definition of healthy is a little bit different! What’s good for your body may differ from others. With that being said, I do consider homemade Miso Soup to be a healthier recipe. Miso itself actually contains a lot of great vitamins and minerals! The tofu adds some protein and the nori also provides a wonderful nutritional kick.
What does Miso Soup taste like?
If you’ve never enjoyed a serving of Miso Soup before, you’re in for a real treat. It’s famous for the rich umami flavor provided by the dashi broth, which as mentioned, is really best when it’s homemade. It’s also known for tasting just a bit salty. The tofu doesn’t have a ton of flavor, as the broth is really the star of the show here.
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Get the Recipe: Miso Soup Recipe
Ingredients
For the dashi (if skipping the dashi, substitute 3 cups water, chicken stock, or vegetable stock):
- 3 cups water
- 2 1/2 tablespoons dashi granules
For the miso soup:
- 6 ounces firm tofu, cut into cubes
- 2 tablespoons red miso paste
- 4 medium scallions, chopped
- 2 tablespoon chopped nori or dried seaweed
Equipment
- 1 saucepan
Instructions
- Combine the water and dashi granules in a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Simmer for about 1 minute, then remove the pan from heat. Add additional water if necessary to make 3 cups.
- Bring the broth to a rapid simmer over medium-high heat.
- Place the miso in a small ramekin or measuring cup. Ladle about 1/2 cup of the broth over the miso. Whisk until the miso is completely dissolved in the broth and no lumps remain.
- Pour the dissolved miso into the simmering broth.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the tofu to the miso. Simmer just enough to warm the tofu, 1 to 2 minutes. Do not boil the miso once the tofu has been added.
- Stir in the chopped nori.
- When serving, sprinkle the scallions over the top of the soup.
- Pour the miso soup into individual bowls and serve.
- Miso is best when served immediately because it will settle a bit as it sits in the broth. Whisk briefly with chopsticks or a spoon to mix if the soup begins to settle.