Description
Miso soup is a traditional Japanese soup with a savory dashi broth made from kombu and katsuobushi, enriched with miso paste, soft tofu, wakame seaweed, and green onions. It offers a comforting, umami-rich flavor and can be adapted for vegetarian and vegan diets.
Ingredients
4 cups water
1 piece kombu (dried kelp) (about 4 x 4 inches or 10 x 10 cm)
1 cup katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes)
7 oz soft or silken tofu (kinugoshi dofu)
4 Tbsp miso
1 Tbsp dried wakame seaweed
1 green onion or scallion
Instructions
1. Gather all ingredients and cut green onion into thin rounds.
2. In a medium saucepan, add water and kombu; soak for 30 minutes if time allows.
3. Slowly heat over medium-low until just before boiling (about 10 minutes), then remove kombu.
4. Add katsuobushi to the kombu dashi and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 30 seconds.
5. Turn off heat and let katsuobushi sink for 10 minutes; strain liquid.
6. Reheat dashi gently until just under boiling.
7. Dissolve miso in dashi using a ladle and stir until fully mixed.
8. Cut tofu into ½-inch cubes and add to the soup.
9. Add dried wakame and green onions before serving.
10. Serve immediately and avoid boiling again when reheating.
Notes
To prepare dashi faster, use dashi packet or powder.
For vegan soup, omit katsuobushi or use kombu and dried shiitake mushrooms.
Soaking kombu releases maximum umami without bitterness.
Reheat soup gently to preserve flavor and aroma.
Store dashi in refrigerator for 3-5 days or freeze up to 2 weeks.
Soak wakame separately to reduce saltiness if preferred.
Keep miso soup refrigerated up to 2 days; add miso just before serving if storing large batches.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Japanese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 3.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 7 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg