Traditional Miso Soup Recipe
A quick and easy traditional miso soup that delivers cozy comfort in just 5 minutes, featuring a delicate balance of savory, salty, and slightly sweet flavors.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups (960 ml) dashi stock (instant or homemade)
- 3–4 tablespoons miso paste (white Shiro Miso preferred, red miso optional)
- 1/2 cup (120 g) soft or silken tofu, cubed
- 1 tablespoon dried wakame seaweed
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
- Optional garnishes: sesame seeds, pinch of chili flakes, thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms
Instructions
- Prepare your dashi stock: In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups (960 ml) of dashi to a gentle simmer over medium heat. If using instant dashi powder, dissolve it according to package instructions (about 5 minutes).
- Soak the wakame seaweed: While the dashi heats, place 1 tablespoon of dried wakame in a small bowl with warm water. Let it rehydrate for about 5 minutes until it expands and softens. Drain and set aside.
- Cube the tofu: Gently cut 1/2 cup (120 g) of soft or silken tofu into small bite-sized cubes. Be careful as it is delicate. Set aside.
- Mix the miso paste: Turn the heat to low (do not boil). Scoop 3-4 tablespoons of miso paste into a small bowl. Ladle about 1/2 cup (120 ml) of hot dashi from the saucepan into the bowl and whisk or stir vigorously until smooth and lump-free.
- Combine miso with dashi: Pour the dissolved miso back into the saucepan with the rest of the dashi. Stir gently to mix. Keep the heat low to preserve delicate flavors—do not boil.
- Add tofu and wakame: Carefully add the cubed tofu and rehydrated wakame to the pot. Let them warm through for 2-3 minutes until tofu is heated but still holds its shape.
- Finish with green onions: Turn off the heat. Stir in 2 tablespoons of thinly sliced green onions for freshness.
- Serve immediately: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish if desired with sesame seeds or a pinch of chili flakes.
Notes
Avoid boiling the soup after adding miso to preserve flavor and probiotics. Dissolve miso paste in warm broth before adding to prevent clumps. Use low heat to keep soup smooth and flavorful. For gluten-free, ensure miso paste and dashi are gluten-free. For vegan, use kombu or mushroom broth instead of fish-based dashi.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (approximate)
- Calories: 50
- Sugar: 1
- Sodium: 700
- Fat: 2
- Saturated Fat: 0.3
- Carbohydrates: 4
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 4
Keywords: miso soup, traditional miso soup, easy miso soup, Japanese soup, comfort food, quick soup, tofu soup, dashi soup