My family loves authentic Japanese miso soup. It is super simple in process and number of ingredients, but it is complex in flavor. If you haven’t had miso soup before, it is a delicate, savory broth made with fermented miso paste dissolved into a light dashi stock (a broth traditionally made from kombu seaweed and bonito flakes).
Floating in the broth are soft cubes of tofu, slices of scallion, and tender bits of wakame seaweed, offering a subtle mix of textures and flavors. Earthy, umami-rich, and quietly nourishing, it’s the kind of soup that warms from the inside out. You can easily make this soup at home, and I often do. To make a traditional miso soup you will need the following:
Miso paste – there are different types of miso paste you can buy at most Asian markets and sometimes at regular grocery stores (check the refrigerated section). They are different in color and flavor, due to differences in fermentation time. I like to use Awase miso, which is a mix of red and white miso. You can also use white miso, which is the least fermented and most mild.
Kombu seaweed – a thick, flat seaweed harvested mostly off the coast of Hokkaido, Japan. It’s naturally rich in glutamic acid, the compound responsible for umami, that deep, savory flavor at the heart of Japanese cuisine. You can find at the Asian market, or get some here.
Bonito flakes – bonito flakes are made from bonito, a type of skipjack tuna that’s been boiled, smoked, fermented and dried. It is then shaved into delicate flakes. You can buy them at Asian markets or here.
Tofu – you can use silken, medium or firm tofu in your miso soup. My favorite is silken, but I also sometimes use firm.
Scallions – sliced scallions are a must for great miso
Wakame seaweed – wakame is an edible seaweed commonly used in Japanese cuisine. It comes dried and expands dramatically when rehydrated. In miso soup, it provides that signature silky, slightly chewy green that floats alongside tofu and scallions. It can also be found at Asian markets, or here.
The process for making miso soup is very simple. The kombu is cooked briefly in water to flavor the broth. The bonito is also then cooked briefly in the broth to add more flavor. After that the miso paste is dissolved in the broth and heated with the tofu and wakame and finally scallions are added when serving. This is a simple, nutritious and delicious soup that is a joy to eat. If you want to make some additional Asian dishes to eat with your miso soup, check out these recipes.
Authentic Miso Soup
Ingredients
- 8 cups water
- 2 4×4 inch pieces of kombu wiped gently with a wet paper towel
- 1-2 cup dried bonito flakes depending on how strong you want the broth
- 1 package silken or firm tofu cut into small squares if using firm, a bit larger squares if using silken
- 8 tbsp miso paste
- 2 tbsp dried wakame seaweed
- sliced scallions
Instructions
- First add the 8 cups of water to a sauce pan and add the kombu. Heat up slowly over low heat until about to boil. Then remove the seaweed. Add the bonito and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 seconds then remove form the heat.
- After 10 minutes, strain out the bonito through a fine mesh strainer, reserving your broth.
- Return the broth to the pan and heat over low while whisking in the miso paste. Don't allow the soup to boil, just heat until steaming as boiling reduces the flavor. Add the tofu and wakame and cook for 1-2 minutes, then serve with sliced scallions.
I love miso soup 🥣 Looks delicious!
Thank you. My family gets so happy if miso soup is part of our meal 😀😀