Miso Soup is the original health food, it’s an easy, umami rich soup recipe made with fermented bean paste that has been nourishing the Japanese for centuries ~ and you can make this delicious vegan soup for yourself in just minutes!
What is miso soup?
Miso is an ancient Japanese seasoning paste made from fermented soybeans (and sometimes rice or barley.) It’s got that salty, umami flavor that distinguishes so many Japanese dishes like this classic miso soup.
3 major types of miso
Miso comes in many varieties, each having a unique flavor, aroma, color, and texture; here are the main categories you’re likely to see in your grocery store ~
- white or shiro miso is the mildest. It’s made with fermented soy beans and rice and the color is pale yellow.
- yellow or shinshu misohas a mild flavor that is stronger than white but mellower than red miso, and is mostly made with fermented soy beans and barley. The color is light brown.
- red or aka miso is the strongest flavored of all, also mostly made from fermented rice and barley, and is darker in color.
Japanese soup is one of the healthiest foods you can eat
It’s also one of the easiest meals to prepare. Miso soup was one of the first things I cooked for myself when I was in college. It’s a staple in Japan, and you’ve probably had it in Japanese restaurants. The soup is basically a thin miso infused broth, and when you get it in restaurants it usually has very little in it, maybe a slice or two of scallion floating around. But it can also made heartier with tofu, mushrooms, seaweed, green onions, and potatoes, among other things.
Where to find Miso paste
Miso is sold fresh, and most large grocery store chains carry it nowadays. Look for it in the refrigerated section, usually near the wonton wrappers, tofu, etc.
Miso is a biologically active, living food, like yogurt.
Cooking destroys some of its beneficial bacteria and can change the flavor.
When you cook with miso you’ll usually add it at the very end, once the pot is taken off the heat, so you don’t destroy the nutrients.
Use a variety of mushrooms in this soup
Making miso soup gives you the perfect excuse to experiment with some of the exotic, loose mushroom varieties you always pass by when you’re doing your grocery shopping. Their delicate flavor will take center stage in such a simple dish, and you don’t need to buy many, so the cost won’t be prohibitive. I bought baby button sh*take and a variety called Beech mushrooms: tiny little brown or white mushrooms come clustered on one large stem or stalk. You’ll find them in plastic packaging in the mushroom section.
What to eat with miso soup
- Miso soup is a complete meal in itself, especially when you add protein rich tofu. But we love to pair our soup with a big bowl of steaming hot edamame (soy) beans showered in sea salt.
Miso is a healthy instant soup!
- Miso soup can be made as quickly as any instant soup, but is so much healthier for you.
- It’s a perfect soothing hydrator when you have a cold or flu, and so much quicker and easier to make than chicken soup.
- In Japan it’s believed to have powerful health giving properties (including fighting the Big C.)
I’ve been cooking with miso since I was in college and I love it. You can find lots more miso inspiration on the blog, just search Miso. And if you’re intrigued and want to learn more, see my How To Use Miso post, it has lots of useful info and serving suggestions.
Other recipes using miso paste ~
- Miso Alphabet Soup
- Miso Broth with Shrimp Dumplings
- Miso Ramen with sh*take and Chicken
- Spring Vegetable Salad with Miso Dressing
Reader Rave ~
“Very easy and the best miso soup I’ve ever had. I added a little bit of crispy onions when I served it (similar to what happens at Japanese Hibachi restaurants). I can’t wait to make it again.” ~Mary
Miso Soup
Miso Soup is the original health food, it's an easy, umami rich soup recipe made with fermented bean paste that has been nourishing the Japanese for centuries ~ and you can make this delicious super food soup for yourself in just minutes!
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Prep Time:10 minutes minutes
Total Time:10 minutes minutes
Ingredients
- 6 cups water (you can also use part vegetable or chicken stock if you like)
- 4 Tbsp Miso paste
- 1 cup firm tofu, cut in small cubes (use more if you like)
- 2 cups assorted mushrooms, sliced
- 4 or 5 scallions, sliced thin (use all of the white and a little of the green)
Instructions
Heat the stock and water to a simmer and add the mushrooms and tofu. Simmer for a couple of minutes to cook the mushrooms.
When you're ready to serve, add the scallions and take the pan off the heat.
In a small bowl, whisk the miso with 1/4 cup of the hot broth to form a paste. Stir it back into the broth, and serve.
Notes
- Use yellow or white miso for a milder flavor...this is perfect if you are new to miso, or cooking for kids.
- Use any type of stock you like in place of the water.
- Add any thinly sliced veggies you like, including bok choy, carrots, or broccoli. Just be sure to simmer the vegetables until tender before you add the miso.
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Course: Soup
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: fermented, healthy, Japanese, miso, soup
Nutrition
Serving: 1 cup · Calories: 67 kcal · Carbohydrates: 6 g · Protein: 6 g · Fat: 3 g · Saturated Fat: 1 g · Sodium: 427 mg · Potassium: 148 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 2 g · Vitamin A: 90 IU · Vitamin C: 2 mg · Calcium: 64 mg · Iron: 1 mg
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
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FAQs
Miso soup is deceptively simple. It contains just a handful of ingredients: fermented bean paste (a.k.a. miso), vegetables, and hot water or stock. Heck, you don't even have to use tofu (although if you do, make sure it's the right kind; more on that in a moment).
What is the secret ingredient in miso paste? ›
Miso, a fermented soybean paste, is a culinary staple in Japan, says Sonoko Sakai, chef, cooking teacher, and author of Japanese Home Cooking. It's made using just four ingredients: cooked soybeans, grains (typically rice), salt, and koji mold, a type of fungus scientifically known as Aspergillus oryzae.
What can I add to miso soup to make it taste better? ›
Instant miso soup is a great way to get your daily dose of vegetables. Simply chop up some of your favorite veggies and add them to the soup. Popular vegetables include mushrooms, green onions thinly sliced, spinach, tofu, bean curd, wakame seaweed, nori seaweed, onions, daikon radish, and carrots.
What is miso soup made of? ›
Miso soup is a traditional Japanese soup that starts with a dashi stock and is flavored with miso paste. Dashi is an umami-rich stock made from dried seaweed and dried fish. Miso paste, meanwhile, is a paste made from soybeans, salt, and koji rice. The brothy soup usually contains tofu and green onions.
Can I just put miso paste in hot water? ›
*STIR MISO to preserve the beneficial bacteria – stir the miso paste into your cup of hot water instead of pouring boiling water over the miso as high heat can destroy the healthful bacteria; this simple technique will help ensure you get maximum “nu*tritional bang for your bite.” MISO is fermented soybean paste.
How to make miso paste at home? ›
The recipe for homemade miso paste is basically mashed beans plus grains mixed with koji plus 4-13% by volume salt. Stuff this paste tightly into your fermentation vat of choice to remove any air bubbles. Or, form balls the size of tennis-balls, and chuck it down, as true artisans do.
What is a substitute for miso paste in soup? ›
Soy Sauce/ Aminos
Soy sauce is the most common substitute for miso paste. Miso is thick and creamy, whereas soy sauce is thin like water, but if texture isn't a factor, they are both made of soy and chock full of salty and savory notes.
What is the best miso paste for soup? ›
Choosing miso paste for miso soup
I recommend making this recipe with white miso, also called shiro miso. It's fermented for less time than darker types of miso, such as red miso, and has a milder, sweeter flavor that works well with this miso to dashi ratio.
What is the white stuff in miso soup? ›
Understanding the White Stuff in Miso Soup
Well, the white stuff in miso soup is actually tofu. Tofu is a popular ingredient in Japanese cooking and is made from soybeans. It has a soft, creamy texture and a mild flavor, making it a versatile addition to various dishes, including miso soup.
What can I use instead of dashi in miso soup? ›
The base of any great miso soup is its liquid component. In lieu of dashi, a homemade vegetable broth can be used. Not only does this serve as a dashi substitute, but it also adds a layer of flavor complexity while keeping the dish plant-based and accessible to those on a vegetarian or vegan diet.
Other additions that help make miso soup more flavorful include tofu, salt, green onions (also called scallions), mushrooms, and dried kelp or seaweed. Some Japanese miso soup recipes call for dashi stock, which is made from dried bonito, or salted fish flakes.
Why do I feel better after having miso soup? ›
The fermentation process, necessary to produce miso, promotes levels of beneficial bacteria. These bacteria are thought to help a range of health issues, including digestion and gut health.
What is the brown stuff in miso soup? ›
Another brown seaweed used in Miso soup
In Japan, we make the stock for the miso soup using kombu (kelp), which is another type of brown seaweed. By using two types of brown seaweed, it helps to prevent high blood pressure even more!
What is dashi made of? ›
Dashi most commonly utilizes a combination of kombu (kelp seaweed) and katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes), but other ingredients used to make dashi are shiitake mushrooms and niboshi (small dried fish). Dashi making has evolved over a long period of time.
Can I eat miso soup every day? ›
Miso soup is low calorie, low fat, and high in nutrient content, so it is safe to eat daily. However, it does have a high salt content. So, those on blood thinning medication or who have heart problems (including high blood pressure and heart disease) may want to limit their consumption of miso soup.
Is miso broth the same as miso paste? ›
Traditionally in Japan, miso soup is made by adding miso paste to dashi stock. Dashi is made from kelp called Konbu and Katsuobushi, dried fish flakes. There is powdered dashi you can add water to make a quick Dashi. If buying miso paste and making dashi or powdered dashi is too much, there is so-called Miso Broth.
Does miso paste taste like miso soup? ›
It has a thick, paste-like consistency and boasts a unique umami flavor that adds depth and richness to recipes. If you've ever wondered how miso soup gets its salty, savory flavor, the answer is miso paste!
Is miso a liquid or a paste? ›
It is a thick paste produced by fermenting soybeans with salt and kōji (the fungus Aspergillus oryzae) and sometimes rice, barley, seaweed, or other ingredients. It is used for sauces and spreads, pickling vegetables, fish, or meats, and mixing with dashi soup stock to serve as miso soup, a Japanese culinary staple.
Is instant miso soup the same as miso paste? ›
+ Is instant miso soup the same as miso paste? =>Instant (or instant hot) miso soup uses instant dashi instead of making it traditionally with kombu and bonito flakes. It uses instant miso paste instead of making it traditionally with soybeans, rice koji, and other ingredients.
