[ ./recipes/soups/miso-soup.md ]
★ JAPANESE · SOUPS
Miso
Soup.
SERVES
2
TOTAL
15m
ACTIVE
10m
LVL
EASY
// SUMMARY
The backbone of Japanese home cooking. Real miso soup is about balance – the deep umami of dashi, the complex fermented notes of miso, and the clean simplicity of tofu and wakame. It takes minutes but delivers profound comfort.
// INGREDIENTS
| 500 | ml | water |
| 1 | piece | kombu (dried kelp), about 5x5 cm |
| 10 | g | katsuobushi (bonito flakes) |
| 3 | tbsp | white or red miso paste |
| 100 | g | silken tofu, cubed |
| 1 | tbsp | dried wakame seaweed |
| 2 | spring onions, thinly sliced |
// METHOD
- 01
Place kombu in a pot with cold water. Let it soak for 10 minutes if you have time.
- 02
Heat over medium heat. Remove the kombu just before the water boils (when small bubbles appear).
- 03
Bring to a boil, then turn off heat. Add bonito flakes and let steep for 5 minutes.
- 04
Strain the dashi through a fine mesh sieve. Discard solids.
- 05
Return dashi to the pot. Add wakame and let it rehydrate for 1-2 minutes.
- 06
Add tofu cubes and heat gently until warmed through.
- 07
Remove pot from heat. Place miso in a small sieve and lower it into the broth, stirring to dissolve. Never boil miso – it kills the living cultures and turns bitter.
- 08
Taste and adjust miso if needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish with spring onions.
// NOTES
- — The ratio is roughly 1 tablespoon miso per 150-200 ml dashi, but taste and adjust.
- — White miso (shiro) is milder and sweeter; red miso (aka) is more intense and salty. Mixing both creates complexity.
- — Instant dashi powder works in a pinch, but homemade dashi is worth the extra 10 minutes.
- — The soup is best served immediately – the miso flavor fades as it sits.
// VARIATIONS
- → Vegetarian: Skip the bonito flakes and use only kombu dashi, or add dried shiitake.
- → Heartier: Add sliced mushrooms, spinach, or small clams.
- → Tonjiru (Pork Miso): Add sliced pork belly, root vegetables, and use red miso for a heartier winter version.