Miso soup

Miso soup recipe

A bowl of warming, nourishing miso soup is one of the most commonly known and loved Japanese side dishes. Enjoyed the world over, the thin, cloudy broth has a rich and salty umami flavour. The soup is traditionally made from a base of dashi (a stock of seaweed and bonito flakes) and miso (fermented soybean paste). More ingredients are often added for extra texture and flavour, including tofu, spring onions and wakame seaweed, or vegetables such as edamame and spinach. Served alongside foods like sushi and sashimi, grilled fish and meats, or as part of a bento box, comforting miso soup is also celebrated for its health benefits – it’s low in calories, high in protein and is gluten-free (if you use a gluten-free soy sauce or substitute with tamari). All up, it’s the perfect go-to for when your body needs a little TLC.

How to make miso soup

There’s no ‘simmering over the stove for hours’ required here. Miso soup prepared with store-bought miso paste and stock is quick and easy to make. You can make your own dashi stock or substitute with a fish or vegetable stock as we have in this miso soup recipe. Then, the most vital of the miso soup ingredients: the miso! The strength of flavour of your soup will mostly depend on the type of miso paste you use and the amount of salt in it. You can use white, red or yellow miso. Each has different flavour profiles and you can adjust the amount according to your taste as it simmers away with your stock and aromatics, such as ginger and garlic. Using a good-quality miso will help ensure the best flavour in your soup.

What are the best miso soup ingredients to add?

You can customise your miso soup any way you like. A popular addition is tofu. You can use any kind of tofu – we’ve used firm as it retains its structure in the hot broth for some added texture, but you could also use silken tofu, which melts beautifully into your soup to add depth of flavour. You can add any array of vegetables, from shiitake mushrooms to edamame, capsicum, spinach or carrot. Whatever you use, ensure they’re sliced thinly so they’ll cook rapidly in the broth and retain their texture. Garnish with anything from finely chopped spring onions or chives, or a sprinkling of toasted sesame seeds and Asian fried shallots.

Now get cooking

Miso soup is the perfect side dish for teriyaki chicken with ramen noodles and homemade salmon sushi fingers. For more delicious miso-based soups, try this Japanese-style pork and noodle soup (flavoured with miso and soy alongside mirin and curry powder), this tofu noodle soup with mushroom-miso broth, and this chicken and udon noodle soup with edamame and carrots.