Authentic Japanese Miso Soup (味噌汁)
A quick, nourishing Japanese soup made with dashi, tofu, wakame, and miso paste. Simple to prepare, rich in umami, and perfect for any meal of the day.
Ingredients
- 3 cups dashi stock (homemade or power-based)
- 2 - 3 tbsp miso paste depending on your miso pate
- 1/2 block silken or firm tofu, cubed
- 1 tbsp dried wakame (rehydrated in water)
- 1/2 sheet aburaage
- 1 spring onion, finely sliced
Instructions
Make the dashi
- repare 2 cups of dashi stock using homemade katsuo dashi or dashi powder dissolved in hot water.
Heat the soup base
- Pour the dashi into a small saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
Add tofu
- Gently add cubed tofu and sliced aburaage to the pot. Simmer for 1–2 minutes — do not boil
Dissolve miso paste
- Turn off the heat. Scoop out a small ladle of hot broth and dissolve the miso paste in it using a small strainer or spoon. Stir the miso back into the pot.
Add wakame
- Add the rehydrated wakame at the very end, just before serving, as it cooks quickly in the hot broth.
Final touches
- Serve hot and garnish with sliced spring onions if desired. Avoid boiling after adding miso.
Notes
💡 Tips
- Don’t boil miso — it loses flavor and aroma if overheated.
- Use soft tofu for delicate texture, or firm if you like more bite.
- Dried wakame expands a lot — a little goes a long way!
- Try adding mushrooms, daikon, or seasonal vegetables to make it heartier.
