Miso Soup (Misoshiru)
Miso soup is not a side dish in Japan — it is a structural part of the meal. The traditional Japanese meal format, ichiju sansai (one soup, three dishes), places miso soup as one of the two essential anchors alongside rice. Japanese people drink miso soup at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Every household has a preferred type of miso, and regional differences are strong: white (shiro) miso dominates in Kyoto and western Japan, while red (aka) miso is preferred in Nagoya and central Japan. The act of making miso soup each morning is deeply ritualistic in Japanese homes — it represents care, routine, and the quiet rhythm of daily life.
The essential Japanese soup — dashi broth with dissolved miso, tofu, and wakame seaweed. Served at nearly every Japanese meal.
Ingredients
- 400ml dashi stock
- 2 tablespoons miso paste (awase or shiro miso)
- 100g soft tofu, cut into 1.5cm cubes
- 1 tablespoon dried wakame seaweed
- 1 green onion, thinly sliced
Instructions
- 01Soak dried wakame in water for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- 02Bring dashi stock to a gentle simmer in a pot over medium heat. Do not boil.
- 03Add tofu cubes and wakame. Heat gently for 2 minutes.
- 04Turn off the heat. Place miso paste in a ladle, submerge halfway in the broth, and dissolve it by stirring with chopsticks.
- 05Stir gently to combine. Serve immediately in bowls, garnished with sliced green onion.
Pro Tips
- Never boil miso soup after adding the miso — boiling kills the beneficial bacteria and dulls the flavor. This is the single most important rule.
- Dissolve miso through a ladle or small strainer to avoid lumps in the soup.
- Change the ingredients with the seasons: mushrooms in autumn, clams in spring, potatoes in winter, eggplant in summer.
- Mixing two types of miso (e.g., half white and half red) creates a more complex, balanced flavor — this blend is called awase miso.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (approximate)
Frequently Asked Questions
- What type of miso should I buy?
- For beginners, awase miso (blended) or shiro miso (white) are the most versatile. White miso is milder and slightly sweet. Red miso (aka) is saltier and more intense. All are available in the refrigerated section of Asian grocery stores or well-stocked supermarkets.
- Can I make miso soup without dashi?
- Technically yes, but the result will lack depth. At minimum, use instant dashi powder. Some cooks use the soaking liquid from dried shiitake mushrooms as a vegetarian dashi alternative.
- Is miso soup healthy?
- Yes. Miso is a fermented food rich in probiotics, protein, and B vitamins. However, it is high in sodium, so use miso in moderation if you are watching salt intake. The tofu and seaweed add protein, minerals, and fiber.
- What other ingredients can I put in miso soup?
- Almost anything. Popular variations include: sliced mushrooms, thinly sliced daikon radish, clams (asari), potato, onion, spinach, egg drop, and pork (for tonjiru, a hearty miso-based pork soup).
