Name: Japanese Miso Soup with Tofu and Wakame
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 1000 ml Dashi stock, or water with 1 tsp instant dashi granules; 3 tbsp White or red miso paste; 150 g Soft (silken) tofu, cut into small cubes; 2 g Dried wakame seaweed, about 1 tbsp once rehydrated; 2 Green onions, thinly sliced

Japanese Easy to digest Iron-rich 20 min 4 servings62 Calories

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Miso soup is served with almost every Japanese breakfast and dinner. This version uses soft tofu and wakame seaweed, and it takes about 20 minutes from start to finish.

Why miso soup is a staple

Miso soup is a light Japanese soup built on dashi, a stock traditionally made from kelp and dried fish, with fermented soybean paste stirred in at the end. It is quick, warming and low in calories, and it is served with many Japanese meals. Tofu adds protein and wakame adds a mild taste of the sea.

Tips for the best result

Heat the dashi until it steams but do not let it boil. Never boil the soup after the miso goes in, because boiling dulls its aroma and flavour. Dissolve the miso in a ladle of hot broth first, then stir it into the pot off the heat so it does not clump. White miso is milder and slightly sweet; red miso is deeper and saltier, so start with less.

Substitutions and variations

For a vegetarian soup, make dashi from kombu and shiitake instead of fish. Add sliced mushrooms, spinach or a few cubes of daikon. Miso is salty, so go easy on extra soy sauce.

Storing and serving

Miso soup is best made and eaten fresh. If you reheat leftovers, do it gently without boiling. Note for allergies: miso is made from soy, some types contain barley (gluten), and traditional dashi contains fish.

Nutrition values are estimates based on USDA reference values and may vary depending on the brands and quantities you use.

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