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Homemade Miso Soup

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Homemade Miso Soup

Homemade miso soup is filled with rich, complex, and savory flavors, but it’s not hard to make! Bursting with umami, this brothy soup is ready in minutes so that you can enjoy a satisfying meal any time of the day.

homemade miso soup in a bowl on a bamboo mat

Mahalo to Foodland Hawai’i for sponsoring this post. As always, thoughts and opinions are my own.

Miso soup is a frequent dish at our house and a great example of easy Japanese cooking. I love how quick it is to make and there are so many ways you can change it up. We often eat it loaded with tofu and nori, but there’s much more you can add to it, so be sure to check out all my ideas below.

This easy miso soup is a favorite when the weather is cool and rainy, but it’s also a great pick for a light meal. Serve smaller bowls as a starter or take a thermos of this delicious soup to work for an easy and satisfying lunch.

maka'i seaweed for homemade miso soup

What You Need To Make Japanese Miso Soup

(Full recipe instructions and ingredient amounts are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post)

  • Water – Water is the base of this soup but don’t worry, we’re going to pack it with flavor.
  • Dashi powder – No need to make dashi from scratch. This is a great way to speed up the process. A little goes a long way! You can use your favorite brand.
  • White miso paste – This is the core flavor in this soup, be sure to use a good brand that’s not too salty.
  • Tofu – Regular tofu works great in this soup. Cube it into bite-sized pieces.
  • Maika’i Original Roasted Seaweed – You can find this at your local Foodland in the Asian aisle. Slice these into strips.
  • Green onion – Thinly sliced. Chopped green onions add a pop of freshness and color.
homemade miso soup ingredients

What Is Miso Paste?

Miso is a fermented soybean paste and has a salty, umami-rich flavor. It’s used in many different Japanese dishes, and it comes in various strengths. White or shiro miso paste is the mildest. Yellow or shinsu is mid range. Red miso is fermented the longest and has the strongest flavor.

How To Make Miso Soup Recipe

This is a quick and easy traditional miso soup that’s ready in no time, so make sure you have everything ready to go by the time the water is boiling.

  1. Boil the water in a medium-sized soup pot.
  2. Add the dashi and mix until dissolved. Lower the heat to a simmer.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk the miso paste with a bit of water to thin it. Add this to the broth and whisk until combined. 
  4. Add the cubed tofu and the Maika’i Original Roasted Seaweed. Simmer until heated through. 
  5. Serve in a bowl topped with sliced green onions.

Variations

This is an easy soup to customize. Some of my favorites include:

  • Add thinly sliced mushrooms. I love this soup with shiitake mushrooms in it.
  • Leafy greens like fresh spinach, chard, and baby kale are a great additions.
  • Noodles. Add soba noodles to add more body to the soup.
  • Shrimp and seafood add even more protein to this miso soup with dashi.
  • Use chicken, vegetable, or seafood broth in place of the water.
twp bowls of homemade miso soup

What To Serve Japanese Miso Soup With

I love a bowlful of this soup on its own or with a small bowl of sticky, white rice. It also goes well alongside shoyu ahi poke https://keepingitrelle.com/shoyu-ahi-poke-recipe/, edamame https://keepingitrelle.com/edamame-recipe/, air fryer teriyaki salmon https://keepingitrelle.com/air-fryer-teriyaki-salmon/, or air fryer steak bites https://keepingitrelle.com/air-fryer-steak-bites/ 

Tips To Make The Best Miso Soup

  • If you add more veggies or other ingredients to the soup, add them raw to the hot broth without sauteing them, so you don’t end up with puddles of fat on the top of your soup.
  • Thin the miso paste with some water first, so it dissolves easily in the soup. Skipping this step could result in lumps of undissolved miso paste in your soup. If this happens, use an immersion blender to try to get rid of the lumps.
  • Miso is the primary flavoring in this soup so use a good quality brand of miso paste.
  • Maika’i Original Roasted Seaweed is my favorite brand of nori or dried seaweed for this soup, slice it thinly, and it’ll add so much flavor.
spoon pouring homemade miso soup

How To Store Miso Soup

Keep any leftover soup in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days. If you prefer your nori crispy, add it to the soup once it has been reheated. To reheat it, warm it in a saucepan on the stove or heat it in the microwave.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is miso soup with seaweed easy to make?

Yes! This is a super easy soup, but it has an unbelievable flavor! It’s quick to make, too with just a few simple ingredients.

Is homemade miso soup healthy?

Yes! Miso is made from fermented soybeans so it’s filled with protein and probiotics. It’s also a good source of vitamin K, manganese, copper, and zinc. 

What does miso soup taste like?

Miso soup is a savory soup that’s packed with umami. You’ll taste the salty-sweet richness of the miso paste along with the bright, briny flavor of the seaweed. These flavors combine to create the most amazing soup ever!

Other great recipes that use miso

homemade miso soup in a bowl on a bamboo mat

Homemade Miso Soup

Relle Lum
Homemade miso soup  is filled with rich, complex, and savory flavors, but it’s not hard to make! Bursting with umami, this brothy soup is ready in minutes so that you can enjoy a satisfying meal any time of the day.
5 from 5 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine Japanese
Servings 4 servings
Calories 130 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 4 cups water
  • 2 teaspoons dashi powder
  • 4 tablespoons white miso paste
  • 1 block 8 ounces regular tofu, cubed
  • 4 sheets Maika’i Original Roasted Seaweed sliced into strips
  • 1 green onion thinly sliced

Instructions
 

  • Set a large pot over high heat. Add water and bring to a boil.
  • Add dashi and mix until dissolved. Then lower heat to medium.
  • To a small bowl add miso paste and 1 tablespoon of water. Whisk to thin slightly. Pour thinned miso into the dashi and whisk until well combined.
  • Add tofu and Maika’i Original Roasted Seaweed. Simmer until heated through.
  • Serve in a small bowl and top with sliced green onions. ENJOY!

Notes

  • If you add more veggies or other ingredients to the soup, add them raw to the hot broth without sauteing them, so you don’t end up with puddles of fat on the top of your soup.
  • Thin the miso paste with some water first, so it dissolves easily in the soup. Skipping this step could result in lumps of undissolved miso paste in your soup. If this happens, use an immersion blender to try to get rid of the lumps.
  • Miso is the primary flavoring in this soup so use a good quality brand of miso paste.
  • Maika’i Original Roasted Seaweed is my favorite brand of nori or dried seaweed for this soup, slice it thinly, and it’ll add so much flavor.
  • Nutrition

    Serving: 1gCalories: 130kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 14gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 656mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2g
    Keyword easy recipe, homemade, homemade miso soup, japanese food, japanese recipe, keeping it relle, miso soup, side dish
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    © Relle Lum for Keeping It Relle. Please do not copy and paste or screenshot recipes online or on social media. I’d love it if you share a link with a photo instead. Mahalo!

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    By on March 22nd, 2022

    About Relle

    Aloha, my name is Relle and welcome to my little home on the internet where I like to share all my favorite Hawaiian recipes (and local ones too).

    I am a wife, mom of two, and nurse practitioner here in the beautiful state of Hawai’i. I was born and raised in Hawai’i and I am of native Hawaiian descent. In my spare time I love to cook and bake and I have compiled many of my favorite recipes here for you to enjoy.

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    5 thoughts on “Homemade Miso Soup”

    1. 5 stars
      This soup was a great, easy meal. Thanks for the tips on other things to serve with it, I can see us making it many times in the future.

      Reply

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