Miso soup is a staple in Japanese cuisine. This classic recipe is light yet nourishing, and layered with homemade dashi, miso, tender seaweed, tofu, and crisp green onion. Plus, it’s so easy to make!
Why You’ll Love This Miso Soup
I love the idea of enjoying this miso soup with any meal of the day, much like my egg drop soup! With its savory, umami flavor, it’s so good alongside my miso salmon and ginger rice. Though it’s honestly a great starter to a wide variety of meals (which I mention below). But what I love most is that this recipe is rich in probiotics, packed with minerals, and completely gluten-free. If you’re celiac like me, ordering miso soup at restaurants can be hit or miss depending on the ingredients they use. So, why not make it at home? Here’s why you should:
- So simple. This soup comes together in 30 minutes or less using a handful of classic Japanese pantry ingredients.
- Homemade dashi. It only takes minutes to make, but it adds incredible depth and flavor to the soup.
- Great for meal prep. It keeps well for several days and is great to enjoy with breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Miso Soup Ingredients
- Kombu: This is the backbone of your dashi, so quality matters. Choose kombu that looks thick and slightly dusty. That white, powdery coating is natural glutamate (aka umami gold).
- Bonito flakes: A little goes a long way here! I usually buy smaller bags so they stay fresh. Once opened, they lose their delicate aroma fairly quickly.
- Dried wakame seaweed: Dried wakame is the soft and silky seaweed that you eat in the soup (you remove and discard the more leathery kombu). It lasts forever in the pantry and you only need a tiny amount per batch.
- Miso paste: I usually reach for white or yellow miso for a milder, slightly sweet flavor that works any time of day. Also, look for simple ingredients and “unpasteurized” or “live cultures” if possible. Avoid miso with added sugar, preservatives, or flavor enhancers. And double check that your miso is gluten-free, if you’re gluten-free like me.
- Silken tofu: These tend to be smoother and creamier than standard silken tofu and hold their shape better in hot broth. Silken tofu lends the soup its classic, delicate texture that I love.
- Green onions: Gives the soup a little pop of brightness. Sometimes, I”ll add one more because I love green onions!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below
How To Make Miso Soup
First, make the dashi. Place the water and kombu in a medium pot over medium heat and bring it to a gentle simmer. Just before it starts to boil, remove the kombu. (Pro tip: boiling kombu can make the broth bitter or slimy, so don’t let it go too far.) Turn off the heat, add the bonito flakes, and let them steep for 3 to 5 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve to get a clean, flavorful dashi.
Second, rehydrate the seaweed. Add the wakame to a small bowl with warm water. It will expand quickly, within about 30 seconds. Drain and set aside.
Third, build the soup. Return the warm dashi to the pot over medium heat. Add the tofu (and optional soy sauce or ginger, if using) and let it gently simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
Lastly, add the miso. Remove the pot from the heat. Place the miso paste in a small bowl and whisk it with a ladle of hot broth until smooth. Stir it back into the pot (never boil!), then add the wakame and green onions. Serve warm.
Ways To Enjoy
- As a cozy breakfast side. I love a small bowl of miso soup in the morning with eggs, avocado, or smoked salmon. Especially with a warm matcha to enjoy right after!
- As a light lunch. Pair it with a crisp salad, roasted veggies, or leftover protein.
- Alongside Japanese-inspired dinners. It’s perfect with miso salmon, teriyaki chicken, grilled fish, or tofu. If you have a meal that’s savory and umami-forward, miso soup belongs next to it.
- As an afternoon reset. When I want something warm but don’t need a full meal, a mug of miso soup is perfect. It’s soothing and a bit more satisfying than plain tea.
- Bulked up into a heartier bowl. Add extra tofu, mushrooms, spinach, or scallions to turn it into a more filling soup for dinner!
Storage Tips
Homemade miso soup will keep well in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. If possible, store the broth separately from the tofu and seaweed for the best texture. When reheating, warm it gently and avoid boiling to preserve the flavor and probiotics.
More Soup Recipes
- Cabbage soup: Best low-carb soup!
- Mediterranean lentil soup: Light and healthy.
- Classic tomato soup: A classic for a reason.
- Vegetable soup: Best loaded vegetable soup.
- Or give these other soup recipes a try next!
If you make this miso soup recipe, let me know how it turns out in the comments below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’d like to see more healthy food inspiration and exclusive content, join my free email community here.
Description
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Dashi
- 4 cups water
- 1 piece kombu, about 4 to 6 inches
- 1 cup bonito flakes, omit for a vegan version
For the Miso Soup
- 1 tablespoon dried wakame seaweed
- 3 to 4 tablespoons miso paste
- 7 ounces soft silken tofu, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 2 green onions, sliced
- optional: tamari soy sauce and grated ginger, to taste
Instructions
- Make the Dashi. Place the water and kombu in a medium pot over medium heat, and bring to a simmer. Right before the water starts boiling, remove the kombu. Pro tip: boiling kombu can make the broth slimy or bitter, so make sure to not leave it in. Turn off the heat, stir in the bonito flakes, and let them steep for 3 to 5 minutes. Strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve and into a bowl for fresh, clean dashi.
- Rehydrate the seaweed. Place the wakame in a small bowl with warm water. Once it expands (about 30 seconds), drain and set it aside.
- Make the miso soup. Return the warm dashi to the pot on medium heat. Add the tofu (and optional soy sauce and ginger, if you'd like), and simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Finish and serve. Remove the pot from the heat. Place the miso paste in a small bowl, whisk it with a ladle of hot broth until smooth, then stir it back in the pot. Stir in the green onions and wakame, then serve warm.
Lisa’s Tips
- Each serving is about 1½ cups.
- While not traditional, I personally love adding a little tamari soy sauce and ginger to my miso soup. I add about ¼ to ½ teaspoon of each. Just enough to enhance the flavor without overpowering it.
- To make the recipe even easier, you can stir dashi granules into the warm water, instead of making the dashi from scratch. Just make sure your dashi granules are gluten-free, as not all are.
- Storage tip: Store for 2 to 3 days in the fridge. If possible, store the broth separately from the tofu and seaweed for the best texture. When reheating, warm it gently and avoid boiling to preserve the flavor and probiotics.
Nutrition
©Downshiftology. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
Behind The Scenes
After Emily (my social media manager) got home from her recent trip to Japan, she nudged me to add this recipe to the website as soon as possible. And it was perfect timing as I was thinking about new, wholesome soup recipes to kick off the new year! I did add a splash of tamari soy sauce and a little ginger to the bowl you see pictured above. Though Emily said my base recipe was spot-on to all of the bowls she enjoyed while traveling Japan!
I’m really looking forward to this one! Thank you for the inspiration!
You’re more than welcome, Virginia. Hope you enjoy this miso soup!
HI Lisa Thanks for a great recipe. more Japanese recipes please.
Hi Dani – I’m happy you loved it! And yes, I’ll definitely be adding more in the future. Make sure to check out my miso salmon, ginger rice, teriyaki chicken and other Asian-inspired recipes in the meantime. :)
My daughter and I just enjoyed a warm bowl of this delicious miso soup, perfect for her while she has the flu!
Hi Christine – I’m sorry to hear your daughter is sick (it’s really going around right now). But hopefully this warm and cozy miso soup made her feel a bit better!
I throw bonito in my chicken broth too, to break a fast. Along w/dulse flakes and vinegar. So tasty to sip on as u wake up ur tummy!
I do eat it, it’s just shaved dried tuna.
That’s a great way to enhance your chicken broth as well. Thanks for sharing, Helene!
Kombu is not at all bitter when simmered even a very long time with beans or in a soup, etc. It is actually delicious too as it’s got natural msg! It’s not slimy either, it’s just cooked veggie soft. U should try okra if you wanna talk slimy 🤢
I’ve been eating kombu since the mid90s. When I make dashi I leave the kombu in.
I don’t know what’s up the dashi “experts”.
I’m impressed! I’m Japanese and this is truly the authentic and proper way to make Miso soup. I like potato and yellow onion miso soup and sometimes I drop eggs in it at the end. In this case, I let it boil to cook the eggs. Normally I wouldn’t just like you said. Fried tofu is another good one. Even pork and then it’s called Tonjiru. There are many variations and different types of miso. I hope you’ll try them!
Hi Rie – Thanks for sharing and happy to hear this recipe meets authentic expectations!
You and Emily are mind-readers! Just last night I was thinking that I had miso paste that I don’t know what to do with, and some tofu. So I was planning to find a good miso soup recipe, and here you are!
Look at that, great minds! Haha. I hope you enjoy this recipe and I can’t wait to hear what you think of it!