Authentic Japanese Miso Soup Recipe (味噌汁)
Warm up with this flavorful and authentic Japanese miso soup recipe. Easy to make at home with tofu, greens, and traditional seasonings. Ready in just 15 minutes!
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 1 piece kombu (dried kelp) about 4x4 inches
- 1 cup bonito flakes (katsuobushi)
- 3-4 tbsp miso paste (white, red, or mixed)
- 8 oz silken or soft tofu cut into ½-inch cubes
- 2 tbsp dried wakame seaweed
- 2-3 green onions (scallions) thinly sliced
- 4-6 shiitake mushrooms sliced (optional)
Instructions
Make the Dashi
- Fill a medium pot with 4 cups of cold water. Add kombu and let soak for 5 minutes. Place pot over medium heat and bring almost to a boil. Just before it reaches a rolling boil, remove the kombu. Add bonito flakes and immediately turn off heat. Let steep for 5 minutes. Strain the dashi through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl.
Rehydrate Wakame
- Place dried wakame in a small bowl and cover with cold water. Let sit for 5 minutes until fully rehydrated. Drain and rinse, then set aside.
Prepare Tofu and Vegetables
- Cut tofu into ½-inch cubes and pat gently with paper towel if very wet. Slice green onions thinly, keeping white and green parts separate. If using mushrooms, slice thinly.
Heat Dashi and Add Tofu
- Return strained dashi to the pot and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Add tofu cubes and any mushrooms or vegetables. Let simmer gently for 2-3 minutes until heated through.
Dissolve the Miso
- Turn heat to low. Ladle out ½ cup of hot dashi into a small bowl. Add 3-4 tablespoons miso paste and whisk vigorously until completely dissolved. Pour miso mixture back into pot through a strainer and stir gently. Do not boil after adding miso.
Add Final Ingredients and Serve
- Add rehydrated wakame and green parts of scallions. Stir gently and let sit for 30 seconds. Remove from heat immediately. Ladle into bowls and serve hot.