Make easy and delicious Miso Soup in 5 minutes! Flavored with Miso paste, this simple Japanese soup is full of health benefits. Add finely diced tofu and wakame seaweed for extra flavor, texture, and protein. The cloudy broth is so comforting and nourishing! Serve as a side soup or light meal.

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What is Miso Soup?

Miso Soup is a traditional Japanese soup flavored with miso paste. A savory soup that is full of umami flavor, the hot broth is delicious, comforting, and full of immense health benefits. At Japanese restaurants, it’s a side dish served with sushi, teriyaki, and bento boxes. At home, it’s part of a traditional Japanese meal and served with white rice and other dishes.

In Japanese cuisine, Miso Soup is made with simple ingredients. The main ingredient is miso paste — salty, rich, and full of umami flavor. Miso paste is loaded with flavor and probiotic nutrition.

Another key ingredient is dashi broth. Dashi is a traditional Japanese soup stock and the backbone of Japanese cooking. An authentic Miso soup requires dashi broth. But to make it easier and faster, I use dashi instant powder. It works like chicken bouillon — add to water for instant flavor. If you don’t have it, use water or vegetable broth.

I often make Miso soup when we eat take-out sushi at home. Easy to make, it’s an essential side soup with sushi and sashimi. I also serve miso soup for breakfast. The savory broth is delicious and a great way to start the day.

As a child, my Korean grandma often made a simple Miso Soup when I felt sick or under the weather. The hot broth soothes sore throats. Today, I do the same for my kids. Kid-friendly and toddler-approved, Miso Soup is an easy favourite. There’s nothing more comforting than a bowl of classic Miso Soup!

Ingredients:

• Miso paste. For this Miso Soup recipe, I recommend Shiro Miso. It’s also called white miso or sometimes, yellow miso. Look for Japanese miso paste, preferably organic, at Asian markets. Tightly wrapped, it keeps a long time in the fridge. Do not use low-sodium miso paste as it leaves a strange aftertaste.
• Instant Dashi Powder. Use instant dashi powder to add instant homemade flavor. For a flavorful broth, I recommend instant dashi powder added to water. However, you can swap with vegetable broth. *FYI, I use Hondashi instant dashi powder for ease and convenience.
• Tofu. A plant-based protein. The type of tofu depends on personal preference. I prefer medium to firm tofu because it is easy to cube and holds its shape. But others prefer soft tofu or silken soft tofu with its silky smooth texture.
• Wakame Seaweed Flakes. A type of edible seaweed. Wakame seaweed flakes can be found in small packets at Asian markets. They come in dried form and the flakes rehydrate quickly. They add more flavor and nutrition.

For variation, add:

• Shiitake mushrooms (adds texture and flavor)
• Enoki Mushrooms (different texture than shitake)
• Baby spinach (wilts nicely)
• Spring onions or green onions (adds mild onion flavor + texture)

How to make 5-minute Miso Soup:

1. Heat water. In a medium pot, add cold water. Heat over medium heat until hot and steaming.
2. Add miso paste. Add miso paste and gently whisk into the hot water. *If using, add instant dashi powder as well.
3. Add tofu and wakame. Turn off the heat. To the hot broth, add cubed tofu and dried wakame flakes. Give it a good stir. Immediately cover and rest for 2-3 minutes. The residual heat will warm everything through.
4. Serve. Ladle into small bowls and enjoy. Eat immediately, while it’s piping hot!

Watch How to Make it:

PRO Tips:

• DO NOT BOIL! Boiling miso results in the loss of nutrition and flavor. When adding the miso paste, make sure the heat is turned off. Or use low heat. Do not cook or reheat over high heat.
• Small dice the tofu. For a more pleasing texture, I like to small dice the tofu. The tiny cubes are more pleasant to eat than large, chunky cubes.
• Make it vegan. To make vegan miso soup, do not add instant dashi powder. Leave it out or use vegan dashi stock as an alternative. The miso paste, wakame, and tofu are all vegan.
• Add clams. To make it extra special, add a handful of small fresh clams. Heat gently until the clams have opened their shells. A simple way to elevate Miso soup.

What is Miso Paste?

Miso paste is a Japanese fermented soybean paste. Miso paste is made from soybeans, salt, water, and koji — which is a mold that comes from barley or rice. Thick and rich, it’s full of umami flavor. A common seasoning in Japanese cuisine for soups, marinades, and dressings.

Miso paste contains beneficial bacterial that is good for your gut health. It is also full of vitamins, minerals, and anti-inflammatory properties.

There are different kinds of miso paste. The flavor and color depend on how long it’s been fermented. Generally, the longer the fermentation process, the stronger the flavor and the darker the color.

White miso, also called Shiro Miso, is pale and light yellow. It’s been fermented for a short period. The flavor is salty, slightly sweet, and mild. Shiro Miso is commonly used for traditional Miso Soup.

Generally, miso paste is gluten-free (look at the label to make sure) and vegan.

More recipes with miso paste: Miso Chicken Skewers, Miso Glazed Salmon, and Miso Roasted Cauliflower.

What is Dashi?

Dashi is Japanese soup stock. It is the flavor base of many Asian soup recipes.

The flavor base comes from bonito flakes, which is dried skipjack — dried shrimp, kombu (dried seaweed), and bonito flakes (dried skipjack tuna). But Dashi can be easily veganized or customized to your liking.

Like homemade chicken broth, Dashi broth can also be made at home. But for ease and convenience, use instant dashi powder. Similar to chicken bouillon, it is shelf-stable and dissolves easily in water.

Although optional, Dashi adds a delicious layer of flavor plus a boost of added nutrition.

How do I make Dashi?

There are several ways to make Dashi:

• Instant Dashi Powder. The fastest and easiest way. A spoonful of dried granules, stirred into hot water, does the trick. Ex. Hondashi (primary ingredient: Bonito, which is a type of tuna).

• Kombu + Bonito flakes + Dried Shitake Mushrooms. The classic way to make Dashi. You’ll need to buy each element separately and boil it in cold water for 20 minutes. After 20 additional minutes of steeping, strain with a fine-mesh strainer for a clear, homemade dashi stock. Can be made in advance.

• Dashi Packs. A modern, convenient way to make Dashi. Instead of buying each element separately, you only need to buy a dashi pack — a ready-made satchel with all the elements (kombu, bonito flakes, dried mushrooms, dried shrimp, etc.) bundled up into single servings. Toss the packets into a pot with cold water and simmer for 20 minutes, then steep for another 20 minutes. Remove the packets and enjoy your homemade dashi stock.

*FYI: you can still make delicious homemade Miso Soup without Dashi. Just use water instead.

FAQ

More Asian soups:

• Dak Gomtang (Korean Chicken Soup)
• Doenjang Jjigae (Soybean Paste Stew)
• Khori Gomtang (Oxtail Soup)
• Instant Pot Ginger Chicken Soup