Bring authentic Japanese flavor to your kitchen with this easy miso soup recipe! Quick, comforting, and healthy—a dish you’ll want to enjoy daily.
My miso soup recipe is simple because miso soup should be!
In Japan, miso soup is enjoyed daily and is perfect for adding veggies or protein to your meal. I like shimeji mushrooms for fiber and tofu for protein.
You can also use seasonal ingredients—like asparagus in spring, eggplant in summer, pumpkin in fall, or napa cabbage in winter.
Get creative and have fun with it!
In This Post
Jump to Recipe✏️What is Miso Soup? Is It Healthy?
Miso soup is made with miso paste, dashi, and various vegetables or proteins like tofu, making it a great way to add more veggies to your meal!
During the Kamakura period of Japanese history (1185–1333), monks from China introduced a new tool—a mortar—which allowed people to grind miso paste. This made it easier to dissolve, leading to the creation of miso soup.
It was also during this time that the basic meal structure, Ichiju-Issai (rice, soup, one side dish, and one pickle dish), was established.
Health Benefits of Miso Soup
Miso is fermented soybean paste and it has so many amazing health benefits!
- It’s a fermented food, which means it’s great for your gut health thanks to probiotics.
- Packed with essential nutrients to keep you feeling great.
- It may lower the risk of certain cancers.
- Helps boost your immune system.
- Could reduce dark spots and stains on your skin.
- Might give your metabolism a nice little boost.
- Can improve your sleep quality.
- And yes, it’s even known to help with hangovers!
To keep these benefits intact, don’t overheat miso. It’s best to add it after turning off the heat.
For more details, check out Why Miso Is Incredibly Healthy.
🛒Ingredients and Variations
The main ingredients for miso soup are simple: miso and dashi. You can add any vegetables or proteins you like—miso soup is incredibly versatile!
The Best Miso-to-Dashi Ratio
1 cup of dashi + ¾ to 1 tablespoon of miso
This is my golden ratio! However, it can vary depending on the type of miso you use, so always taste and adjust to balance the saltiness.
Use Dashi Powder for Quicker Miso Soup
I usually use dashi powder instead of making dashi from scratch because it’s quick and still flavorful—especially if you choose the right kind of dashi powder!
Make sure to select one made only with natural ingredients. My all-time favorite is Kayanoya Dashi.
🔗If you’d like to make dashi from scratch, check out my post on how to make dashi from scratch (coming soon).
How to Use Kayanoya Dashi
There are two main ways to use Kayanoya Dashi:
- Tear the bag and mix the dashi powder directly into water.
- Steep the bag by adding one dashi bag to 400-500ml of water, bringing it to a boil over medium heat, and simmering for 2-3 minutes before removing the bag.
Use the steeping method if you prefer a clear broth, as the dashi powder doesn’t dissolve in water. I often tear the bag and mix the powder to enjoy its added nutrition.
The Best Miso Paste for Miso Soup
There’s really no right or wrong—it’s all about what you like best! 😊
There are three main types of miso: shiro (white), aka (red), and Shinshu miso:
- Shiro (white): Made primarily with rice and fermented for a shorter time than other miso types. Its light color and sweet flavor make it perfect for dishes where you want to highlight the sweetness of miso.
- Aka (red): Made primarily with soybeans and fermented for a longer time, giving it a darker color and deeper flavor profile. It’s saltier than other types of miso, making it ideal for miso soup, nimono (stewed dishes), and meat dishes.
- Shinshu miso: Originating from Shinshu (Nagano Prefecture, where I’m from!), this miso is made with rice koji and has a light brown color. Its flavor is milder than red miso but richer than white miso—a perfect balance of sweetness, saltiness, and depth. Shinshu miso is a staple in many Japanese households.
I’m a big fan of Shinshu miso because I love the flavor balance, but honestly, I just use whatever I can find locally. My go-to is Hikari Miso Kodawattemasu.
💡Pro Tip: Try to avoid miso that’s already mixed with dashi—it doesn’t quite taste as good as the real thing!
The Best Tofu for Miso Soup
Japan mainly uses two kinds of tofu for miso soup: kinu (soft/silken) and momen (firm).
- Choose kinu (soft/silken) if you like smooth, silky textures.
- Choose momen(firm) if you want more texture and tofu that holds its shape.
Like miso, there’s no right or wrong—just pick whatever you like!
Add-In Ideas
Miso soup is the perfect way to get creative!
Here are some ideas for veggies and proteins to try (open the list!):
- Bok Choy
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Carrot
- Chicken
- Corn
- Daikon
- Dumpling/gyoza
- Egg
- Eggplant
- Enoki
- Onion
- Aburaage (deep-fried tofu)
- Green onion (as a garnish)
- Leek
- Nameko mushrooms
- Napa Cabbage
- Natto
- Okra
- Potatoes
- Pumpkin
- Salmon
- Shrimp
- Tomatoes
- Zucchini
- Yuzu
… and so much more!
If you discover a new favorite variation, let me know in the comments below. 😊
🍳Let’s Make This Together!
1. Prepare the ingredients
Cut shimeji mushrooms, tofu, and any other add-ins.
2. Cook the vegetables and dashi
Add dashi and shimeji mushrooms to a pot. Include any ingredients that take longer to cook, like root vegetables or chicken.
3. bring to a boil and simmer
Cook over medium heat until all ingredients are soft (1–2 minutes).
4. dissolve the miso
Turn off the heat and dissolve miso using a ladle to avoid chunks. Adjust with more miso or dashi as needed.
5. add tofu and wakame
Add tofu and wakame to the pot. Let it sit for 3–5 minutes to soften.
6. Serve and enjoy!
Once the wakame softens, pour the soup into bowls and serve!
💌If you created this recipe and liked it, please let me know by leaving a comment below or tagging me on Instagram (@giveme.umami). I’d love to see your creation!
Simple Miso Soup with Tofu, Mushrooms, and Wakame Seaweed
Ingredients
- 2 cups water (or 2 cups of dashi (note 1))
- 1-2 teaspoons dashi powder (omit this if you use dashi instead of water, (note 2))
- 2 ounces shimeji mushrooms (60g, you can use other mushrooms too)
- 1.5 tablespoons miso (you can use any kind of miso you like (note 3))
- 3.5 ounces silken or firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon dried cut wakame
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients: Cut the stem of 2 ounces shimeji mushrooms and separate them into small clusters by hand. Cut 3.5 ounces silken or firm tofu into small cubes (about ½ inch).
- Cook the vegetables and dashi: Add 2 cups water, 1-2 teaspoons dashi powder, and shimeji mushrooms to a pot. Heat over medium heat with the lid on. If you’re using ingredients that take longer to cook (e.g., root vegetables), add them now. Once it starts boiling, continue cooking for another 1–2 minutes, or until all the ingredients are soft.
- Dissolve the miso: Turn off the heat. Dissolve 1.5 tablespoons miso little by little using a ladle or a fine-mesh strainer (note 4). Taste the soup and adjust the flavor by adding more miso or dashi as needed.
- Add tofu and wakame: Add the diced tofu and 1 tablespoon dried cut wakame to the pot. Let it sit for 3–5 minutes until the wakame softens.
- Serve: Once the wakame has softened, pour the soup into bowls and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
🗄️Storage Tips
- Fridge: Store leftovers in a pot or an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Freezer: Once the miso soup has cooled to room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 weeks. Defrost the frozen miso soup by moving it to the fridge a couple of hours before enjoying it.
- Note: Some add-ins, such as potatoes and tofu, don’t freeze well, so remove them before freezing.
- Reheating: Reheat the soup in a pot over medium heat. Avoid boiling to preserve its flavors and aromas.
💡Pro Tip: Store the miso soup before adding the miso paste to prevent reheating the miso multiple times. When ready to serve, add one serving of miso paste directly to your bowl, pour the reheated soup (without the miso) over it, and stir to dissolve.
Can I Leave Out Miso Soup Overnight?
If it’s winter and your room is cold, and your miso soup doesn’t contain any meat, it might be okay—but I wouldn’t recommend it. The safest answer is “no.”
🥢What To Serve with Miso Soup
Miso soup goes well with any Japanese dish!
This is an example from my FREE Japanese ingredients essentials PDF which follows the Ichiju-Sansai format:
- Rice: Japanese rice (short grain)
- Main: The Best Authentic Japanese Teriyaki Chicken
- Side 1: Simmered Kiriboshi Daikon (Japanese Dried Daikon Radish Strips)
- Side 2: Japanese Cucumber Salad (Sunomono)
❓Frequently Asked Questions About This Recipe
Absolutely! You can cook the vegetables with dashi beforehand and store them in the fridge. When you’re ready to eat, simply reheat the soup and add miso, tofu, and wakame.
Alternatively, you can prepare the ingredients ahead of time and freeze them, which is what I often do. I cut and freeze shimeji mushrooms, deep-fried tofu, and scallions so I can make miso soup quickly.
Yes! To make it gluten-free, use gluten-free miso.
For a vegan version, use vegan dashi such as kombu dashi and plant-based proteins like tofu or deep-fried tofu.
Japanese people typically don’t use a spoon for miso soup.
Hold the bowl with one hand and chopsticks with the other. Bring the bowl to your mouth to drink the soup directly. Use chopsticks to eat the solid ingredients. Be careful not to make slurping noises, as it’s considered impolite.
Clear soup (called osumashi or sumashi jiru in Japanese) doesn’t use miso. It’s typically seasoned with soy sauce and dashi, making it a completely different dish.
