If you’ve dined in a Japanese restaurant, you’ve most likely had miso soup.
We have it just about every day in Japan… and I continue that tradition with my son, here in the US! To keep it interesting, we switch it up every now and then with different ingredients including: deep fried tofu, mushrooms, daikon, fish, and clams!
Sometimes I add a scoop of white rice in the soup to make it heartier (it’s still one of my son’s favorite between-meal snacks!) … and now that I’ve cut back on rice, I add extra tofu in mine to keep me satisfied!
The three types of miso pastes usually available at your local Asian markets are:
White miso (shiro) – made from fermented soybeans and rice. This is the mildest has a lightly sweet flavor.
Yellow miso (shinsu) – made from fermented soybeans and barley. This one is slightly saltier than the white miso.
Red miso (aka) – made from fermented soybeans and barley. It’s the saltiest and strongest flavored miso.
My personal favorite is the “awase miso” which is a combination of the white and red miso. I love how it perfectly balances out the mildest and strongest flavors!
Making miso soup is simple and quick! Ready?
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 1 teaspoon dashi granules
- 1 cup chopped green onion
- 2 cups firm tofu cubed
- 3-4 tbsp miso paste I used 4 tbsps of awase miso paste
- 2 sheets nori
- Vegan alternative: Replace water with vegetable broth and omit dashi granules.
- Gluten Free alternative: Use white shiro miso made with soybeans and rice.
Instructions
- Place water and dashi granules in medium saucepan. Bring to boil and stir until dashi is dissolved.
- Add nori and simmer about 3-5 minutes
- In the meantime, place miso in small bowl, add a small amount of hot water and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
- Add green onion and tofu to the pot of water/dashi mixture and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add miso mixture, and stir to combine.
- Taste and add more miso if desired. Serve warm and fresh!
