Miso Soup Recipe

Rehydrate wakame

Place the dried wakame in a small bowl and cover with cold water. Let soak for 5–10 minutes until rehydrated and expanded. Drain and squeeze out excess water, then roughly chop if pieces are large.

Prepare tofu

Drain the tofu and pat lightly with paper towel. Cut into 1/2-inch (1–1.5 cm) cubes. Keep refrigerated until ready to add so cubes hold shape.

Slice green onions

Trim root ends and any wilted tops from the green onions. Slice thinly on a diagonal into 1/8–1/4-inch (3–6 mm) pieces. Separate white and green parts if you want to add whites earlier for a bit more bite.

Heat dashi

In a medium saucepan, combine 4 cups water and 1 tablespoon dashi granules (or 4 cups prepared dashi stock). Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Do not boil vigorously.

Dissolve miso

Place 3 tablespoons miso paste in a small bowl or ladle. Ladle about 1/2 cup of the hot dashi into the bowl and whisk or stir until the miso is completely dissolved and smooth. Return the dissolved miso to the saucepan. Keep the heat low—do not boil the soup after adding miso to preserve flavor and probiotics.

Add tofu and wakame

Gently add the cubed tofu and rehydrated wakame to the pot. Warm for 1–2 minutes over low heat just until tofu is heated through and wakame is tender. Avoid stirring vigorously to prevent breaking the tofu.

Adjust seasoning

Taste the soup and adjust if needed. If it needs more umami or salt, add a small splash of soy sauce (start with 1/2 teaspoon) or an additional 1/2 teaspoon miso dissolved in a little broth. Remember miso is salty—adjust gradually.

Finish and serve

Turn off the heat. Stir in sesame oil if using. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with the sliced green onions (add whites first if reserved, then greens for color). Serve immediately while warm.