Miso Soup Recipe

Prepare kombu dashi

Wipe the kombu lightly with a damp cloth to remove any dust (do not rinse vigorously). In a medium saucepan combine 4 cups water and the kombu. Let soak for 20–30 minutes (or up to 1 hour) to extract flavor, or skip soaking for quicker prep.

After soaking, place the saucepan over medium heat. Slowly bring to just under a simmer. Remove the kombu right before the water begins to boil (small bubbles forming and steam rising). Leaving kombu boiling will make the dashi slimy and overly strong.

Add bonito

Once kombu is removed and the liquid is just starting to simmer, turn off the heat and add 1 cup dried bonito flakes. Stir gently and let steep for 1 minute off heat. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean pot or bowl, pressing lightly on the solids to extract flavor. Discard solids. You now have about 4 cups of clear dashi.

Transfer the hot dashi back to a clean saucepan and keep over low heat. Do not boil once you add miso, as boiling destroys miso's delicate flavor and probiotics.

Place 3 tablespoons white miso (and 1 teaspoon red miso if using) in a small bowl or ladle. Ladle about 1/2 cup of hot dashi into the bowl and whisk or stir until the miso is fully dissolved to make a smooth miso slurry.

Pour the miso slurry back into the pot with the remaining dashi and stir gently to combine. Keep the heat on low; maintain a temperature where small wisps of steam rise but the liquid never boils.

Prepare tofu and seaweed: Drain the tofu and pat dry with paper towels. Cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 7 oz total). If using dried wakame, rehydrate it in 2 tablespoons warm water for 2–3 minutes, then drain and chop if pieces are large.

Add tofu and wakame to the low-heated miso dashi. Warm gently for 1–2 minutes until tofu is heated through. Do not boil.

Thinly slice the green onions (white and light green parts) on a bias into 1/8–1/4-inch pieces. Slice the nori sheet into thin strips or small squares using scissors.

Taste the soup and adjust seasoning: if it needs a touch more saltiness or depth, add up to 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce or an additional 1/2 teaspoon miso dissolved in a little dashi. Stir gently and keep off boil.

To serve, ladle the miso soup into bowls. Garnish each bowl with a scattering of diced tofu, a pinch of sliced scallions, and 1/4 sheet worth of nori strips per serving (reserve remaining nori for other servings). Serve immediately while warm.