Miso Soup Recipe

Rinse the kombu briefly under cold running water to remove any dust. Place 4 cups cold water and the kombu in a medium saucepan. Let sit 20–30 minutes (optional) to extract more umami, or start heating immediately over medium-low heat.

Heat slowly. Just before the water reaches a simmer (small bubbles forming around the edges, about 170–175°F / 75–80°C), remove the kombu to avoid a bitter/seaweedy note.

Bring the pot to a gentle simmer, add the cup of bonito flakes, stir once, then turn off the heat. Let the bonito steep in the hot water for 3–5 minutes to infuse flavor.

Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a bowl or clean pot, pressing gently on the bonito flakes to extract liquid. Discard the solids. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the warm dashi in a small bowl (this will be used to dissolve the miso).

Dissolve miso

Place 3 tablespoons white miso paste in a small bowl. Add the reserved 1/2 cup warm dashi and whisk or stir until the miso is fully dissolved and smooth. This prevents lumps and ensures even incorporation.

Return the strained dashi to a clean saucepan and warm over low heat. Do not let it boil once miso is added, as boiling degrades miso's delicate flavors and probiotics.

Prepare tofu and wakame: Cut the 7 oz block of silken/soft tofu into 1/2-inch cubes. Soak 2 teaspoons dried wakame in a small bowl of warm water for 2–3 minutes until rehydrated, then drain and roughly chop if pieces are large.

Add tofu and wakame to the warmed dashi and gently heat for 1–2 minutes until warmed through. Avoid stirring too vigorously to prevent breaking the tofu.

Turn the heat to the lowest setting. Take a ladle of warm dashi from the pot, add the dissolved miso mixture to the ladle, and swirl to combine. Pour the miso back into the pot and gently stir to distribute. Do not bring the soup to a boil.

Slice 2 scallions thinly on the diagonal and add most of them to the soup. Reserve a few slices for garnish.

Taste the soup and adjust seasoning if desired. If you want a saltier soup, dissolve an additional 1/2 teaspoon miso in a spoonful of dashi and add little by little, tasting as you go.

Ladle the miso soup into bowls. Drizzle each serving with a tiny 1/8–1/4 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil if using, and sprinkle with reserved scallion slices. Add a pinch of shichimi togarashi or ground pepper to taste.