Miso Soup Recipe
Traditional Japanese soybean paste soup with tofu and seaweed
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Dashi (broth)
Soup base and seasoning
Add-ins
Optional finishing
Method
Dashi (broth)
- 1
Soak kombu
Wipe kombu lightly with a damp cloth (do not remove the white powder). Place kombu in a medium saucepan with 4 cups cold water and let soak for 20–30 minutes if time allows (optional; speeds extraction and reduces bitterness).
- 2
Heat and remove kombu
Set the saucepan over medium heat. Just before the water reaches a simmer (small bubbles forming around the edge, about 60–80°C), remove the kombu to avoid a slimy or bitter taste.
- 3
Add bonito flakes and strain
Bring the water to a gentle simmer, add the bonito flakes, simmer 30 seconds to 1 minute, then turn off the heat and let steep for 3–5 minutes. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean pot — this is your dashi (approx. 4 cups). Discard solids.
Soup base and seasoning
- 4
Warm the dashi
Return the strained dashi to low heat and keep it warm. Do not let it boil once miso will be added, as boiling degrades miso’s aroma and probiotics.
- 5
Prepare miso
Scoop the white miso (and red/blended miso if using) into a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of the warm dashi (or water) to the miso and whisk or stir until completely smooth to create a miso slurry. This prevents clumps when added to the pot.
- 6
Incorporate miso
Lower the heat to very low. Ladle a small amount of warm dashi into the miso slurry again to temper it, then slowly whisk the slurry back into the pot of warm dashi. Stir gently until evenly distributed. Keep the soup below a simmer.
Add-ins
- 7
Rehydrate wakame
Place 2 tsp dried wakame in a small bowl and cover with warm water for 2–3 minutes until expanded. Drain and gently squeeze excess water. Chop into bite-sized pieces if large.
- 8
Prepare tofu and scallions
While miso is being prepared, drain tofu and cut into 12–16 small cubes (about 1–1.5 cm/0.4–0.6 in). Trim and thinly slice green onions on the bias.
- 9
Add tofu and wakame to soup
With the heat on very low (no simmering), add the cubed tofu and rehydrated wakame to the miso soup. Gently warm for 1–2 minutes — just enough to heat tofu through and infuse wakame without boiling.
Optional finishing
- 10
Final seasoning and serve
Taste the soup and adjust seasoning: if you want more depth use up to 1 tsp soy sauce, or a few drops of toasted sesame oil for aroma. Stir in sliced green onions just before serving. Serve hot in bowls.