How to Make Miso Soup
This delicate but intensely flavored soup is like chicken soup for the Japanese soul — minus the chicken. And it's just as easy to make if you have the right ingredients.
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You Will Need
- 4 c. fresh, cold water
- A 2 or 3-qt. pot
- A hotplate or stovetop
- A long piece of konbu seaweed
- 4 tbsp. bonito flakes
- A small mesh strainer
- 1/4 lb. soft tofu, cut into small cubes
- 2 wakame seaweed
- 4 red or white miso paste
- 3 chopped scallions
- A small ladle
- A spoon or whisk
- And a medium-sized bowl
Steps
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Step 1
Put water on stove
Pour the water into the pot and place it on the stove or hotplate at medium heat.
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Step 2
Add konbu
Break off a 4 to 6-inch piece of konbu and add it to the water.
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Konbu—also known as sea cabbage or kelp—is available at most health food stores.
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Step 3
Simmer & remove
Simmer the konbu for 15 minutes, then remove it from the water and throw it away.
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Step 4
Add bonito
Add bonito flakes to the pot and simmer on medium-low heat for 5 minutes. If you prefer a more intense fish flavor, steep the flakes for 10, 15, or even 20 minutes—the longer you steep them, the stronger the flavor.
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Step 5
Remove bonito
With a small mesh strainer, remove the bonito flakes and discard them.
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Step 6
Add tofu & wakame
Add the tofu chunks and wakame and simmer for 5 minutes on low heat.
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When making miso soup, never bring the broth to a boil—it will muddy all the distinct flavors.
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Step 7
Stir miso paste & broth
Ladle about a cup of the broth into a medium-sized bowl containing the miso paste, and stir with a long chopstick or spoon until it dissolves.
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Step 8
Pour broth
Once the miso paste is dissolved, pour the broth back in the pot and stir.
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Miso paste will keep in the fridge for nearly a year; bonito flakes, wakame, and konbu will last indefinitely in the cupboard.
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Step 9
Add scallions
Keeping the heat on low, add the chopped scallions and simmer for a final 5 minutes. Ahhh, miso.
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Miso soup is routinely served at breakfast in Japanese homes and restaurants.
