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Soups & Sauces » Miso Soup

A classic Japanese soup with dashi broth (made with katsuo flakes and kombu seaweed), white miso (soybean paste), soft tofu and dried wakame seaweed is incredibly easy to make. Food writer, stylist and instructor Debra Samuels shares her technique for a preparation that's not only healthy but smells and tastes amazing. Easy, tastes good & healthy? We have a winner!

Print Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients

Dashi Broth*

1 strip kombu kelp, about 5” long
4 cups cold water
1¼ cups katsuo (bonito) flakes

Special Equipment

damp cloth
fine-mesh strainer
cheesecloth or paper towel

Miso Soup

3 tbsp dried wakame seaweed
1 cup cold water
4 cups Dashi Broth*
2-3 tbsp white (shiro) miso
½ block (8 oz) soft tofu, cut into ½” cubes
whites of 1 scallion stalk, thinly-sliced

How-to

Make Dashi Broth

Wipe kombu with a damp cloth
Add water and kombu to a medium-sized pan. Let the kombu sit in the cold water for 20 minutes
Bring water and kombu to a boil. Remove kombu just as water starts to boil (either discard or save to use for another recipe or application)
Toss the bonito flakes into the boiling water, then turn off the heat. Let the flakes sit for 2 minutes (the flakes will sink to the bottom)
Set a tightly-woven mesh strainer over a mixing bowl. Line the strainer with cheesecloth or a paper towel. Pour the stock through the strainer. Stock keeps for 3-5 days in the refrigerator

Note: The used fish flakes and kombu can be reserved for niban dashi (“number two” dashi; a weaker version)

Prepare Miso Soup

In a large bowl add the wakame and water. Set aside for 10 minutes or until the seaweed is softened. Drain the seaweed. Rinse with cold water and coarsely chop. Set aside
Bring the Dashi Broth* to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat, about 3 minutes
Place the miso in a ladle. Submerge the ladle about one-third of the way into the hot dashi. With a pair of chopsticks or spoon, dilute the miso, little by little into the dashi until the miso is completely dissolved into the soup
Add the tofu and seaweed and heat for about 5 minutes over low
Turn off the heat. Ladle into individual bowls and garnish each with scallion whites. Serve immediately