Description
This Homemade Miso Soup with Tofu recipe offers a traditional Japanese soup that is both comforting and nutritious. Featuring a delicate dashi broth made from kombu and bonito flakes, soft silken tofu, savory miso paste, wakame seaweed, and fresh green onions, this simple yet flavorful soup can be prepared in about 20 minutes and serves four people.
Ingredients
Scale
Dashi Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 1 piece kombu (dried kelp), about â…“ oz (10 g), 4 x 4 inches (10 x 10 cm)
- 1 cup katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes), loosely packed (about 3 cups for stronger flavor)
Miso Soup Ingredients
- 7 oz soft/silken tofu (kinugoshi dofu)
- 4 Tbsp miso paste (use 1 Tbsp, 18 g for every 1 cup of dashi)
- 1 Tbsp dried wakame seaweed
- 1 green onion/scallion, sliced into thin rounds
Instructions
- Prepare Dashi Stock: Place 4 cups of water and the kombu piece into a saucepan and slowly bring to a boil over medium heat. Just before boiling, remove the kombu to avoid bitterness.
- Add Bonito Flakes: After removing kombu, add 1 cup of katsuobushi (bonito flakes) to the water, then simmer gently for a few minutes to infuse the broth with smoky flavor. Strain the broth to remove flakes, leaving a clear dashi stock. This dashi can be made in advance and refrigerated.
- Prepare Ingredients: While the dashi is heating, slice the green onion into thin rounds and cut the soft tofu into bite-sized cubes. Rehydrate the dried wakame seaweed in water if desired, then drain.
- Make the Miso Soup: Pour the dashi back into a clean pot and bring to a gentle slow boil. Off the heat, dissolve 4 tablespoons of miso paste into the hot broth gradually without boiling to preserve the probiotics and flavor.
- Add Tofu and Wakame: Gently add the cubed soft tofu and 1 tablespoon of dried wakame seaweed to the miso broth. Heat gently to warm the ingredients without boiling.
- Finish and Serve: Stir in the sliced green onions just before serving. Serve the miso soup immediately while warm and fresh.
Notes
- Do not boil the soup after adding miso paste to maintain its delicate flavor and nutritional benefits.
- Kombu and bonito flakes are traditional dashi ingredients; omit bonito flakes for a vegetarian or vegan version.
- Adjust miso quantity to taste, but typically 1 tablespoon of miso per cup of dashi ensures balanced flavor.
- Use soft or silken tofu for a smooth texture that contrasts with the firm seaweed and scallions.
- Store any leftover dashi broth separately and add miso paste fresh each time to keep the soup’s flavor vibrant.
