Miso Soup
Miso shiru is the soup that appears at nearly every Japanese meal, from a simple breakfast to an elaborate multi-course dinner. Its foundation is dashi - a stock made from kombu seaweed and bonito flakes - into which miso paste is dissolved just before serving so the living cultures in the paste are preserved. Cubed silken tofu and rehydrated wakame seaweed are the most common additions, finished with a scattering of sliced scallions. The soup is deliberately understated, its role being to complement rather than compete with the dishes around it. White miso yields a mild, slightly sweet version, while red miso produces a saltier, more assertive bowl. Every household and region has its own preferred combination of miso type and ingredients.
Adjust Servings
Instructions
- 1
Rehydrate the dried wakame in water.
- 2
Heat dashi stock in a pot.
- 3
Dissolve miso in a ladle of broth, then stir into the pot.
- 4
Add tofu and wakame; heat through and garnish with green onion.
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