Easy Miso Soup Recipe (2024)

Miso Soup is the original health food, it’s an easy, umami rich soup recipe made with fermented bean paste that has been nourishing the Japanese for centuries ~ and you can make this delicious vegan soup for yourself in just minutes!

Easy Miso Soup Recipe (1)

What is miso soup?

Miso is an ancient Japanese seasoning paste made from fermented soybeans (and sometimes rice or barley.) It’s got that salty, umami flavor that distinguishes so many Japanese dishes like this classic miso soup.

3 major types of miso

Miso comes in many varieties, each having a unique flavor, aroma, color, and texture; here are the main categories you’re likely to see in your grocery store ~

  • white or shiro miso is the mildest. It’s made with fermented soy beans and rice and the color is pale yellow.
  • yellow or shinshu misohas a mild flavor that is stronger than white but mellower than red miso, and is mostly made with fermented soy beans and barley. The color is light brown.
  • red or aka miso is the strongest flavored of all, also mostly made from fermented rice and barley, and is darker in color.

Easy Miso Soup Recipe (2)

Japanese soup is one of the healthiest foods you can eat

It’s also one of the easiest meals to prepare. Miso soup was one of the first things I cooked for myself when I was in college. It’s a staple in Japan, and you’ve probably had it in Japanese restaurants. The soup is basically a thin miso infused broth, and when you get it in restaurants it usually has very little in it, maybe a slice or two of scallion floating around. But it can also made heartier with tofu, mushrooms, seaweed, green onions, and potatoes, among other things.

Easy Miso Soup Recipe (3)

Where to find Miso paste

Miso is sold fresh, and most large grocery store chains carry it nowadays. Look for it in the refrigerated section, usually near the wonton wrappers, tofu, etc.

Miso is a biologically active, living food, like yogurt.

Cooking destroys some of its beneficial bacteria and can change the flavor.

When you cook with miso you’ll usually add it at the very end, once the pot is taken off the heat, so you don’t destroy the nutrients.

Easy Miso Soup Recipe (4)

Use a variety of mushrooms in this soup

Making miso soup gives you the perfect excuse to experiment with some of the exotic, loose mushroom varieties you always pass by when you’re doing your grocery shopping. Their delicate flavor will take center stage in such a simple dish, and you don’t need to buy many, so the cost won’t be prohibitive. I bought baby button Shitake and a variety called Beech mushrooms: tiny little brown or white mushrooms come clustered on one large stem or stalk. You’ll find them in plastic packaging in the mushroom section.

Easy Miso Soup Recipe (5)

What to eat with miso soup

  • Miso soup is a complete meal in itself, especially when you add protein rich tofu. But we love to pair our soup with a big bowl of steaming hot edamame (soy) beans showered in sea salt.

Easy Miso Soup Recipe (6)

Miso is a healthy instant soup!

  • Miso soup can be made as quickly as any instant soup, but is so much healthier for you.
  • It’s a perfect soothing hydrator when you have a cold or flu, and so much quicker and easier to make than chicken soup.
  • In Japan it’s believed to have powerful health giving properties (including fighting the Big C.)

Easy Miso Soup Recipe (7)

I’ve been cooking with miso since I was in college and I love it. You can find lots more miso inspiration on the blog, just search Miso. And if you’re intrigued and want to learn more, see my How To Use Miso post, it has lots of useful info and serving suggestions.

Other recipes using miso paste ~

  • Miso Alphabet Soup
  • Miso Broth with Shrimp Dumplings
  • Miso Ramen with Shitake and Chicken
  • Spring Vegetable Salad with Miso Dressing

Reader Rave ~

“Very easy and the best miso soup I’ve ever had. I added a little bit of crispy onions when I served it (similar to what happens at Japanese Hibachi restaurants). I can’t wait to make it again.” ~Mary

Easy Miso Soup Recipe (8)

Miso Soup

3.66 from 149 votes

Miso Soup is the original health food, it's an easy, umami rich soup recipe made with fermented bean paste that has been nourishing the Japanese for centuries ~ and you can make this delicious super food soup for yourself in just minutes!

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Prep Time:10 minutes minutes

Total Time:10 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 6 cups water (you can also use part vegetable or chicken stock if you like)
  • 4 Tbsp Miso paste
  • 1 cup firm tofu, cut in small cubes (use more if you like)
  • 2 cups assorted mushrooms, sliced
  • 4 or 5 scallions, sliced thin (use all of the white and a little of the green)

Instructions

  • Heat the stock and water to a simmer and add the mushrooms and tofu. Simmer for a couple of minutes to cook the mushrooms.

  • When you're ready to serve, add the scallions and take the pan off the heat.

  • In a small bowl, whisk the miso with 1/4 cup of the hot broth to form a paste. Stir it back into the broth, and serve.

Notes

  • Use yellow or white miso for a milder flavor...this is perfect if you are new to miso, or cooking for kids.
  • Use any type of stock you like in place of the water.
  • Add any thinly sliced veggies you like, including bok choy, carrots, or broccoli. Just be sure to simmer the vegetables until tender before you add the miso.

NEW FEATURE! Click here to add your own private notes.

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Japanese

Author: Sue Moran

Keyword: fermented, healthy, Japanese, miso, soup

Nutrition

Serving: 1 cup · Calories: 67 kcal · Carbohydrates: 6 g · Protein: 6 g · Fat: 3 g · Saturated Fat: 1 g · Sodium: 427 mg · Potassium: 148 mg · Fiber: 1 g · Sugar: 2 g · Vitamin A: 90 IU · Vitamin C: 2 mg · Calcium: 64 mg · Iron: 1 mg

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

Did You Make This?We love seeing what you've made! Tag us on social media at @theviewfromgreatisland for a chance to be featured.

Easy Miso Soup Recipe (9)

Easy Miso Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is miso soup just miso paste and water? ›

Miso soup is deceptively simple. It contains just a handful of ingredients: fermented bean paste (a.k.a. miso), vegetables, and hot water or stock. Heck, you don't even have to use tofu (although if you do, make sure it's the right kind; more on that in a moment).

What are the main ingredients in miso soup? ›

What is Miso Soup? Miso soup is a traditional Japanese soup made primarily of miso paste, dashi (broth), and additional ingredients such as vegetables, seaweed, and tofu.

Is it OK to drink miso soup everyday? ›

Miso soup is low calorie, low fat, and high in nutrient content, so it is safe to eat daily. However, it does have a high salt content. So, those on blood thinning medication or who have heart problems (including high blood pressure and heart disease) may want to limit their consumption of miso soup.

What is the secret ingredient in miso paste? ›

Technically, miso is a paste made from soya beans fermented with a kind of mould called koji (AKA aspergillus oryzae). Koji is used to make all the foundational ingredients (sake, soy sauce or shouyu, miso, rice vinegar) of washoku, Japan's Unesco-listed cuisine.

How to make miso soup without killing the probiotics? ›

If you are making Miso soup, you can use some in your soup base for flavor, but add a little Miso at the end, once the soup has been taken off the stove and allowed to cool down from boiling for a few minutes, for the full probiotic benefit.

Why shouldn't you boil miso? ›

AVOID BOILING MISO

The number one mistake! The aromatic qualities of miso – as well as some of the nutritional benefits – are damaged when boiled. This is why miso is traditionally stirred in at the final stage of cooking, either over a gentle simmer or heat with turned off.

Is miso soup so good for you? ›

Miso soup contains several beneficial vitamins, minerals, and components that may improve your gut and heart health and may lower your risk of cancer. If you are on a low-salt diet, read the label on packaged miso soup to choose one that's low in sodium. What the heck is miso? Miso is a fermented soybean paste.

What is the brown stuff in miso soup? ›

Wakame, a type of brown seaweed with amazing dietary fibres and popular miso soup ingredient!

Which miso paste is best for miso soup? ›

You can use yellow, white, or red miso paste for this soup — yellow miso is sweet and creamy, red miso is stronger and saltier.

Why does miso make me gassy? ›

However, some people might experience severe side effects after consuming fermented foods. The most common reaction to fermented foods is a temporary increase in gas and bloating. This is the result of excess gas being produced after probiotics kill harmful gut bacteria and fungi.

Why does miso soup make me sleepy? ›

Miso contains amino acids that can help boost the production of melatonin, a natural hormone that helpsmake you sleepy. Bananas: An excellent source of magnesium and potassium, which can help relax overstressed muscles. They also contain tryptophan, which convert to serotonin and melatonin.

Why is miso so expensive? ›

“Traditionally, rice miso is more expensive than barley miso, because the grain is more expensive,” explains Chung. Accordingly, wealthier merchants could afford to purchase more expensive miso made with rice, whereas farmers and townsfolk often ate miso made with millet, barley, or other common grains.

What is the white stuff in miso soup? ›

This simple miso soup recipe calls for silken tofu, scallions, and shiro miso (sometimes called sweet or white miso paste), which is made with both soybeans and rice, and offers a somewhat milder flavor than other types of miso, such as aka (red miso paste) or hatcho (a very dark, robust variety made exclusively with ...

How do you mimic miso flavor? ›

Tamari/Coconut Aminos

Both are salty and contain plenty of the same free-forming amino acids (which create that umami flavor) found in miso. For an easy miso substitute, blend a few tablespoons of either tamari or coconut aminos with a can of cooked chickpeas. If desired, season with additional sea salt.

Which miso is healthiest? ›

If you want to avoid sodium, your choice should be White. If you don't need to avoid sodium intake, then Red is the most nutritious. The site says that White Miso makes you relaxed and gives you a good night sleep.

Is miso soup the same as miso broth? ›

Traditionally in Japan, miso soup is made by adding miso paste to dashi stock. Dashi is made from kelp called Konbu and Katsuobushi, dried fish flakes. There is powdered dashi you can add water to make a quick Dashi. If buying miso paste and making dashi or powdered dashi is too much, there is so-called Miso Broth.

Is miso a liquid or a paste? ›

Miso paste is a traditional Japanese seasoning made from fermented soybeans, along with additional ingredients like rice or barley. It has a thick, paste-like consistency and boasts a unique umami flavor that adds depth and richness to recipes.

How do I substitute miso soup? ›

Soy sauce is the most common substitute for miso paste. Miso is thick and creamy, whereas soy sauce is thin like water, but if texture isn't a factor, they are both made of soy and chock full of salty and savory notes.

Can you drink miso and water? ›

In a saucepan on the stove or in a mug in the microwave, heat water just before boiling. Stir the white miso paste into hot water until it dissolves completely. Enjoy with a spoon or sip straight from the cup!

References

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