Miso Soup Recipe

A spoonful of homemade Miso Soup with tofu and seaweed

5 from 2 ratings

Easy miso soup recipe made with dashi, miso paste, tofu, and wakame. Authentic, comforting, and customizable, with plus vegetarian and spicy options.

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: miso, tofu

Servings:

Calories: 80kcal

Author: Mike Hultquist

Ingredients

FOR THE HOMEMADE DASHI

4 cups water
1 piece kombu about 4x4 inches
1 cup loosely packed bonito flakes (katsuobushi)

FOR THE MISO SOUP

3-4 tablespoons miso paste (white, red, or mix - see Notes)
1 cup tofu diced (soft/silken is traditional)
2-3 tablespoons dried wakame (seaweed) rehydrated (instructions below)
2 green onions thinly sliced

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Rehydrate the Wakame

Place the dried wakame in a small bowl. Cover with cool water and soak for 5 minutes.
Drain and gently squeeze out excess water. Set aside.

Make the Dashi (Optional Homemade Version)

Add the kombu and water to a pot.
Heat gently until just before boiling, then remove the kombu. Don’t boil kombu - boiling can make the broth bitter or slimy.
Add the bonito flakes. Simmer 30 seconds, then turn off the heat.
Let steep 5 minutes, then strain.
Return the strained dashi to the pot.

Make the Miso Soup

Warm the dashi over medium heat until it reaches a gentle simmer.
Add the diced tofu and the rehydrated wakame. Simmer 2 minutes to warm through.
Ladle a scoop of hot broth into a small bowl. Add the miso paste and whisk until completely smooth.
Pour the dissolved miso back into the pot. Do not boil once miso is added. Keep the heat low to preserve flavor and probiotics.
Remove from heat, stir in sliced green onions, and serve into bowls.

Notes

Garnish/Toppings: I love drizzling on chili crisp or chili oil.

Easy Option (Instant Dashi): Skip the homemade dashi and use:

1-2 teaspoons instant dashi granules (to taste), or 1 dashi packet
Mix with 4 cups water, bring to a gentle simmer, and proceed with the recipe.

Miso Options: White miso (shiro miso) is the most traditional choice for everyday miso soup. Red miso makes a bolder, saltier version. Mixed miso (awase miso) gives balanced depth.

Vegetarian Dashi: Use kombu-shiitake dashi instead of bonito flakes. Add 1 piece kombu and 2-3 dried shiitake mushrooms to 4 cups water. Soak 20-30 minutes (or overnight for more flavor), then heat until just before boiling. Remove kombu, simmer the shiitakes 5 minutes, strain, and use as your broth. 100% vegetarian and traditional.

Optional Add-ins: Sliced mushrooms (shiitake, enoki, oyster), spinach or bok choy, daikon, carrots, noodles (ramen, udon, soba).

Storage: Store leftover miso soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently over low heat and do not boil to preserve flavor. Wakame and tofu may soften over time, which is normal.

Nutrition