Hearty Miso Soup: A Japanese Delight
A comforting Japanese miso soup featuring a rich dashi broth, savory miso paste, and wholesome vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and tofu, creating a deeply satisfying meal.
Ingredients
- 6 cups dashi broth
- 4 tablespoons miso paste preferably awase miso
- 2 tablespoons sake
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 cup potatoes peeled and diced
- 1 cup carrots peeled and sliced
- 8 ounces firm tofu drained and cubed
- 2 stalks green onions chopped for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare dashi broth in a large pot and bring to a simmer. Keep it at a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil.
- In a small bowl, whisk miso paste with a ladleful of the hot dashi broth until smooth. This prevents clumps.
- Stir the dissolved miso paste back into the pot. Add sake, mirin, and soy sauce. Do not boil the soup after adding miso, as it can diminish its flavor and probiotic benefits.
- Add potatoes and carrots first and simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until tender-crisp.
- Gently add the cubed tofu to the soup and simmer for another 3-5 minutes, allowing it to heat through.
- Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish with chopped green onions before serving immediately.
Notes
Adjust miso paste to taste; different brands vary in saltiness. For a vegetarian/vegan version, ensure dashi is made with kombu and shiitake mushrooms only (no bonito flakes). Add firm tofu and fresh spinach or seaweed (wakame) for extra nutrition. Garnish with chopped green onions just before serving for fresh flavor.