Miso Soup
A light, warming Japanese soup with miso paste, tofu, and seaweed. Perfect as a side dish or light starter.
Prep: 5 minutes. Cook: 5 minutes. Difficulty: Easy. Serves 4.
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 3 tablespoons miso paste (white or red)
- 200g soft tofu, cubed
- 1 tablespoon dried wakame seaweed
- 2 spring onions, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon dashi powder (optional)
Instructions
- Bring water to a boil. Add dashi powder if using.
- Reduce heat to low — do not boil once miso is added.
- Soak wakame in warm water for 2 minutes. Drain.
- Put miso paste in a ladle. Lower into the pot and stir until dissolved.
- Add tofu cubes and wakame. Heat gently for 2 minutes.
- Serve in small bowls topped with sliced spring onions.
Tips for Helpers
- Never boil miso soup — boiling destroys the flavour and probiotics.
- Dissolve miso in a ladle rather than dumping it in — this prevents lumps.
- Miso soup should be made fresh each time, not reheated.
Ingredient Substitutions
- White miso is milder, red miso is stronger — either works.
- Skip dashi for a vegetarian version.