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Soups · Japanese

Miso Soup

A clear homemade dashi, two kinds of miso, silky tofu and wakame: a calm little bowl of savoury warmth.

Hands-on
35 min
Hands-off
1 h
Total
1 h 35 min
Makes
4 small bowls
Serves
4

The kombu soaks in cold water for at least 1 hour (up to 8, so you can start it in the morning). After that it's about 35 minutes of hands-on cooking. Total = 35 min active + 60 min soaking. The miso is store-bought; nothing is fermented at home.

  • easy
  • quick-dinner
  • light
  • make-ahead

Verified against at least two trusted test kitchens or food-safety guides · Last checked · What this means

Illustration of Miso Soup
Amount
Units

Ingredients

You need: medium saucepan · large fine-mesh strainer lined with a double layer of cheesecloth · small fine-mesh strainer · large bowl or 2-litre jug · thermometer (recommended) · tongs or a slotted spoon · wooden spoon or small whisk

Contains: soy · fish

Method

  1. Soak the kombu

    Put 28 g (1 oz) kombu and 1.2 litres (5 cups) cold water in the saucepan and leave it to soak for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours.

    Otto tried this firstOtto starts scrubbing the kombu under the tap. Its surface holds flavour, so he stops and just wipes it gently with a dry or barely damp cloth.

  2. Heat gently, lift out the kombu

    Set the cheesecloth-lined strainer over the bowl. Heat the kombu water over medium-low heat until it reaches 65°C (150°F), 7 to 8 minutes, then lift out the kombu with tongs.

    Ready when: Steaming, with small bubbles clinging to the bottom and sides of the pan but not rising to the surface.

  3. Bring almost to a boil

    Turn the heat to high and heat until the water reaches 93°C (200°F), about 3 minutes. Don't let it boil.

    Ready when: Bubbles break the surface only around the edges of the pan.

  4. Steep the bonito, strain

    Take the pan off the heat, add 28 g (1 oz) katsuobushi and steep for 3 minutes. Pour through the lined strainer. Gather the cheesecloth into a bundle, press it only lightly, then throw it away and rinse the pan.

    Ready when: Off the heat: the bonito flakes sink to the bottom; the strained dashi is clear and pale gold.

  5. Soak the wakame

    Put 4 tsp dried wakame in a bowl and cover it with 180 ml (3/4 cup) cold water.

  6. Rewarm the dashi

    Pour the dashi back into the clean pan and bring it to a bare simmer over medium heat, then turn the heat to low to keep it warm.

    Ready when: A few lazy bubbles; steaming, not boiling.

  7. Dissolve the miso

    Put 2 tbsp white miso and 2 tbsp red miso in the small strainer and lower it into the dashi so the miso is covered but the rim stays above the liquid. Press the miso through with a spoon until no lumps remain. From now on, don't let the soup boil.

    Ready when: The soup is evenly cloudy with no lumps left in the strainer.

  8. Add wakame and scallion

    Squeeze the wakame dry, cut any pieces bigger than 4 cm (1 1/2 in) into bite-size pieces, and add it to the pot with the sliced scallion.

  9. Warm the tofu and serve

    Gently stir in the 170 g (6 oz) cubed tofu and heat for about 1 minute. Serve right away.

    Ready when: The tofu is warm through and the soup is steaming hot but not boiling.

Swaps

  • Instead of 2 tbsp white + 2 tbsp red miso: 4 tbsp (1/4 cup) white miso only Gives a milder, sweeter soup.
  • Instead of silken tofu: soft tofu Same amount and size of cubes.
  • Instead of homemade dashi: chicken or vegetable broth mixed with water, 2 parts broth to 1 part water A quick pantry version. Made with vegetable broth, the soup has no fish in it.

Make ahead, store & reheat

Make ahead
Make the dashi up to 2 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge, then finish the soup just before serving; it's at its best fresh.
Storage
Miso soup is best eaten as soon as it's made. Leftovers keep, covered in the fridge, for up to 3 days; store any fresh scallion separately and add it after reheating.
Reheat
Warm gently over low heat until steaming. Don't let it boil.

If something goes wrong

  • Lumps of miso in the soup Why: The miso was stirred straight into the pot.
    Press it through a small strainer, or whisk it with about 1 cup of the warm dashi in a bowl until smooth, then stir that back in.
  • Dashi tastes fishy or harsh Why: The bonito flakes were squeezed hard, or the dashi boiled.
    Keep it below a boil and press the cheesecloth bundle only lightly.

Good to know

  • Wipe kombu with a dry or barely damp cloth instead of washing it: the surface holds flavour.
  • Kombu, katsuobushi and wakame are sold in the international aisle of many supermarkets and in Asian groceries.

Safety

  • Contains fish (bonito flakes) and soy (miso, tofu). Miso recipes differ between brands, so read the label for any other allergens.
  • Hot broth scalds. Strain away from you, and let kids' bowls cool a little before serving.