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–+ servings
homemade Japanese miso soup in a dark wooden soup bowl with red and black chopsticks

Authentic Homemade Japanese Miso Soup

5 from 5 votes
By Yuto Omura
https://sudachirecipes.com
Making authentic Japanese miso soup is surprisingly easy! This recipe will show you how to make your own homemade dashi stock and customize your miso soup using local vegetables and different kinds of miso paste!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Soaking Time35 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course Sides, Soups
Cuisine Japanese
Servings 5 portions
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Soaking Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Course: Sides, Soups
Cuisine: Japanese
Servings: 5 portions

Equipment

Ingredients 
 

Homemade Dashi

Miso Soup

  • 150 g tofu firm or silken - cubed
  • 30 g fried tofu pouch (aburaage) thinly sliced
  • 30 g green onion thinly sliced
  • 30 g fresh shiitake mushroom(s) thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp dried wakame seaweed
  • ¼ tsp soy sauce
  • 4 tbsp yellow miso paste (awase miso)
  • finely chopped green onions optional garnish

Instructions 

Making Dashi

  • Add 10 g dried kelp (kombu) and 1 liter cold water to a large pot and soak for 30 minutes.
    Kombu (dried kelp) soaking in a pan of water
  • Once rehydrated, place the pot on the stove and bring to a simmer over a medium heat. (Don't let it boil.)
    Hydrated kombu (kelp) heated in a pan of hot water
  • Once small bubbles start to appear around the edges, remove the kombu, increase the heat to medium-high and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, turn off the heat and add the 15 g bonito flakes. Allow the katsuobushi to soak for 5 minutes.
    Adding bonito flakes to make dashi
  • After 5 minutes, line a sieve with kitchen paper and place it over a large heatproof bowl.
    sieve lined with kitchen paper
  • Pour the dashi through the sieve, the kitchen paper will catch the small pieces of katsuobushi, leaving you with a clear broth.
    Straining katsuo dashi made with bonito flakes

Making Miso Soup

  • Thinly slice 30 g fried tofu pouch (aburaage), 30 g green onion and 30 g fresh shiitake mushroom(s). Cut 150 g tofu into cubes.
    cut ingredients on a wooden chopping board for miso soup
  • Pour the dashi into a pot and heat on medium. Once it's almost boiling, add the ingredients (except the firm tofu) to the pot along with 1 tbsp dried wakame seaweed.
    cooking miso soup ingredients in dashi
  • Adding ingredients lowers the heat, so wait for the broth to bubble again. Once it's almost boiling, lower the heat to a simmer and add ¼ tsp soy sauce.
    adding soy sauce to dashi broth
  • Scoop 4 tbsp yellow miso paste (awase miso) onto a mesh spoon or ladle. Dip the miso paste into the dashi and whisk it in the spoon to loosen it up. Keep whisking, gradually allowing more dashi to seep into the mesh spoon/ladle each time until the miso paste has dissolved into the mixture.
    whisking miso paste into broth
  • Add 150 g tofu (cubed) to the miso soup and stir gently. Allow to simmer on low for 2-3 minutes to heat the tofu through.
    cooking tofu in residual heat of miso soup
  • Divide the miso soup into bowls and garnish with finely finely chopped green onions.
    dishing up miso soup
  • Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Ideally, you should eat miso soup immediately after cooking. The taste deteriorates with reheating.
(Not recommended) In case of leftovers, cool to room temperature and store in the fridge. Use within 24 hours. 
Reheat in a pot on the stove and don't let it boil.