Miso Soup (vg) Recipe

Soak kombu

Place the 2 pieces of dried kombu in a medium pot with 6 cups cold water. Let soak for 20–30 minutes if you have time; this extracts more umami. If short on time, proceed directly to gentle heating.

Gently heat to make dashi

Set the pot over medium-low heat and slowly bring to a gentle simmer. Just before the water reaches a boil (small bubbles around edges, about 60–80°C), remove the kombu with tongs. Do not let kombu boil long, or it can become bitter. Reserve kombu if you wish to slice and serve later.

Add wakame

Add 1 tablespoon dried wakame to the hot broth. Turn off heat and let the wakame rehydrate in the hot liquid for 3–5 minutes.

Dissolve miso

Spoon 4 tablespoons white miso into a small bowl. Add 1 cup hot (not boiling) water and whisk until smooth to make a miso slurry. This prevents clumping and helps preserve miso's live enzymes.

Blend miso into broth

Ladle about 1 cup of the hot kombu-wakame broth into the miso slurry and stir to temper. Pour the miso-broth mixture back into the main pot off the heat. Do not boil after adding miso—heat gently to preserve flavor and probiotics.

Adjust seasoning (optional)

Taste the soup and, if desired, add up to 1 teaspoon soy sauce/tamari for saltiness and up to 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil for aroma. Add shichimi togarashi or crushed red pepper to taste if you like heat.

Prepare tofu and scallions

While the wakame is rehydrating, drain 200 g firm tofu and pat dry. Cut into 1 cm (about 1/2 inch) cubes. Thinly slice 2 spring onions on the bias, using both white and green parts.

Combine and warm

Add the tofu cubes to the miso-infused broth and warm gently for 1–2 minutes on low heat—do not boil. This brings the tofu to temperature without breaking down the miso.

Serve

Ladle the miso soup into bowls, distributing wakame and tofu evenly. Garnish with sliced spring onions and a drop of sesame oil if desired.