Easy Miso Soup
Miso soup is one of those favorite dishes that many people never prepare at home. Why bother? It is so easy to find. It is on the menu in every Japanese and most Asian restaurants. It is often the least expensive item on the menu. Sometimes it’s even free.
When made authentically, miso soup is the epitome of an umami bomb. Simple, but absolutely loaded with flavor. It’s actually quite easy to make, and aside from soaking one ingredient for a few hours, this recipe literally comes together in minutes.
For some, the only hesitation about preparing miso soup at home is finding the ingredients. However, two of the previously obscure ingredients are now found everywhere, from Japanese or Asian markets to Target, Walmart, Whole Foods, and of course, Amazon.
Kombu is the Japanese word for kelp, which is a saltwater seaweed. This plant food is a nutritional powerhouse, rich in minerals and vitamins, including folate, vitamin K, calcium, iodine, and magnesium. It also contains a powerful antioxidant called fucoxanthin, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and prebiotics. While it is nutrient-dense, it has very low-calorie density (low in calories) and is immensely popular in diets across Asia and the world.
Kombu is generally sold in 2- or 4-ounce packages, which is more than enough for this recipe.
Bonito flakes are made from a type of skipjack tuna called bonito. The fish are cooked, smoked, and dried for several months, hardening into a block. The blocks are then shaved into very fine, umami-rich (flavorful) flakes that are used to flavor broths, soups, rice, salads, and sushi.
Like kombu, bonito flakes are also very nutritious, loaded with protein as well as omega-3 fatty acids. They can be purchased from the same vendors as kombu. Because we make miso soup frequently at home, we usually purchase our bonito flakes in 100-gram packages for about $7 from Amazon.
MISO
Made from fermented soybean paste, miso’s flavor profile ranges from light to deep, depending on color and type.
Yellow and white misos are mild, with balanced sweetness, saltiness, and umami, making them perfect for sauces, glazes, salad dressings, and baking recipes.
Red miso is rich and salty, with a strong umami kick and pronounced soy flavors.
Melissa’s offers three varieties of Cold Mountain Miso Paste: Light Yellow, Mellow White, and Red. I suggest starting with white or yellow miso paste the first time you make soup until you find the flavor you prefer. My husband uses a blend of all three in his miso soup.
As most of the ingredients in today’s recipe are sold in metric measurements (e.g., grams), I have included both metric and standard U.S. measurements in the recipe.
Easy Miso Soup
Yield: 2.5 liters (10 cups) miso broth
Ingredients
3 liters (12.5 cups) filtered or bottled water
1 sheet of kombu (30 to 40 grams or 1 to 1.5 ounces)
80 grams bonito flakes (3 to 4 ounces)
3/4 cup Melissa’s white miso paste
1 pound package Melissa’s Organic Extra Firm Tofu, rinsed, patted dry, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Garnish
Thin slices of green onion
Instructions
Add the water to a 4- or 5-quart pan. Add the kombu sheet to the pan and soak for a minimum of 4 hours or up to 12 hours.
Using a Thermapen or candy thermometer, slowly bring the mixture to 200°F. Do not boil. Remove the pan from heat. Remove the kombu sheet and discard.
When the mixture cools to 176°F (you may add a few ice cubes to speed this up), add the bonito flakes. Do not stir. They will slowly settle to the bottom of the pan and further flavor the broth. They will be removed in the next step.
Let the bonito flakes steep in the broth for six minutes. While they are steeping, prepare a fine strainer lined with cheesecloth or a clean coffee filter and place it over a 4-quart bowl or pan. A KitchenAid mixer bowl works well. You may need to change to a clean filter halfway through straining, as there will be a large volume of bonito flakes to remove. Filter gently and do not mash or disturb the flakes. You want their flavor in the broth, not the solids.
Return the strained broth to the original pan and bring to a simmer. Add the miso paste to the broth and whisk well until fully dissolved. The miso soup is now ready to serve.
Place diced tofu cubes into each bowl. Ladle in the hot broth and garnish with green onion.
