Description
This homemade miso soup with tofu recipe offers a traditional Japanese comfort dish featuring a delicate dashi broth infused with kombu and bonito flakes, silky soft tofu, flavorful miso paste, wakame seaweed, and fresh green onions. Perfect as a light appetizer or a nourishing snack, this easy-to-make soup brings authentic umami flavors to your table in under 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Broth Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 1 piece kombu (dried kelp), about â…“ oz (10 g), approximately 4 x 4 inches (10 x 10 cm)
- 1 cup katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes), loosely packed (about 3 cups for stronger flavor)
Soup Ingredients
- 7 oz soft/silken tofu (kinugoshi dofu), cubed
- 4 Tbsp miso paste (approximately 18 g per 1 cup of dashi; total 4 Tbsp for this recipe)
- 1 Tbsp dried wakame seaweed
- 1 green onion/scallion, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Gather Ingredients: Assemble all the ingredients needed including water, kombu, bonito flakes, tofu, miso paste, dried wakame, and green onion.
- Prepare Green Onion: Thinly slice the green onion/scallion into rounds and set aside for garnishing the soup later.
- Make Dashi Broth: Place 4 cups of water and the kombu piece into a saucepan. Slowly heat over medium heat until just before boiling. Remove the kombu to avoid bitterness. If using non-vegetarian dashi, add the bonito flakes, let simmer briefly, then strain the broth to remove the flakes.
- Combine Soup Ingredients: Return the clear dashi broth to the pot and bring it to a gentle simmer. Add the miso paste and stir until fully dissolved without boiling the soup to preserve miso’s flavor. Gently add cubed soft tofu, dried wakame, and sliced green onions. Warm the soup for a few minutes until all ingredients are heated through.
- Serve: Ladle the miso soup into bowls immediately and enjoy while hot for authentic taste and texture.
Notes
- Do not boil the miso soup after adding miso paste to preserve its flavor and beneficial enzymes.
- For a vegetarian version, omit the bonito flakes and consider using only kombu dashi.
- Adjust miso quantity based on your taste preference for saltiness and intensity.
- Soak dried wakame in water for a few minutes beforehand if you prefer softer seaweed texture.
- Use soft or silken tofu for smooth texture; firm tofu can be substituted but alters mouthfeel.
