If you’re looking for an authentic and Easy Tofu Miso Soup to start your meal! This classic and popular Japanese soup is ideal when you’re craving for a light and flavorful dish on busy weeknights or laid-back weekend dinners.
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🔎Quick Look: Easy Miso Soup Recipe
- What is it? Our Tofu Miso Soup is a traditional Japanese soup made with fermented miso paste and dashi broth. Silken or soft tofu and seaweed is added to the umami broth.
- ♥️ Why you’ll love this recipe: With minimal ingredients, you can create authentic Japanese miso soup! This recipe tastes just like the one we served at our Japanese restaurant and is super easy to make.
- 🕒 Total Cook Time: 10 minutes
- 👩🍳 Flavor Profile: Savory, a little sweet, umami from the fish sauce and Chinese sausage
- ⭐ Difficulty: Very Easy
- 👩🍳 Tip: Use dashi stock powder instead of water for an authentic Japanese flavor!
Do you love healthy soup recipes? my Chinese tomato egg soup and easy kimchi soup are two delicious options you’ll surely love!
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Ingredients
Here’s a look at what you need to make this easy tofu miso soup. The highlights are here but the full ingredient list and quantities of each are in the recipe card.
Dashi Broth
The type of broth determines the flavor of your miso soup. If you’ve made miso soup before and wonder why it doesn’t taste like the Japanese restaurant, it’s because you didn’t use the right broth. Using chicken or vegetable broth doesn’t make it taste authentic, make sure to use dashi stock powder!
Japanese dashi stock powder is a powder seasoning made from dried bonito (fish flakes), kombu (kelp), shiitake mushrooms, or all, it all depends on the one you choose. Instead of simmering fish and seaweed from scratch, you just dissolve the powder in hot water, making it a convenient way to get that authentic Japanese taste at home.
You can purchase dashi stock powder at the Japanese or asian grocery store. Hondashi Bonito Soup Stock on Amazon is a fairly inexpensive option, tasty and easily available at most asian groceries. In terms of good taste and high quality, I recommend the Kayanoya Original Dashi Stock on Amazon, which my Japanese friend (and myself!) use at home.
Type of Miso to Use
There are three different types of Miso Pastes and here are their flavor profiles below.
- White Miso (Shiro Miso): Light in color, mild, slightly sweet, and the most common for everyday miso soup.
- Yellow Miso (Shinshu Miso): Golden yellow, balanced flavor — not too sweet, not too salty.
- Red Miso (Aka Miso): Darker, aged longer, stronger salty-umami taste with a bold, earthy flavor.
I am using red miso for my miso soup recipe because I prefer the stronger and more savory miso flavor. You can also use white miso if you’re looking for a super light flavor for your miso soup. You can find this at any asian grocery store near you in the refrigerated aisle.
How to Make Tofu Miso Soup
Step 1. In a pot, add 2 cups cold water. Add the dashi stock packet and bring to a boil on medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes.
Step 2. Chop tofu and slice green onions.
Step 3. (optional step) Add your seaweed in the boiling broth. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
Step 4. Take out dashi packet (can save for furikake). When the seaweed is soft, turn the heat to low. Then, add miso paste through a strainer and gently push with a spoon to mix everything together.
Step 5. Add your tofu and heat on low to prevent the miso paste from burning. When the soup is hot, turn off heat.
Step 6. Garnish with green onions and serve.
Substitutions and Variations
With just a few ingredients, you can whip up a bowl of homemade miso soup that tastes just like the Japanese restaurant. You can make this a more filling meal by customizing the miso soup with your favorite veggies or noodles.
- Add udon noodles or cooked dumplings to make the miso soup extra filling.
- Add your favorite veggies for more fiber. Stir in spinach, bok choy, or some sliced mushrooms.
- Don’t have seaweed? Just omit this and add in some spinach instead!
- To up level your miso soup, add in some shrimp and scallops for more umami flavored broth.
Expert Tips
- Don’t boil the miso. Always dissolve miso in warm (not boiling) broth to preserve its delicate flavor and probiotics.
- Add ingredients last. Add tofu and greens at the end of cooking to keep their texture and color intact (also keeps the food extra nutritious). If you’re adding noodles or other protein, make sure it’s already cooked so you don’t boil the miso paste for too long.
- Taste and adjust. Miso pastes vary in saltiness, so always taste the soup and adjust seasoning before serving.
- Need a little bit more umami flavor? My secret is to add fish sauce! The savory and saltiness of the sauce, gives it more umami and complements the dashi stock.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Make sure you find a vegetarian based dashi stock or make your own by boiling water with dried shiitake mushrooms and kombu (dried kelp). The miso and tofu is already vegetarian so you don’t need to worry about that.
You shouldn’t boil miso because high heat kills the beneficial probiotics and makes the flavor taste flat and overly salty. Instead, always dissolve miso at the end of cooking, after turning off the heat, to keep its umami and health benefits intact.
Miso soup is usually made to start any Japanese meal. Traditionally, miso soup is served with hot white rice, baked fish like salmon teriyaki, and Japanese pickles. You can also serve with some soy cured egg yolks on the rice for a super umami breakfast!
No, miso soup is made with dashi stock, tofu, sometimes seaweed (wakame), and sliced green onions. Miso paste and water doesn’t create the authentic Japanese flavor that you get in Japan and is not as nutritious.
Check Out More Asian Soup Recipes:
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Miso Soup
Ingredients
Miso soup
- 2 cups water
- 1 dashi packet or dashi powder*
- 1 tablespoon miso paste
- ½ tofu block (from 1 box)
- 2 tablespoon wakame seaweed (optional)
- sliced green onions (to taste)
Instructions
How to Make Miso Soup
- In a pot, add 2 cups cold water. Add dashi packet and bring to a boil on medium heat.
- Once the water is boiling, boil the dashi for 5 minutes.
- (Optional Step) Add 2 tablespoons of wakame seaweed to the broth.
- Take out dashi packet (you can save to make furikake). Add miso paste through a small strainer and gently push with a spoon to mix everything together.
- Chop your tofu into cubes and add in the miso soup and turn off heat. Add sliced green onions and serve. Give it a taste to see if you need to adjust the saltiness level ◡̈
Notes
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- Don’t boil the miso. Always dissolve miso in warm (not boiling) broth to preserve its delicate flavor and probiotics.
- Add ingredients last. Add tofu and greens at the end of cooking to keep their texture and color intact (also keeps the food extra nutritious). If you’re adding noodles or other protein, make sure it’s already cooked so you don’t boil the miso paste for too long.
- Taste and adjust. Miso pastes vary in saltiness, so always taste the soup and adjust seasoning before serving.
- Need a little bit more umami flavor? My secret is to add fish sauce! The savory and saltiness of the sauce, gives it more umami and complements the dashi stock.
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