Easy Vegetarian Miso Soup

Written by
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett has written five books about plant-based cooking and has developed hundreds of vegan and vegetarian recipes.
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Jolinda Hackett
Updated 06/13/21
Basic Vegetarian Miso Soup

The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 10 mins
Total: 15 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
83 Calories
3g Fat
7g Carbs
7g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 83
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g 4%
Saturated Fat 1g 3%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 872mg 38%
Total Carbohydrate 7g 3%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 7g
Vitamin C 2mg 11%
Calcium 92mg 7%
Iron 1mg 8%
Potassium 147mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Miso soup is a staple of Japanese cuisine. With a soothing and mild flavor, it is light and brothy, and served as the first course to a Japanese meal. An authentic recipe for miso soup begins with dashi, Japanese cuisine's equivalent to American chicken broth, but this simplified version creates a broth from water and nori (seaweed). The miso adds flavor, and the scallions and tofu bring a nice texture to the soup. 

Whip up this recipe when serving other Japanese dishes, or when you're looking for a comforting bowl of soup. Miso soup is very nutritious and packed with health benefits, making it a good choice no matter the occasion.

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Watch Now: Basic Vegetarian Miso Soup Recipe

Ingredients

  • 4 cups water

  • 1 tablespoon shredded nori (or wakame seaweed)

  • 1/3 cup white miso

  • 3 scallions, chopped

  • 1/2 block silken tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes

  • Soy sauce, optional (omit for a gluten-free soup)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Basic Vegetarian Miso Soup ingredients

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

  2. Bring the water to a slow simmer in a medium pot and add the shredded seaweed. Allow the seaweed to simmer for at least 5 to 6 minutes.

    Boiling seaweed for miso soup

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

  3. Reduce the heat to very low and add the miso, scallions, tofu, and soy sauce, if using. Stir until the miso is well dissolved. It's best not to boil the miso, as this will ruin some of its healthy properties, as well as change the flavor of the soup.

    Basic Vegetarian Miso Soup in a pot

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

  4. Ladle into bowls, serve hot, and enjoy.

    Easy Vegetarian Miso Soup

    The Spruce / Sonia Bozzo

Tips

  • The longer you simmer the seaweed, the less of a salty, fishy flavor it will have, so keep that in mind.
  • This recipe calls for white miso, but you can use any type you like.
  • Different types and brands of miso will vary in their level of saltiness and exact flavor, so you may need to adjust the amount of miso according to your taste.
  • Make sure once you add the miso that you cook over very low heat; if the soup is boiled at this point, it will lose its flavor and health benefits.
  • In Japan, soup is rarely eaten with a spoon but instead drunk straight from the bowl. Feel free to serve the miso soup in large mugs if you're not comfortable sipping from the bowl.

Soup Add-Ins

You can enhance this soup by adding in other vegetables or shellfish (if you don't need to keep it vegetarian).

  • Mushrooms: maitake, enoki, or shiitake are great choices
  • Finely sliced leeks
  • Shredded carrots
  • Noodles: soba, rice noodles, udon, or ramen
  • Chopped bok choy
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Grated fresh ginger
  • Thinly sliced daikon radish
  • Grilled fish, cut into bite-size pieces
  • Cooked shrimp

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