Easy Miso Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is miso soup just miso paste and water? ›

Miso soup is deceptively simple. It contains just a handful of ingredients: fermented bean paste (a.k.a. miso), vegetables, and hot water or stock. Heck, you don't even have to use tofu (although if you do, make sure it's the right kind; more on that in a moment).

Miso soup is a traditional Japanese soup that starts with a dashi stock and is flavored with miso paste. Dashi is an umami-rich stock made from dried seaweed and dried fish. Miso paste, meanwhile, is a paste made from soybeans, salt, and koji rice. The brothy soup usually contains tofu and green onions.

Miso soup is low calorie, low fat, and high in nutrient content, so it is safe to eat daily. However, it does have a high salt content. So, those on blood thinning medication or who have heart problems (including high blood pressure and heart disease) may want to limit their consumption of miso soup.

To preserve the beneficial bacteria – stir the miso paste into your cup of hot water instead of pouring boiling water over the miso as high heat can destroy the healthful bacteria; this simple technique will help ensure you get maximum “nu*tritional bang for your bite.”

A general rule of thumb is to use about 1 tablespoon per cup (U.S. measure, 236.5ml) or 1/4 l (250ml) but if you have a very salty red miso for example, you may need less. So when you are trying out a new miso, always add less than you think you need.

Rich in nutrients: Miso contains many healthy vitamins and minerals like vitamin K, manganese, zinc, protein and calcium. Many of these nutrients support essential structures like the bones and nervous system. Improves digestion: Because miso is high in probiotics, it helps the body maintain healthy bacteria levels.

Although the classic recipe includes dashi, a miso soup dashi substitute made from chicken or vegetable broth can also cultivate a robust base for the soup, ensuring no flavor is sacrificed in the absence of dashi.

Sodium restriction for vegetarians with kidney disease

To reduce sodium intake, the use of high-sodium foods such as meat analogs, salted nuts, miso, frozen entrees, marinated tofu products, savory snacks and meals in a cup should be limited.

So, how long can I keep miso? Miso is a “preservative food,” that can be kept for a long period of time due to its salt content. If kept in your refrigerator, miso itself does not go bad. In terms of the quality of the taste, miso should remain relatively consistent for up to one year.

“Traditionally, rice miso is more expensive than barley miso, because the grain is more expensive,” explains Chung. Accordingly, wealthier merchants could afford to purchase more expensive miso made with rice, whereas farmers and townsfolk often ate miso made with millet, barley, or other common grains.

Is miso anti-inflammatory? ›

The consumption of miso has also been reported to exert health effects, such as fat suppression [9], anti-inflammation [10] and stroke prevention [11]. Miso contains various microorganisms, such as Aspergillus, yeast and lactic acid bacteria (LAB).

Miso soup is full of probiotics, which contribute to improved gut health and reduced inflammation. Miso is known for being rich in vitamins and minerals, good for bones, improving digestion, and heart function. It may also reduce the risk of cancer, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and diabetes.

Boiling miso can harm the probiotic bacteria. At temperatures above 115 degrees Fahrenheit these delicate bacteria are destroyed. We recommend adding miso paste to soups just prior to serving.

In mine i add shiitake mushrooms, dried seaweed, tofu and some kind of green like bok choy. throw in some bean sprouts at serving time.

When miso goes bad, its flavor also changes. It becomes more sour and astringent. If the taste has changed from when you purchased it, it is evidence that it has gone bad and you should stop eating it. To avoid food poisoning, do not eat miso that has a sour smell, sour taste, or mold growth.

Miso paste is what is used to make miso soup. Miso paste is basically cooked, smashed, crushed soy beans, salt and a fermentation bacillus (sometimes wheat is also added) which is aged for anywhere from a couple of months to 3 years.

Miso paste is not to be confused with miso broth concentrate, which is a more liquid version of the paste. Both are similar in flavor and texture, but the concentrate has a slightly stronger taste that can be primarily used as a base for soups.

Miso is occasionally marketed as miso paste. In Japanese, miso is みそ or 味噌. Other words are added to the word miso to indicate the type or variety. It should not be confused with any of the other soybean-based pastes found in Asia, including doenjang (Korean), huang doujiang (Chinese), or doubanjiang (Chinese).

Miso soup is a traditional Japanese soup. Its base is dashi, an umami stock that's typically made with a mix of dried bonito flakes and dried kombu kelp. The soup is then flavored with miso, or fermented soybean paste.