Lasagna soup
- Easy
- 40 min
So, here's the thing: Originating from Japan, homemade miso soup is like comfort in a bowl—light yet satisfying. Seriously good stuff. This miso soup recipe shines because of its unique miso paste, which gets a strong, salty taste from fermenting soybeans and sometimes barley or rice. This fermentation gives the soup its classic, moist and earthy flavor with a touch of tanginess. And, look, it pairs well with other key ingredients. You'll often find wakame seaweed—becomes a bit crispy as it absorbs the broth—along with vegetables like carrots, ginger, daikon radish, and occasionally a little leek for a mild kick. Tofu cubes? Absolutely a favorite, adding a soft texture to each spoonful. All these miso soup ingredients combine to create a traditional Japanese balance of flavors that’s both filling and gentle.
In Japan, people frequently make this easy miso soup at home because it’s quick to prepare and complements nearly any meal, whether it's breakfast or dinner. And you know what? A fun aspect of traditional miso soup is the flexibility to customize—some might add rice, a bit of soybean pasta, or even a few bread croutons for extra texture. The soup remains light, ensuring you never feel weighed down, yet it satisfies with its rich, savory broth and sweet veggies. Despite its simplicity, each bowl feels special, thanks to the fermentation technique that enhances all those layers of flavor. There are countless miso soup variations across Japan's regions, each with its own ingredient twist, letting you taste how different places put their spin on this beloved dish. Whether you’re exploring Japanese cuisine or just craving a healthy, warming soup, this is a perfect starting point. Pretty much. It’s quick to make and really, really delicious, offering a taste of Japan’s culinary tradition in every bowl.
To prepare the miso soup, first soak the sheet of wakame seaweed in cold water 1. Meanwhile, clean the daikon: trim the top and bottom 2, peel it with a vegetable peeler, and finely chop it into small pieces 3.
Peel the carrots 4 and chop them into small pieces as well 5; remove the outer leaves from the leek, discard the green part, and finely chop it 6.
Peel the ginger 7 and cut it into small pieces 8. Squeeze the seaweed, now softened, and finely slice it into chiffonade 9 (click here to learn more about this cut)
In a large saucepan, sauté the vegetables with a drizzle of olive oil (or sesame oil) for about 10 minutes 10. Add the wakame seaweed 11, then cover the vegetables with water 12.
Let everything cook for about 15 minutes 13. Meanwhile, cut the tofu into pieces about 1/2 inch in size 14. Spoon out some broth from the soup and use it to dissolve the miso in a small bowl 15.
Add the dissolved miso to the soup 16, the tofu 17, then turn off the heat, stir 18, and the soup is ready! Let it cool for five minutes and serve it piping hot!