To make miso soup, homemade broth is best, but dashi granules can be used. Choose the right type of miso paste and add it at the end of cooking. Any vegetable or ingredient can be added, but don’t let the soup boil after adding the miso.
One of the best tips for making miso soup, a staple in Japanese cuisine, is to make homemade broth. If that’s not possible, dashi granules can be used, although instant dashi powder or canned broth should be avoided due to salt levels. It’s also important to choose the right type of miso, a fermented soy product, for your soup, as the flavor can dramatically change the taste of the dish. Regardless of the ingredients used in the soup, it’s important to add the miso paste before serving, being careful not to let it boil.
Dashi is a Japanese cooking broth used in a multitude of dishes. It is the basis of miso soup and can be the difference between great hot comfort food and a dish similar to what is sold in a convenience store. In most Japanese households, the stock of dashi is made in large batches and frozen for future use. The simplest form of dashi is made from kombu, which is dried seaweed, and flakes of dried, smoked bonito, a type of tuna. The soaked kombu is boiled in a large pot of water, then the bonito flakes are added.
If it’s not possible to make homemade dashi, dashi granules are sold in grocery stores in Asia and in Asian markets around the world. Quality dashi granules typically work well for miso soup, although homemade broth is still preferred. Powders or canned broths should be avoided, as these tend to lack flavor and can be high in salt. Since miso is already naturally salty, a salty dashi stock could make the soup over-seasoned.
Any type of miso paste can be used in miso soup, although each provides different results. Red miso is one of the more intensely flavored varieties and typically doesn’t work well with soups that need to be light; however, if miso soup is going to be served as the main course, red can work well. White miso is slightly sweeter and less strong than red and is the most popular option for standard miso soup in Japan. For those who find it difficult to choose between the two or want to use miso paste for other dishes, miso blend is a good option. A mix of white and red miso, it provides a nice strong flavor to the soup without being overpowering; this type of paste is considered all-purpose miso in Japan.
Almost any vegetable, seasoning or ingredient can be added to miso soup. This is generally left to the discretion and preferences of the cook. Regardless of the additions made to the dashi stock, the most important tip for making miso soup is to add the paste at the end of cooking. Once the miso is mixed in, the soup shouldn’t boil, as this can ruin the flavor of the miso paste, the main ingredient in this Japanese soup.
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