Making miso soup at home is easier than you think, and once you experience how the flavors of this Mushroom Ginger Miso Soup harmonize, you'll find yourself making it again and again. Miso, a paste made from fermented soybeans, originated in China and was brought to Japan by Buddhist monks more than 1300 years ago. During the Kamakura period, samurai warriors valued miso soup for its ability to replenish strength and maintain stamina. 

You don’t have to be a samurai to appreciate the nutritional benefits of this meat-free recipe. Kombu, a type of kelp seaweed that gives the dashi broth its umami flavor, contains vitamins A and C and iodine, which is important for thyroid function. Tofu is a great source of plant-based protein, along with bone-strengthening calcium and manganese. Ginger adds a spicy kick and immune-boosting antioxidants. Miso, the fermented star of this dish, supports gut health. Though miso contains a generous amount of sodium and should be used in moderation, this recipe has significantly less salt than store-bought miso soup. 

Ready to make this cozy, comfy soup? Check out these tips from the Vitamix Culinary Team first.

  • Do use silken tofu. Silken or Japanese-style tofu is soft and creamy and melts more easily into the broth.

  • Don’t boil your miso soup. Boiling miso soup kills the beneficial probiotic bacteria that are naturally present in fermented miso paste.

  • Do mix well. Stir the miso mixture into the dashi stock for an even distribution of flavor.
  • Do personalize. Miso paste comes in white, yellow, and red. The darker the miso paste, the more intense the flavor—experiment and find your favorite.

  • Don’t wait. It's best to consume miso soup right away because it will lose its aroma and taste as time passes.

Slurp away!

Ingredients:

Dashi Stock:

4 cups (946 ml) water

1 piece (10 g) kombu

½ ounce (14 g) dried shiitake mushrooms

Miso Soup:

4 Tablespoons (72 g) yellow miso paste 

1 Tablespoon (8 g) fresh ginger root 

2 (20 g) green onions, trimmed, separated, greens sliced thin 

7 ounces (200 g) silken tofu, cut into 1/2 in. cubes 

1 Tablespoon wakame

Directions:

Step 1: Make Dashi Stock
Combine water and kombu in a saucepan over medium heat, gradually bringing it to a boil. Reserve 1 cup.

Step 2: Steep Mushrooms
Steep shiitake mushrooms in the remaining 3 cups of stock for 10 minutes.

Step 3: Blend Soup
Add Miso Soup ingredients to the Vitamix container, secure the lid, and blend for 30 seconds, or until smooth.

Step 4: Combine & Cover
Combine Dashi stock, blended miso mixture, tofu and dried wakame into the saucepan. Cover until serving.