Chef notes
It takes a shorter time to make this soup than your morning oatmeal, and it has plenty of healthy benefits. If you've got some time and want to get the best flavor, making your own dashi ahead of time can help, but if you're pressed for time, hondashi (bonito soup stock) can do the trick. Just be absolutely sure to not boil your miso — the flavor will change and kill the probiotics in it.
Whether served right alongside some tamagoyaki or a piece of grilled salmon and pickled vegetables, this soup goes well with any meal of the day. Here's one of my favorite variations of miso soup, but by all means, you can customize it however you'd like. I keep it simple with shiitake and baby bella mushrooms, but feel free to add some enoki mushrooms, too.
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 2 scallions, chopped, white and green parts separated
- 2 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced thick
- 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced, divided
- 4 tablespoons white miso paste
- 1/2 tablespoon hondashi (bonito soup stock)
- 1/4 cup silken tofu
- 1 teaspoon wakame seaweed, rehydrated
Preparation
1.In a quart pot over medium heat, combine the water, chopped white scallion parts, sliced shiitake mushrooms and half of the sliced baby bella mushrooms. Stir ingredients together and allow water to come to a boil. Lower the heat to a low simmer, and with a slotted spoon or spider spatula, remove the mushrooms.
2.In a small bowl, combine the tablespoon of miso paste and ladle a small amount of hot water thoroughly, stirring it together with chopsticks or a fork until the miso paste loosens up to a smooth liquid and has no lumps. Add to the simmering broth in the pot along with the hondashi and stir.
3.To the miso broth, add in your silken tofu, wakame and remaining sliced mushrooms. Cover and let the soup continue to cook for about 3 minutes, or whenever your mushrooms are cooked to preference. Turn off the heat.
4.Ladle soup into bowls, garnish with chopped green scallions. Serve hot and enjoy!
