Ginger Miso Soba Soup Recipe - Fork Knife Swoon (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).

Avoid high heat when cooking with it, as it will kill off the good bacteria. When making miso soup, turn off the heat and dissolve (using a muddler like this will help avoid clumps).

Choosing miso paste for miso soup

I recommend making this recipe with white miso, also called shiro miso. It's fermented for less time than darker types of miso, such as red miso, and has a milder, sweeter flavor that works well with this miso to dashi ratio.

Many varieties of miso soup are vegan, unless the recipe uses fish-derived ingredients, in which case it could suit a pescatarian diet or vegetarian diet that allows seafood. Some miso soup may also contain animal foods like pork.

Miso soup contains several beneficial vitamins, minerals, and components that may improve your gut and heart health and may lower your risk of cancer. If you are on a low-salt diet, read the label on packaged miso soup to choose one that's low in sodium.

Can you eat miso paste raw? Grab a spoon and dig in – you CAN eat your miso paste raw! I often recommend this to people when they are trying a new variety or are considering which variety to use in a recipe. It's a great way to discover the unique taste of miso and how each variety differs in flavor.

Improves digestion: Because miso is high in probiotics, it helps the body maintain healthy bacteria levels. This bacteria contributes to digestive health, reducing gas, diarrhea, bloating and constipation.

Eating fermented foods such as miso may improve digestion, reduce gas, bloating, constipation and diarrhea. Research suggests that the fungal strain found in miso may reduce the risk of inflammatory bowel disease as well.

In terms of health benefits, the darker and more strongly flavored miso varieties tend to be the most nutritious. Here are a few of the healthiest types of miso: Red Miso: Made with a higher percentage of soybeans and fermented for a longer period of time, red miso has a rich, complex flavor and a dark red-brown color.

“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.

What is the secret ingredient in miso paste? ›

The secret ingredient: Aspergillus oryzae, a grain-loving fungus that under the microscope looks like a delicate flower on stem. Fermented with soybeans, grain, and, salt, it becomes miso paste, a staple of Japanese cuisine.

Sweet miso should be consumed within three weeks of opening, white miso within 3 months. Darker misos, such as barley, brown rice and red miso keep for at least 6 months, and soybean miso for 12 months. Beyond these periods the miso wont spoil, but the flavour and colour will change becoming less aromatic.

Dashi most commonly utilizes a combination of kombu (kelp seaweed) and katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes), but other ingredients used to make dashi are shiitake mushrooms and niboshi (small dried fish). Dashi making has evolved over a long period of time.

You can keep it for up to 2 days in the refrigerator. You can freeze miso soup for up to 2 weeks. However, you have to remove the tofu before freezing as the texture will change. To reheat, see the above section for reheating tips.

Miso soup isn't vegan because it is often made with a dashi-based broth, which is fish based. What is vegan miso soup broth made from? This vegan broth is a vegan dashi broth that is made with dried shiitake mushrooms, leeks, carrots, onions for sweetness, and scallions to add a nice aroma.

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.

If you're using miso paste in a recipe that doesn't call for broth or stock, you can dissolve it in water instead. This can be useful if you want to add miso to a stir-fry or salad dressing, for example. Miso paste should be dissolved into dashi (fish or kelp stock) instead of just water.

Miso is so much more than the name of a delicious savory soup. You probably know umami as the incredibly delicious, savory essence in many Asian dishes; and miso is one ingredient that's the epitome of umami flavor. Miso paste serves as the base for classic miso soup, as well as an unusual (but delicious!)

Traditionally in Japan, miso soup is made by adding miso paste to dashi stock. Dashi is made from kelp called Konbu and Katsuobushi, dried fish flakes. There is powdered dashi you can add water to make a quick Dashi. If buying miso paste and making dashi or powdered dashi is too much, there is so-called Miso Broth.