Easy Miso Soup Recipe (Miso Shiru/味噌汁) – This warm and comforting Japanese soup can be made in under 15 minutes! Vegan, Healthy and only 4 ingredients needed.
What is miso soup?
Miso soup is a traditional Japanese soup made from dissolving a thick salty soybean paste (miso) in hot water. The most basic version of miso soup often contains finely cubed tofu, wakame (seaweed flakes) and some sliced scallions. Traditionally, miso soup is made by first making a dashi stock by boiling kombu (a thick dried seaweed slice) and bonito flakes (shavings of smoked and fermented skipjack tuna).
However, this veganized easy miso soup recipe doesn't require you to make the stock! This easy miso soup recipe can be made with just 4 ingredients and in under 15 minutes!
What do you need to make this easy miso soup?
You only need 4 ingredients to make this miso soup! They are:
- Miso paste
- Wakame
- Tofu
- Scallion
You also need a large pot (I used this 3.5qt dutch oven)
How do you make this easy miso soup?
You can make this miso soup in less than 15 minutes!
How to make miso soup:
- Thin the miso paste in 1 cup of water until there are no clumps.
- Add 5 cups of water, wakame and tofu in a large pot and bring to a boil on high heat.
- Pour in the dissolved miso paste and water mixture into the pot.
- Toss the chopped scallions into the pot. Cover the pot and simmer on medium heat for 5-7 minutes.
Tips and Tricks...
- Thin the miso paste with hot water. Thin/dissolve the miso paste with a cup of water in a small bowl before adding it to the pot. This will help the paste be dissolved faster in the pot.
- (Optional) Make kombu dashi. This speedy recipe doesn't require you to make a stock beforehand by boiling kombu. However, if you wanted to you would boil kombu to help bring out more umami flavor.
- Customize by adding other ingredients. Although this basic form of miso soup is good by itself, you could add other ingredients to it (e.g. enoki or shiitake mushrooms). You could even add noodles to make it a standalone meal.
This easy miso soup is...
- Warm and comforting
- Healthy
- Can be made in under 15 minutes
- Requires only 4 ingredients
- Easily customizable
Frequently Asked Questions
- What kind of miso should I get? Oh boy. There's many varieties of miso paste (shiro/white, aka/red, awase/mixed), but a general rule of thumb is that the lighter the miso, the sweeter it is. However, if you want a more salty umami flavor then look to use a darker paste. I used a shiro (white) miso that was a lot more red than a typical white miso.
- Can I make it gluten-free? Many miso products contain gluten (from wheat or barley), but it is possible to get gluten-free miso products! Rice, millet and buckwheat are gluten-free, so double check the label to make sure. Plain tofu is generally gluten-free but again, make sure you buy a certified gluten-free tofu to avoid the risk of consuming cross-contaminated products.
- What can I eat this with? I find that miso soup goes best with a bowl of white rice and some side dishes (as it is served in traditional Japanese cuisine). However, it is good by itself too, especially since it's such a fast dish to prepare. You could also add some noodles if you wanted to make it a standalone meal.
- Can I add other ingredients? Yes! You can add other ingredients such as mushroom (I recommend enoki or shiitake). Slice them into small pieces before adding them to the soup for easy consumption.
If your question isn't answered here, be sure to check out the comments section below. You might find the answer to your question down there. Otherwise, please leave a comment on this post so I can get back to you ASAP!
As always, thanks for reading!
Best,

Healthy Miso Soup (Miso Shiru/味噌汁)
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
- Category: soups
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Japanese
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Easy Miso Soup Recipe (Miso Shiru/味噌汁) – This warm and comforting Japanese soup can be made in under 15 minutes! Vegan, Healthy and only 4 ingredients needed.
Ingredients
- ⅓ to ½ cup miso paste (I used ½ cup, shiro miso)
- 6 cups water
- 3 tbsp wakame
- ½ 14oz block tofu, finely cubed (I used firm tofu, 5mm each side)
- 2 scallions, sliced
Equipment
- 1 large pot (I used this 3.5qt dutch oven)
Instructions
- Thin the miso paste in 1 cup of water until there are no clumps.
- Add 5 cups of water, wakame and tofu in a large pot and bring to a boil on high heat.
- Add the dissolved miso paste and water mixture into the pot.
- Add the chopped scallions into the pot. Cover the pot and simmer on medium heat for 5-7 minutes.
Notes
- Although this basic form of miso soup is good by itself, you could add other ingredients to it (e.g. enoki or shiitake mushrooms). You could even add noodles to make it a standalone meal. Otherwise, serve with a bowl of white rice and some side dishes.
Keywords: japanese, miso, soup, tofu, vegan
If you tried this recipe, make sure to let me know by tagging me on Instagram @tofuify or tell me in the comment section down below. I can't wait to see your creations! ☺️
Let me know what you think!