Miso soup is a traditional Japanese soup made by dissolving miso paste in dashi stock.
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How it works, in terms someone would actually use
Japanese recipes usually call for vegetables like mushrooms, daikon, carrots, potatoes, tofu, and fish to be cooked in simmering dashi before adding miso.
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What it gets right
The type of miso used defines much of the soup’s character and flavor.
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What it does not
Its fermented soybean base may be less appealing if you want a clear soup with no miso flavor.
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What it changed
In some parts of Japan, especially around Tokyo, it is called omiotsuke.
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Who it is for, and who it is not
It suits someone interested in the role of soup in a Japanese meal, or in how different miso pastes change a familiar preparation.
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Is it worth your time
Worth trying if a dashi-based soup with fermented soybean paste appeals.
Worth your time?
Selectively. Start with the brief, then cook the parts we point at.
What works
The type of miso used defines much of the soup’s character and flavor. Miso is made by fermenting soybeans with salt and kōjikin, sometimes with rice or barley.
What does not
Its fermented soybean base may be less appealing if you want a clear soup with no miso flavor.
Cook it if
Skip it if
The written brief1 min read
What the dish is and where it came from
Miso soup is a traditional Japanese soup made by dissolving miso paste in dashi stock. It is also called omiso-shiru or, honorifically, o-miso-shiru.
How it works, in terms someone would actually use
Japanese recipes usually call for vegetables like mushrooms, daikon, carrots, potatoes, tofu, and fish to be cooked in simmering dashi before adding miso.
What it gets right
The type of miso used defines much of the soup’s character and flavor. Miso is made by fermenting soybeans with salt and kōjikin, sometimes with rice or barley.
What it does not
Its fermented soybean base may be less appealing if you want a clear soup with no miso flavor.
What it changed
In some parts of Japan, especially around Tokyo, it is called omiotsuke.
Who it is for, and who it is not
It suits someone interested in the role of soup in a Japanese meal, or in how different miso pastes change a familiar preparation.
Is it worth your time
Worth trying if a dashi-based soup with fermented soybean paste appeals. The choice of miso and additions offers a useful starting point for comparing versions.