MISO SOUP RECIPE WITH VEGETABLES
Earlier this month, we shared a recipe for a basic miso soup using only a miso paste and scallions, which you can view here. As we have mentioned, the basic recipe was a good go-to for a quick miso, but also served as a base for more elaborate variations of the soup by adding meats and/or vegetables. In this post, we decided to elaborate on that recipe by showing how simple it is to add vegetables to it, and providing necessary cooking tips.
As we have mentioned, the miso paste we like and use is the Cold Mountain’s Light Yellow Miso soy bean paste, Japanese style Shiro Miso, which we find at our local Publix or on Amazon. (Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to you). We specifically like this one, because it resembles very closely the delicious miso soups we get at good Japanese/sushi restaurants. And that’s what we aim for: to prepare and share with you restaurant-quality products made at home, as simply and efficiently as possible. The right miso paste is what makes a tasty miso, and so choosing the right one is crucial.
The cover of this particular paste calls for combining 1/2 cup of water with 1 TSP miso paste, and optionally adding “desired amount of chopped tofu and / or sea vegetables (wakame). Garnish with chopped green onions and a twist of lemon peel.” Although we have made miso soup before using the recommended ingredients, we have also added other vegetables before, such as onion, mushrooms, and spinach.
The trick in making miso lies in NOT over-boiling the paste, while the basic recipe provides for combining the miso paste and water, and then bringing them together to a very quick boil. However, adding vegetables oftentimes requires that they boil for a least a bit longer than you should boil miso paste. Therefore, the order and timing of adding the ingredients to the boiling water must be altered accordingly. Our directions below illustrate the revised order and timing.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 scallions
- 2 cups of water
- 4 TSP of miso paste (we use Cold Mountain’s Light Yellow Miso soy bean paste, Japanese style Shiro Miso, which we find at our local Publix or on Amazon)
- A desired amount of vegetables, such as spinach, onion, and/or mushrooms
DIRECTIONS:
Step 1: Wash and cut or chop (as needed) a desired amount of vegetables of your choice (onions into thin strips; mushrooms or spinach may or may not need to be chopped, that is up to you). Bring them to a boil in a medium sauce pan or pot (using medium to high heat) and let cook for 2 minutes (depending on how you like them cooked).
Meanwhile, wash and chop up 2 scallions.
Once the vegetables are done cooking, add miso paste to the pot.
Turn up the heat to high. Bring to a very quick boil, stirring regularly yet gently to ensure that the miso paste dissolved completely. In order not to over-boil, you may want to remove from heat immediately, and finish the stirring to completely dissolve any remaining clumps of the miso paste.
Serve in bowls with scallions.
As we have mentioned in our earlier post, proteins can be added as well, such as chicken, beef, or pork, and we will elaborate on that in another post.