Mushroom Miso Soup

This umami-packed mushroom miso soup was the perfect answer to the dreariest of snowy days. It was hard to believe something so delicious was also so incredibly healthy. Every ingredient came together in a perfect balance and was enjoyed by adults and kids alike. The prep of the vegetables was the most time consuming part of this recipe. I’d recommend having everything prepped before starting. I used regular soy sauce and did not find the soup overly salty. We all added a little more soy sauce to our bowls when eating.

Miso soup is both nourishing and comforting. It’s what I always turn to when I’m under the weather. This hot pot version is loaded with vegetables and makes plenty of soup to share or to live on for a few days. The tofu adds substance as well as a pleasing texture. Ideally you will use soft, but not silken, tofu. The wakame lends a characteristic flavor of the sea, but is not overwhelming. The balance of seasoning was just about perfect. I used a clay pot to make this, which meant it took a long time to simmer. I let the soup simmer for quite a while after the tofu and mushrooms were added. I went by the texture of the carrots. I wanted them tender but not soft. Once the cabbage gets added it cooks quickly. I served the soup with some chili oil on the side to be added to taste. This is a great soup that I’ll be making often this winter.

This soup was a lovely meal for the cooler autumn weather that has finally arrived in our area. We enjoyed the way the different flavors, as well as the different textures of the components of this brothy soup, came together. On the surface it seemed like it would be fairly light, and in some ways it was, but at the same time it was quite filling. We enjoyed it with a healthy dose of chili oil to give it a pleasant and warming spiciness.

This mushroom miso soup will become a staple in our house. We made it once for the testing and made it again the next night! All we needed to replenish for the recipe were the mushrooms. I never saw myself ever shopping for large containers of white miso paste, seaweed, and tofu, but I’m checking with Costco to see if they sell these ingredients—it’s that good. We used low-sodium soy sauce and in the end I found the soup needing more salt. After all the ingredients had been added and it returned to the simmer one last time, we turned off the heat and let it sit four about 30 minutes. Two of us ate it as main course for dinner and we got 4 1/2 medium-size Chinese-style bowls full from the recipe. The next time we made it, we added half again as much carrot, ginger, and scallions. We drizzled sesame oil and hot oil over the bowls and added the soy sauce. If I were making it for myself I’d use regular soy sauce but my husband said (rightly so) you can always add the salt, you can’t take it out, so I guess we stick with the low-sodium soy sauce. This recipe was a happy find. Now that we are following a vegan diet, we have had to begin to collect new recipes. This one is a keeper.