Ginger Miso Soba Soup Recipe - Fork Knife Swoon (2024)

A simple, healthy, and nourishing recipe for ginger miso soba soup with tofu, shiitake mushrooms, noodles, and lots of fresh vegetables. Hearty and packed with flavor from garlic, sesame, ginger, and miso paste, this easy soup is sure to become a fall and winter favorite! Gluten free and vegan friendly.

Ginger Miso Soba Soup Recipe - Fork Knife Swoon (1)

A cozy ginger miso soba soup

This has been a week made up entirely of Mondays. After the holiday deluge of over-eating, over-drinking, under-exercising and just generally not being the kindest to my body, this first week of January has been about recovery and hitting the reset button, and I know I’m not alone. We’re all in the midst of some sort of holiday detox, whether that means big kale salads and green smoothies, or simply paring back a bit from all the excesses of the season.

It’s still very much winter here – albeit a coastal winter, gentler than those of you in the midwest and east coast are currently experiencing – but still cold. The northern light is lower and even bluer than I imagined it could be when we first moved here over the summer. I can’t feign much interest in juice cleanses, but I do like the idea of a clean start. In the calm that follows – or rather begins – a new year.

I’m craving big bowls of healthy, healing… green. It’s the time of year for big, hearty bowls of grains and roasted vegetables, and certainly less sugar, but most of all: soups – flavorful, healing broths packed with goodness to warm you up from the inside out.

Ginger Miso Soba Soup Recipe - Fork Knife Swoon (2)

Why you’ll love this miso soba soup

When it comes to soup, I like lots of texture, particularly that lovely contrast between a warm, nourishing broth, and lots of fresh, raw veggies piled on top, that so often pops up in Asian-inspired recipes. I’ve been imagining a hearty miso soup for a while now, stocked with warming garlic and ginger, swirls of buckwheat soba noodles, chunks of tofu and a heaping of veggies.

The vegetables – in this case handfuls of chopped scallions, sh*take mushrooms, lacinato kale leaves and radish sprouts – cook a bit when added to the soup, but maintain their freshness and a bit of crunch. Not particularly authentic, but nonetheless soul-satisfying.

The flavorful, ginger-y miso broth can easily be made in advance, and warmed up when chilly days beg for a restorative soup filled with fresh veggies (whatever you happen to have on hand at the moment). Happy cooking!!

Ginger Miso Soba Soup Recipe - Fork Knife Swoon (3)

And be sure to try these other cozy soup recipes next:

  • Ginger noodle soup with Swiss chard
  • Simple weeknight chicken ramen
  • Butternut squash noodle soup
  • Lemony kale and white bean soup

If you make this miso soba soup, be sure to tag me on Instagram with the hashtag #forkknifeswoon and leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked it! ★★★★★ Star ratings are especially helpful because they help others find my recipes too. xo, Laura

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Ginger Miso Soba Soup Recipe - Fork Knife Swoon (4)

Ginger Miso Soba Soup

★★★★★4.7 from 10 reviews

  • Author: Laura Bolton
  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 20 mins
  • Total Time: 40 mins
  • Yield: 2 Servings 1x
  • Category: Dinner, Savory
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Asian-inspired
  • Diet: Vegetarian
Print Recipe

Description

A simple, healthy, and nourishing recipe for ginger miso soba soup with tofu, shiitake mushrooms, noodles, and lots of fresh vegetables. Hearty and packed with flavor from garlic, sesame, ginger, and miso paste, this easy soup is sure to become a fall and winter favorite! Gluten free and vegan friendly.

Ingredients

Scale

Ginger Miso Broth

  • 2 tsp vegetable or sesame oil
  • 1/2 cup yellow onion, finely-minced
  • 2 tsp fresh garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced (or use crushed ginger paste)
  • 1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce or tamari ¹
  • 4 cups (32 oz) rich chicken or vegetable broth ²
  • 2 Tbsp miso paste (I use Miso Master or Westbrae Natural Mellow Red Miso)
  • kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

For the Ginger Miso Soba Soup

  • 4 oz soba noodles¹
  • 1/2 cup fresh shiitake mushrooms, roughly-chopped
  • 1 cup (packed) kale leaves, roughly-chopped ³
  • 7 oz firm or extra-firm tofu, cubed
  • 1/2 cup scallions, chopped
  • small handful of radish sprouts, pea shoots, bean sprouts, etc.
  • sesame seeds and/or chili flakes, for serving

Instructions

Make the ginger miso broth

  1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat, until shimmering. Add the onion, garlic and ginger, and cook for a few minutes until softened.
  2. Add the soy sauce, and stir to combine. Cook for another minute.
  3. Add the stock, cover and bring to a boil. Remove the lid, and let simmer uncovered for another 10 minutes.
  4. Ladle a half cup or so of the broth into a small bowl. Stir in the miso and whisk until dissolved. Pour the miso broth into the pot and cook for a minute or two to heat through (but don’t let come to a boil).

Assemble the miso soba soup

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the soba noodles according to package directions, about 3 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, add the mushrooms and kale to the simmering soup broth and cook for a minute or two to soften. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Miso is naturally salty and full of umami flavor, so you may not need to add any additional salt.
  3. Divide the soba noodles and tofu between two large bowls. Pour the miso broth over the top and sprinkle with the scallions, sprouts, sesame seeds and chile flakes (if using). Serve warm. Enjoy!!

Notes

¹ For gluten-free noodle soup: Be sure to use gluten-free tamari and gluten-free ramen, rice noodles, or 100% buckwheat soba noodles.

² For vegan ginger noodle soup: simply use a great vegetable stock for the broth. Homemade stock is always best in a simple soup like this.

³ Feel free to swap out the kale for your favorite winter green(s), such as spinach, bok choy, or broccoli rabe.

Tip: While fresh will give you the very best flavor, I love the convenience of keeping jars of fresh minced garlic and crushed ginger in the refrigerator.

Keywords: ginger miso soba soup, soba soup, mushrooms, kale, easy, healthy

Ginger Miso Soba Soup Recipe - Fork Knife Swoon (2024)

FAQs

How to elevate miso soup? ›

Miso Soup Serving Suggestions

If I want to make the soup even heartier, I add extra veggies. Japanese turnips, shiitake mushrooms, radishes, carrots, kabocha squash, and greens like spinach or bok choy all work well here. Add them to the dashi and simmer until tender before stirring in the miso slurry.

Which miso paste is best for miso soup? ›

Dashi powder: While the ratio of dashi powder to water is usually 1 teaspoon per 1 cup of water, for miso soup, less is used. That's because miso paste is the main flavor of the soup. You will only need 1 tablespoon of dashi powder for this recipe. Miso paste: I recommend using white or awase miso paste.

What is miso soup made of? ›

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.

When to add miso to soup? ›

This is why miso is traditionally stirred in at the final stage of cooking, either over a gentle simmer or heat with turned off. If it is added at the start of cooking and boiled, the flavours lose there subtle of sweet and savoury tones and you are left with a much more one-dimensional taste.

What does miso soup do for your gut? ›

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.

Why does miso soup make me sleepy? ›

Miso contains amino acids that can help boost the production of melatonin, a natural hormone that helpsmake you sleepy. Bananas: An excellent source of magnesium and potassium, which can help relax overstressed muscles. They also contain tryptophan, which convert to serotonin and melatonin.

Is miso soup actually good for you? ›

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.

Is miso soup just miso paste and hot 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).

How long does miso paste last once opened? ›

Miso is a “preservative food,” that can be kept for a long period of time due to its salt content. If kept in your refrigerator, miso itself does not go bad. In terms of the quality of the taste, miso should remain relatively consistent for up to one year.

What is the brown stuff in miso soup? ›

Wakame, a type of brown seaweed with amazing dietary fibres and popular miso soup ingredient!

Why do Japanese eat so much miso soup? ›

It is believed that over three-quarters of people in Japan consume miso soup at least once a day. The origins of this popular dish can be traced back to ancient times. It became a 'daily meal' for the samurais during the Kamakura period (1185–1333), and, during the age of Japanese civil wars.

What to put inside miso soup? ›

Popular vegetables include mushrooms, green onions thinly sliced, spinach, tofu, bean curd, wakame seaweed, nori seaweed, onions, daikon radish, and carrots. Traditionally this Japanese soup use vegetable widely available in Japan for obvious reasons. But you can add any vegetable found in your refrigerator.

Can I just add miso paste to water? ›

To preserve the beneficial bacteria – stir the miso paste into your cup of hot water instead of pouring boiling water over the miso as high heat can destroy the healthful bacteria; this simple technique will help ensure you get maximum “nu*tritional bang for your bite.”

How much miso paste for 1 cup of water? ›

A general rule of thumb is to use about 1 tablespoon per cup (U.S. measure, 236.5ml) or 1/4 l (250ml) but if you have a very salty red miso for example, you may need less. So when you are trying out a new miso, always add less than you think you need.

What can I add to miso to make it better? ›

Add ingredients like mushrooms, red and green peppers, edamame, onions, leeks and other vegetables. The combination of such foods thickens the broth and benefits more than your tastebuds. You can even choose ingredients with specific health benefits in mind, like boosting your immune system.

How do you make store bought miso soup taste better? ›

Originally Answered: What do you add to your instant miso soup to make it even more tasty? All you have to do is add cubed fresh tofu and chopped scallion, and it will be close to what you would get at a Japanese restaurant.

How to spice up miso? ›

A mix of soy sauce, miso paste, hot chili oil, garlic, and ginger create the most dynamic flavor profile. To further bolster the broth, I love adding shiitake mushrooms, sweet pops of corn, ground meat or tofu, and of course, plenty of noodles.

How to enhance miso ramen? ›

Quick Cook Vegetables – We're talking spinach, bok choy, cabbage, and bean sprouts. They are great additions to add some nutrients to this miso instant ramen. Since these ingredients don't require much cooking at all, add them 1 minute before you remove the ramen from the stove.

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