Japanese Vegetable Miso Soup

By
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett
Jolinda Hackett has written five books about plant-based cooking and has developed hundreds of vegan and vegetarian recipes.
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Updated on 03/1/22
Miso soup
kazoka30 / Getty Images
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 12 mins
Total: 22 mins
Servings: 6 servings

This is a quick and easy Japanese vegetable miso soup recipe. It's made both completely vegetarian and vegan and filled with plenty of vegetables including shiitake mushrooms, leek, tomatoes, green onions (scallions) and tofu, along with the usual Japanese miso soup ingredients, including sesame oil, vegetable broth, soy sauce, and, of course, miso!

Even though it's filled with veggies, this is still a very light soup, so it makes a good starter or a warming afternoon snack, or, if you wanted to make it more of a meal, you could round it out with some Asian noodles. Either soba or udon noodles would be best, or even ramen-style noodles, to keep it Japanese themed. Try miso ramen Japanese soup.

If you don't have all the veggies on hand, try a basic vegetarian miso soup recipe or quick and easy garlic miso soup.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups diced tomatoes

  • 1/4 cup sesame oil

  • 1 leek, sliced

  • 1 1/2 cups sliced shiitake mushrooms

  • 6 cups vegetable broth

  • 2 tablespoons diced wakame seaweed, or other seaweed

  • 1 block silken tofu, cubed

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce

  • 3 tablespoons miso

  • 2 scallions, or green onions, sliced

Steps to Make It

  1. In a large pot, sauté the tomatoes, leek, and mushroom for 1 to 3 minutes.

  2. Add the vegetable broth and seaweed and bring to a slow simmer. Add the tofu, soy sauce (or the gluten-free tamari or Nama Shoyu if you're doing the gluten-free version), and the miso and scallions and reduce the heat to low.

  3. Stir well to dissolve and mix the miso.

  4. Allow to cook for at least 8 more minutes over low heat.

Tip

  • Miso shouldn't ever be boiled, just gently heated, in order to preserve its healthy probiotic and fermented properties, so make sure that your soup is gently heating and not simmering. 

Recipe Variation

  • How to make this recipe gluten-free: This recipe as is is both vegetarian and vegan. Need it to be gluten-free too? First, check your miso, as some kinds are made with added grains, such as barley miso, for example, which is definitely not gluten-free, though traditional miso is made with soybeans and is safe for gluten sensitivities. Next, check your vegetable broth. Most store-bought brands contain gluten unless they're specifically labeled as gluten-free, so read the label, or make your own homemade vegetable broth. And finally, you'll have to swap out the soy sauce for a gluten-free substitute. In this miso soup, you'll want the stronger flavors of the tamari or the Nama Shoyu sauce. 
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
188 Calories
13g Fat
12g Carbs
9g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 188
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g 16%
Saturated Fat 2g 9%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 1160mg 50%
Total Carbohydrate 12g 5%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 5g
Protein 9g
Vitamin C 11mg 56%
Calcium 120mg 9%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 397mg 8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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