Have you ever wanted to know how long miso soup lasts and remains delicious? Discover the answer and enjoy flavorful soups for days!
If you have leftover miso soup from the previous day and are wondering how long it will stay fresh? Here's all you need to know about delicious and flavorful miso soup!
You will learn its expiration date, how to store it, reheat it, and get some quick and easy recipes. Let's get started!
Jump to:
- How long does miso soup last at room temperature?
- How long does miso soup last in the fridge?
- How long does miso soup last in the freezer?
- How do you know if miso soup has gone bad?
- How to Extend the Shelf Life of Miso Soup
- What is miso soup, anyway?
- What's in miso soup?
- Key Ingredient #1 - Miso Paste
- Key Ingredient #2 - Dashi
- Key Ingredient #3 - Ingredients of your choice
- Japanese Miso Soup Recipes
- Where to buy Japanese ingredients?
- FAQ
- Thanks For Stopping By!
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
How long does miso soup last at room temperature?
Up to 2 hours.
To ensure your miso soup tastes its best, don't leave it at room temperature for longer than two hours - otherwise, the bacteria may grow and spoil the taste.
So, room temperature is not the best place to keep it. It's best to store it safely in your refrigerator, especially in the heat of summer or when living in a hot climate.
How long does miso soup last in the fridge?
Up to 3 days.
Miso soup is best fresh but will last up to three days in the fridge. The actual shelf life, however, depends on what ingredients are included. For example, eggs, moyashi (soybean sprout), and clams last shorter than other ingredients.
- How to store - Let it cool, transfer the soup to a glass jar or airtight container, and store it in the fridge.
- How to reheat - Refrigerated miso soup should always be heated before serving. Transfer to a saucepan and heat it on the stove, or transfer to a microwave-safe bowl and heat it in a microwave - just don't let it boil and lose any of that excellent miso flavor and aroma.
How long does miso soup last in the freezer?
Up to 2 weeks.
It'll last up to 2 weeks in the freezer, although that time can vary depending on its ingredients.
Not all ingredients are suitable for freezing. Tofu and potatoes turn dry and unappetizing when frozen, so take them out before freezing.
- How to store - Let it cool, transfer the one serving to a freezer-safe bag, and store it in the freezer. Or you can use ice cube trays as well.
- How to thaw and reheat - Transfer frozen miso soup to the fridge a half day before eating, transfer it to a saucepan, and heat it just before boiling.
How do you know if miso soup has gone bad?
When your miso soup in the fridge has been sitting for days, you may wonder if it's safe to eat.
Appearances and aromas are key indicators that it is spoiled - watch out for slimy layers or strange smells. If you find any signs of spoilage in the below, it's best to throw it away.
Sign of Spoilage
- Appearance - Slimy, stringy, white mold
- Aroma - Sour smell, old smell, musty smell
How to Extend the Shelf Life of Miso Soup
These simple tips keep your miso soup flavorful and fresh for as long as possible.
- Add more miso paste - The higher salt content has a longer shelf life, so boost its saltiness by adding more miso or reducing the amount of water. The miso soup becomes saltier, but if you dilute the soup before reheating it, then it should be no problem.
- Store without miso paste - Store your soup without adding miso paste, extending its shelf life. Add miso paste when you eat it.
What is miso soup, anyway?
Miso soup is a traditional Japanese soup made from miso paste, dashi soup, and additional ingredients such as soft tofu and various vegetables.
This cozy soup is loaded with savory and umami flavors and is perfect for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, but the morning is the best time as it warms your body inside out.
What's in miso soup?
Miso soup is commonly made of three ingredients:
- Miso paste
- Dashi (soup stock)
- Ingredients of your choice (such as tofu and seaweed)
Do you want to learn more about miso soup? In the following section, let's explore this traditional Japanese dish's ingredients.
Key Ingredient #1 - Miso Paste
What is miso paste? This information might be overwhelming if you are unfamiliar with Japanese cooking, but please stick with me.
Miso paste is fermented soybean paste and a preserved food with a long shelf life. It's nutritious, healthy (see the health benefits here), and an essential condiment in Japanese cooking.
Types of Miso Paste
There are three different types of miso: Kome miso paste (rice miso), Mugi miso paste (barley miso), and Mame miso paste (darker miso).
Kome miso paste is the standard (80% of miso production in Japan) and is made from soybeans, koji rice, and salt.
The Difference in the Color
Have you ever seen miso with various colors? Miso paste has different tastes and flavors depending on its color.
The longer miso is fermented, the more flavors and colors it will develop (called the Maillard reaction).
Here are different types of miso pastes by color:
- White miso paste (shiro miso) - Short fermentation process (1 to 3 months). Slightly sweet with a light aroma.
- Yellow miso paste (awairo miso) - Medium fermentation process (4 to 8 months). It's mainstream miso.
- Red miso paste (aka miso) - Long fermentation process (one year or more). Salty and rich in flavor
I like using yellow for miso soup and red for other dishes. But it's a personal preference, so try red, yellow, and white, and find out which one suits your taste.
Click below to find out more about miso paste
- Miso soup ingredients and how to make it.
- Does miso paste go bad? How long does it last?
- How to store miso paste
Key Ingredient #2 - Dashi
Dashi stock is another essential ingredient in miso soup. It brings an umami flavor and aroma to the soup. You could substitute it with vegetable broth, but you won't experience the authentic taste.
General dashi ingredients are Katsuobushi (Bonito flakes), Kombu seaweed (Kelp), Dried shiitake mushroom, and Niboshi (Baby anchovy).
You can make homemade dashi from scratch or use instant dashi powder (dashi granules) to save time.
Click here to find out more about dashi stock.
Key Ingredient #3 - Ingredients of your choice
What can you add to miso soup? A lot of things! The most popular ones are tofu, green onions, and wakame seaweed.
- Root vegetables: Daikon, onion, carrot, sweet potato
- Leafy green vegetables: Spinach, bok choy, komatsuna
- Mushrooms: Shiitake mushrooms, shimeji, maitake, enoki
- Dried seaweed: Wakame seaweed, kombu, nori
- Soybean products: Silken tofu, firm tofu, aburaage, natto
Pick your favorite ingredient and make your original miso soup every day! If you like hearty soup like me, select 2 or 3 and make it a filling dish!
Click here to find out more about additional ingredients.
Japanese Miso Soup Recipes
Looking for a delicious way to use up your miso paste? Check out these Miso Soup Recipes. I share 10 easy-to-follow miso soup recipes that you can make at home.
Miso soup is the most simple and easy dish in Japanese cooking. I hope you will enjoy the authentic flavor!
Where to buy Japanese ingredients?
- Japanese grocery stores: Mitsuwa marketplace, Marukai
- Local Asian grocery stores or Asian market
- Online stores: Instacart, Walmart, Amazon
FAQ
It will last up to 3 days in the fridge. However, depends on what ingredients are included. For example, eggs, moyashi (soybean sprout), and clams last shorter than that.
Yes, you can. You should keep it in either the fridge or freezer.
Appearances and aromas are key indicators that it is spoiled - watch out for slimy layers or strange smells. If you find any signs of spoilage (Appearance - Slimy, stringy, white mold; Aroma - Sour smell, old smell, musty smell), it's best to get rid of it altogether.
Always warm your miso soup before serving. Transfer to a saucepan and heat it on the stove, or transfer to a microwave-safe bowl and heat it in a microwave.
Because boiling will lose excellent miso flavor and aroma. When heating, stop right before boiling.
Yes, it's ok. Japanese people eat it every day. Miso soup is nutritious-rich and great for gut health.
Thanks For Stopping By!
Thank you for taking the time to read my blog♡. If you've tried this recipe (or any other recipe on the blog), please give it a star rating below!
Also, feel free to leave comments if you have any questions. I love hearing from you!
Chef JA Cooks is a Japanese food blog that shares simple and healthy Japanese home cooking recipes, including vegan and vegetarian. From traditional Japanese recipes to modern recipes with step-by-step instructions.
More Recipes You Might Like
- Tofu Miso Soup
- Mushroom Miso Soup
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- Daikon Miso Soup (Niboshi Dashi)
- Summer Vegetable Miso Soup
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📖 Recipe
11 Easy Miso Soup Recipes
Print Pin SaveIngredients
- Miso Paste
- Dashi Stock
- Ingredients of choice
- Water
Instructions
- Pick a recipe from these miso soup recipes:Tofu miso soupMushroom miso soupWakame seaweed miso soupDaikon miso soupKabocha miso soupSummer vegetable miso soupNatto miso soupJapanese sweet potato miso soup
- Follow the recipe instructions and enjoy the delicious soup!
Video
Notes
- In Japanese cooking, it is common to cut tofu on your palm. Doing so lets you gently transfer the tofu directly into the pot after cutting without worrying about breaking it.
- Always add miso paste after turning off the heat. If you boil the miso, you will lose the excellent flavor.
- When adding the miso to your soup, stir gently (try not to break the tofu).
- I highly recommend the miso measuring whisk for convenience and precision!
Elizabeth Kasprzyk
I haven't made this recipe, but I've made miso soup a couple of times now and I just needed to know how long it lasts in the fridge. However this is one of those excellent guides that doesn't tell you how to make one type of miso soup, but how to make miso soup in general.
In the UK it's hard to source some of the ingredients, so I've been substituting the seaweed with spinach, and it's nice to know what's core (the dashi and miso paste) and what's nice to have to your taste (everything else). Other recipes don't do this and you have to work it out by reading a few and figuring it out yourself. It reminds me very much of the "Aha!" moment I had when Carluccio's book taught me how to make risottos in the same way with whatever I had lying around the house rather than making a specific risotto and my life has been better for it since.
I have also been totally flummoxed by the different miso paste colours and now, I no longer am!
JURI
Hi Elizabeth, thank you for sharing your experience with miso soup! I'm glad to hear that the recipe guide has been helpful to you. I understand that sourcing Japanese ingredients outside of Japan can be challenging, but feel free to substitute with your favorite vegetables and ingredients to make it your own!