Wakame Miso Soup (Japanese Seaweed Soup Recipe)

5 from 3 votes
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8 minutes
Servings 4
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With this easy recipe, you can make your own Wakame Miso Soup at home. This classic Japanese seaweed soup is light and savory, perfect for any meal.

Looking for miso soup recipes? Try my Tofu Miso Soup, Mushroom Miso Soup, or Daikon Miso Soup!

wakame seaweed miso soup in a soup bowl.

I’ll walk you through the ingredients and step-by-step instructions. I hope you enjoy it!

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Why You Will Love This Recipe 

  • This wakame miso soup is super easy to make and ready in under 10 minutes!
  • Wakame is the most common seaweed used in miso soup.
  • Learn how to make miso soup from scratch with this quick recipe!

Miso Soup

Miso soup is a traditional Japanese soup made with dashi (a simple broth), miso paste, and additional ingredients like tofu, vegetables, and seaweed. The fermentation of miso paste gives the soup a deep, rich flavor.

Recipe Ingredients

Youโ€™ll need the following ingredients to make this Wakame Miso Soup Recipe:

Ingredients for wakame seaweed miso soup.
  • Wakame is a type of seaweed and a popular ingredient for miso soup. It’s common to use dried wakame that is available all year round. When rehydrated, it will increase in size by ten times. It has a firm yet elastic texture with a subtle smell of the sea.
  • Tofu is a classic miso soup ingredient. You can use both Momen (firm tofu) and Kinu (silken tofu) for miso soup. I use Momen in this recipe.
  • Scallions or spring onions are also classic miso soup ingredients.
  • Miso paste is flavorful, savory, and salty fermented food (soybean paste), an essential seasoning for Japanese cuisine. The darker miso ages longer and tastes less sweet than light-colored miso. White miso paste (shiro miso) is the way to go for a sweet and mild taste.
  • Dashi, a traditional Japanese soup stock, is the key ingredient in infusing broth with savory richness. In this recipe, I use store-bought instant dashi powder. If you are looking for authentic homemade dashi, you can try awase dashi (bonito flakes), niboshi dashi (anchovy), and kombu dashi.

For Vegans:

Traditionally, miso soup is not plant-based because dashi is made from fish. However, you can easily make it vegan by replacing fish dashi with vegan options like kombu dashi powder or homemade vegan dashi.

How To Make Wakame Miso Soup: STEP BY STEP 

Here are some quick visual instructions! For the video and all the detailed ingredients and instructions, go to the printable recipe card below.

How to make wakame miso soup.

Step 1

Place dried wakame seaweed and tofu in a saucepan.

How to make wakame miso soup.

Step 2

Add dashi powder and water, then simmer.

How to make wakame miso soup.

Step 3

Turn off the heat and stir in the miso paste.

How to make wakame miso soup.

Step 4

Finish by adding chopped scallions.

wakame seaweed miso soup in a soup bowl.

Pour the soup into a bowl and enjoy the comforting, wakame miso soup at home!

Recipe Tips

  • Always add miso paste after turning off the heat. Boiling miso will diminish its excellent miso flavor.
  • When adding miso paste to your soup, stir gently to avoid breaking the tofu.
  • If you find the soup too light, feel free to add more miso paste to enhance the flavor.

Storage

Transfer the soup to a glass jar and store it in the refrigerator. It will last for 3 days. I donโ€™t recommend freezing it because freezing and thawing changes the texture of the tofu.

What To Serve With

You can serve your wakame miso soup with Japanese rice and other traditional dishes to give it a more authentic feel. Here are some recipes you might want to try: Umeboshi Onigiri (rice balls), Fried Daikon, Vegan Vegetable Gyoza (dumplings), or Okara Salad.

Dried Seaweed for Miso Soup

Variations of seaweed for miso soup.

There is more seaweed you can add to your miso soup.

  • Tororo kombu is shredded kombu (kelp) after pickling in vinegar and used as a garnish in various Japanese dishes.
  • Aosa is flaky seaweed often used as a topping for yakisoba and takoyaki.
  • Nori is crispy and often used for onigiri rice balls and sushi.
  • Seaweed mix is a mixture of dried seaweed and is often used for seaweed salad.

Your Questions Answered

What is miso soup usually made of?

Miso soup is made from three basic components: Miso paste, dashi (soup stock), and Ingredients of your choice. The most common ingredients are tofu, scallions, and wakame seaweed.

What seaweed is used in miso soup?

The most popular seaweed for miso soup is Wakame. You can also add Tororo kombu, Aosa, and Nori as a topping.

Does miso soup always have seaweed?

Not always. For your soup, you can choose vegetables, eggs, soy products, and many more (see the variation section).

Is the seaweed in miso soup good for you?

Yes, it is. It’s rich in minerals and dietary fiber.

How often do Japanese eat miso soup?

Miso soup is a daily staple in Japan. It depends on the family, but I make it almost every day, and we eat it a couple of times a day.

Vegetarian ebook cover image.

Want More Plant-Based Ideas?

Download 10 Vegetarian Recipes

wakame miso soup in a sauce pan.

More Miso Soup Recipes You Will Love

Leave a Rating!

I hope you enjoy this Wakame Miso Soup! If you try it, don’t forget to leave a rating to share your thoughtsโ€”I love hearing from you!

Wakame Miso Soup (Japanese Seaweed Soup Recipe)

5 from 3 votes
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 3 minutes
Total: 8 minutes
Servings: 4
Author: Juri Austin
With this easy recipe, you can make your own Wakame Miso Soup at home. This classic Japanese seaweed soup is light and savory, perfect for any meal.
Wakame seaweed miso soup in a soup bowl.
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Equipment

  • Medium saucepan, 18cm/7 inches
  • Miso measuring whisk

Ingredients
  

  • 1 Tbsp Wakame Seaweed
  • 1 Tofu, 130g, 4.5oz
  • 3 Scallions
  • 1ยฝ tsp Dashi powder, 5g
  • 3 cup Water, 720ml
  • 2 Tbsp Miso Paste, 36g, 1.3oz

Instructions
 

  1. Preparation: Cut tofu into cubes. Chop scallions and set aside.
  2. Bring to a boil: Put dried wakame seaweed, tofu, dashi powder, and water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil on medium heat.
  3. Simmer: Lower the heat and simmer for one minute.
  4. Add miso paste: Turn off the heat, add miso (use a miso measuring whisk if you have it), and stir gently until it dissolves.
  5. Add scallions: Add scallions to the soup.

Video

YouTube video

Notes

  • Storage: 3 days in the fridge.
  • Always add miso paste after turning off the heat. Boiling miso will diminish its excellent miso flavor.
  • When adding miso paste to your soup, stir gently to avoid breaking the tofu.
  • If you find the soup too light, feel free to add more miso paste to enhance the flavor.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 45kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 4g

This nutritional information is estimated and provided for general reference only.

Course: Soup
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: miso soup recipe, wakame miso soup

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Juri Austin

Hi! Iโ€™m Juri, founder of Chef JA Cooks and the creator and photographer of this site. Iโ€™m here to guide you in authentic yet easy-to-follow Japanese recipes! Letโ€™s explore the world of Japanese cuisine together!

5 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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