Name: Vegan Miso Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 8 cups filtered water; 2 strips kombu; 3 dried shiitake mushrooms; 3-inch piece of ginger, peeled, and sliced into thin coins; 1 cup reserved Dashi; 1/2 cup brown rice miso; 8oz buckwheat soba noodles; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 tablespoons soy sauce; 3.5oz shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and thinly sliced; 6-8 kale or bok choy leaves, stems removed, and roughly chopped; 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated; 7 oz extra firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes; 3-4 green onions, finely chopped, light and dark green parts only

Is Miso Soup Vegan?

This miso soup is! However, not all miso soups are vegan, especially if you are enjoying them at a Japanese or sushi restaurant. Most miso soup contains bonito flakes, which are dried tuna flakes that provide umami flavor. However, you don’t have to use bonito flakes for umami flavor as miso, shiitake mushrooms and kombu are all vegan sources of umami flavor.

Miso is a Good Probiotic

Miso soup is made with (you guessed it) miso, which is a traditional Japanese seasoning made from fermented soybeans. Fermented foods, like kimchi, yogurt, kombucha, pickles, tempeh, and miso, contain good-for-you, naturally occurring bacteria, also known as probiotics.

Probiotics help to restore the naturally occurring bacteria in your gut by kicking out the bad bacteria (that can accumulate from a processed diet, high in fat and sugar) and resetting it with the good stuff. Probiotics have a whole host of health benefits – everything from boosting the immune system to soothing digestive upset, to supporting metabolism.

And if probiotics weren’t enough of an immune system boost for you, this soup is also packed with fresh ginger and shiitake mushrooms, both of which have immune-boosting properties. To retain all of the probiotic benefits, make sure not to overheat your miso. It’s why I recommend removing some of the broth to whisk the miso paste into, then return it back to the soup off-heat. Cooking the miso will diminish the naturally occurring fermented bacteria and we want to keep as much as we can!

What’s the difference between red miso and white miso paste?

White Miso is made from soybeans that have been fermented with rice; the color can range from white to a light yellow and white miso has a definite sweet taste. I usually use white miso in my vegan miso soup. Yellow miso is also made from soybeans and has been fermented with barley and sometimes rice. It’s got a mild, early flavor and is amazing in miso soup as well!

Red Miso is typically fermented with barley or other grains and has a longer fermentation period. It contains more of a deep umami flavor than white or yellow miso; I usually only use red miso in sauces but you can use it in miso soup. Just know that it will create a deeper color and a richer miso taste.

Have I mentioned this soup is deliciously comforting? The miso packs in a ton of flavor that is complemented with the spicy ginger, the mild bitterness of the green onion and bok choy. Plus, it’s super satisfying with the meaty texture of the mushrooms, protein-packed tofu, and fiber-packed buckwheat soba noodles.

You can find kombu online or in Asian grocery stores/specialty stores. I grab mine at Whole Foods!

If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and tag your Instagram photos with #delishknowledge . I absolutely love seeing your creations. Happy cooking!

My favorite cold-weather soup recipe! So easy to make and super flavorful.

★★★★★

That is just what I need right now. I didn’t know about not boiling the miso. Now I know. The finished product looks delicious. Thank you so much. Thumbs up.

★★★★★

Vegan soup is one of the recipe I can cook. Perfect in any kind of occasion which enhance the appetizer of my guest. Of course, it is also perfect for my home menu. My kids love it.

★★★★★