Miso Soup
Miso—fermented soybean paste with roots in Japan as early as the 7th century—came to Canadian tables through Japanese communities on the West Coast. Today it’s comfort in a cup: clean, savoury, and ready in minutes—perfect after a cold walk or a late skate.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients
4 cups (1 L) dashi*
3–4 tbsp miso paste (white/shiro for mild, red/aka for deeper flavour)
200 g (7 oz) medium or silken tofu, cut in small cubes
2 tbsp dried wakame seaweed (or ¼ cup fresh, chopped)
3 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced
*Quick dashi options:
Classic: 1 piece kombu (5×5 cm) + 15 g katsuobushi (bonito flakes)
Vegan: kombu only, or kombu + dried shiitake
Method
Make the dashi.
Classic: Place kombu in 4 cups cold water; heat until small bubbles appear (do not boil). Remove kombu, add katsuobushi, simmer 1 minute, then turn off heat and steep 5 minutes. Strain.
Vegan: Simmer kombu (and a dried shiitake if using) 10 minutes; remove and strain.
Hydrate wakame. Soak dried wakame in a little warm water 5 minutes; drain and chop if large.
Warm, don’t boil. Return dashi to a gentle steam. Add tofu and wakame; heat 1–2 minutes.
Dissolve the miso. Ladle a little hot broth into a small bowl, whisk in miso until smooth, then stir back into the pot. Keep below a simmer to preserve flavour and aroma.
Finish & serve. Taste, adjust miso if needed, and garnish with spring onions. Serve immediately.
Variations
Vegan Mushroom Miso: Use vegan dashi; add 1 cup thinly sliced shiitake or cremini with the tofu. Finish with a few drops of toasted sesame oil.
West Coast Salmon Miso: Simmer small chunks (200 g) of salmon for 2–3 minutes in the dashi before adding miso. Finish with nori strips and a squeeze of lemon.
Sweet Corn & Potato Winter Miso: Add 1 small waxy potato (diced) and simmer until tender; stir in ½ cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen) before dissolving the miso. Warm, hearty, and very Canadian.