Miso soup is the perfect savory appetizer, evening snack, and my go-to for staving off mega hunger for an hour or so while I conjure up something heartier. It’s quick to prep and fills up the belly without being, ya know, a pop-tart.
It’s also super healthy. Miso is a fermented food, loaded with nutrients and probiotics. There are oodles of claims about the positive effects of eating miso – with benefits ranging from weight loss and improved digestion to cancer prevention and a boosted immune system.
Another bonus – Miso is an economical purchase – this 17oz tub contains 28 servings and costs less than $10! And it ain’t just for soup, either. Miso also works great as a base for salad dressings.
The soup route has some versatility – add anything you want, from tofu to scallions to carrots to candy canes. I think one of these is going to be disgusting.
Today’s miso was served with chopped scallions and wine cap mushrooms (rehydrated from last summer’s harvest!). I heated the water in the electric kettle, and poured over the scallions and mushrooms. Since miso is a live food, it should not be boiled. I let the water ‘work’ on the mushrooms and cool just a bit (for about a minute), then add a hearty scoop of miso paste and stir to combine.
The traditional, classic miso soup uses dashi, a Japanese stock, as the base. To keep things simple, I stick with miso and water – but if you want more umami in your life, adding dashi would bring your soup game up some notches for sure.
Serve it hot, slurp it down. Enjoy!
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