This Japanese-inspired cabbage miso soup is heartwarming, cozy, and incredibly comforting. You only need a few simple ingredients and 30 minutes to make this soup!
If you have yet to try making miso soup at home, you are missing out! This nourishing soup is simple to prepare yet tastes amazing. I love pairing mine with Japanese mains like baked teriyaki tofu and Japanese curry.
💚Why you will love this recipe
- Flavorful, umami, and soul-soothing
- A quick and easy one-pot recipe
- Healthy, nourishing, and packed with veggies
- Versatile and highly customizable!
🥣What you will need
📃Ingredients notes and substitutions
- Kombu - An edible kelp that will be used to make the stock for miso soup.
- Miso - I am using white miso from Fusion Select. Red or yellow miso will work, but they have a bolder and stronger flavor.
- Cabbage - Feel free to use red cabbage or napa cabbage in place.
- Tofu - I am using silken tofu, which is perfect for soups like this. However, you can opt for soft or firm tofu.
- Wakame - This seaweed gives miso soup additional umami and savory flavor. Although optional, I highly recommend using it!
🔪How to make
Bring water to a boil, then remove from heat. Place in kombu and soak for at least 15 minutes or up to an hour to make your dashi stock.
In the meantime, rehydrate the wakame by soaking it in warm water for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Remove the kombu from the water. Bring kombu stock to a simmer, then add the cabbage. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until cabbage is tender.
Stir in miso, then add silken tofu along with rehydrated wakame. Reheat until the soup starts to simmer gently. Serve while warm.
✔Helpful tips
- Cleaning kombu - Clean the kombu with a damp cloth instead of rinsing it with water. This will help preserve its umami flavor.
- Do not boil miso - Ensure the soup does not boil after adding miso paste. Cooking at high temperatures will kill off the beneficial probiotics in it.
- Dissolving miso beforehand - I recommend adding some warm dashi to the miso paste and stirring until it has dissolved completely before adding it to the pot.
- Storing leftovers - Leftover cabbage miso soup can be refrigerated for 2-3 days. Reheat on the stove or in the microwave until warm. Take care not to let it boil.
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🍚Serving suggestions
This miso soup is incredibly versatile and can be served as an appetizer, side, or even main dish.
- To garnish - Some of my favorites include toasted sesame seeds, chopped green onion, sriracha, or chili flakes for some heat.
- Traditional Japanese meal - Serve with steamed short-grain rice and side dishes like vegan teriyaki chicken, wakame salad, and vegan tamagoyaki.
- Noodles - You can add cooked noodles like udon and ramen to this soup. However, I love pairing it with Japanese noodle dishes like yakisoba or teriyaki soba noodles.
- Sushi - Like my avocado maki or cucumber maki!
❔Commonly asked questions
Most miso pastes on the market are naturally vegan and free from animal products. However, avoid dashi miso as it usually contains bonito flakes made from fish.
Some miso are naturally gluten-free, but cross-contamination might occur during production. Some brands of miso might also include fermented grains like wheat. Hence, for those with celiac disease or who are intolerant to gluten, I highly recommend getting a miso paste that is certified gluten-free.
The miso used in miso soup will ultimately depend on personal preference. White miso is preferred by most due to its milder and sweeter flavor profile.
However, you might prefer yellow or red miso if you love soup with a stronger and more complex flavor. Red miso is saltier and has a more intense flavor due to the longer fermentation period, while the taste of yellow miso is between white and red miso.
Miso paste is available in most groceries, usually in the international food aisle or Asian food section. It is also commonly sold in health food stores or Asian markets. You can also get it through an online retailer like Amazon.
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📖 Recipe
Cabbage Miso Soup
Ingredients
- 5 cups water
- 2 medium kombu pieces
- ¼ cup dried wakame
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 4-5 tablespoons white miso *(see notes)
- 1 block silken tofu cubed (about 12oz/350g)
Instructions
- Clean kombu pieces by gently wiping them with a damp cloth.2 medium kombu pieces
- Bring water to a boil, then remove from heat. Place in kombu and soak for at least 15 minutes, or up to an hour to make your dashi stock.5 cups water
- In the meantime, rehydrate wakame by soaking it in some warm water for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.¼ cup dried wakame
- Remove kombu from water. Bring kombu stock to a simmer, then add in cabbage. Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until cabbage are tender.2 cups shredded cabbage
- In a bowl, add miso along with a few tablespoons of stock. Stir until miso paste has dissolved completely, and add it to the pot.4-5 tablespoons white miso
- Next, add in silken tofu along with the rehydrated wakame. Reheat until the soup comes to a gentle simmer. Be careful not to boil it!1 block silken tofu
- Garnish with toppings of choice, and it is ready to be served.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.
Holly says
Great recipe! Love all the depth of flavors. People love when I make this along side broccoli and chicken chicken.
What can I do with the Kombu after I take it out of the broth?
I don’t want to waste it!
Meesha says
Glad to hear that! I love making kombu salad using the hydrated kombu. To do so, simply slice it into thin strips, and follow the seasonings used in this recipe - https://www.myplantifulcooking.com/wakame-seaweed-salad/ . You might have to adjust seasonings to taste. Hope this helps!