Wakame Soup (Printable Page)

Nourishing Japanese seaweed soup with tender wakame, tofu, and delicate dashi broth, ready in 20 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Seaweed and Broth

01 - 0.3 oz dried wakame seaweed
02 - 4 cups dashi stock, use vegetarian dashi for vegetarian option

→ Vegetables and Tofu

03 - 3.5 oz silken or firm tofu, cubed
04 - 2 scallions, thinly sliced

→ Seasoning

05 - 2 tbsp white miso paste
06 - 1 tsp soy sauce, gluten-free if needed
07 - 1 tsp sesame oil, optional

# Steps:

01 - Place the dried wakame in a small bowl and cover with cold water. Let soak for 5 minutes until fully rehydrated and expanded. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
02 - Pour the dashi stock into a medium saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Avoid boiling to preserve the delicate flavor.
03 - Carefully add the cubed tofu and rehydrated wakame to the simmering broth. Let cook for 2-3 minutes to heat the tofu through and infuse flavors.
04 - Ladle a small amount of hot broth into a separate bowl containing the miso paste. Whisk until completely smooth and dissolved, then return the mixture to the soup pot.
05 - Stir in the soy sauce and sesame oil if using. Heat for an additional minute without allowing the soup to boil, which can destroy beneficial enzymes in the miso.
06 - Ladle the hot soup into bowls and distribute the sliced scallions evenly across the top as a fresh garnish. Serve immediately while steaming hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The broth comes together in minutes but tastes like it simmered for hours
  • You can customize the vegetables based on whatever is languishing in your crisper drawer
  • Its the kind of soup that somehow makes everything feel better
02 -
  • Never boil miso paste directly in the soup. The high heat kills its beneficial bacteria and can make it taste grainy and bitter instead of smooth and sweet.
  • Wakame keeps expanding even after you have removed it from water, so do not be alarmed if it looks like a lot in the bowl. It settles into the broth beautifully.
03 -
  • Use a ladle to remove a small amount of hot broth before dissolving the miso—this step is what separates restaurant-quality soup from amateur attempts.
  • Taste your miso paste before adding it. Some brands are saltier than others, and you can always add more but you cannot take it back.
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