Mushroom Miso Soup

Why we love this recipe

• Delicious: The earthy aroma of mushrooms along with the deep, savory notes of miso creates a delicious combo that is sure to please your taste buds.
• Easy: In just a few simple steps and a few simple ingredients, you can enjoy a bowl of this warm and flavorful soup. Making it an ideal choice for a cozy night in or a light yet filling lunch. (Make a meal of miso soup and pair it with sushi bowls, salmon sushi bake, teriyaki chicken or teriyaki salmon stir fry).
• Nourishing: Miso is rich in nutrients and a complete source of protein and probiotics. And mushrooms are no slouch, either. They are rich in B vitamins and a good source of minerals and antioxidants.

Ingredients you'll need

For ingredient quantities and detailed instructions, scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

• Miso Paste: Miso is a fermented soybean paste which is a staple in Japanese cooking. Although there are many different types of miso, in the west, the paste is usually defined by color, either red miso paste, yellow miso paste, or white miso paste. Red miso has a stronger flavor, which I like in this mushroom miso soup recipe. However, you can use any variety of miso paste. You can find miso paste online, at your grocery store in the Asian section, or if you are lucky enough to have an Asian market nearby. 
• Dried Shiitake Mushrooms: The best thing about dried mushrooms is the rich broth that results when soaking them to re-hydrate. It has a delicious, intense mushroom flavor that's perfect for this miso soup recipe.
• Baby Bella Mushrooms: I love the combination of different types of fresh mushrooms with the dried mushrooms. It definitely adds a lot more flavor to this tasty soup. Baby Bella are simply large cremini mushrooms, so use those if you can't find them. Feel free to use different kinds of mushrooms, too.
• Soy sauce: I am using gluten-free soy sauce. You can use regular soy sauce if gluten isn't a concern.
• Sesame oil: Look for toasted sesame oil.
• Ginger: Fresh ginger adds a warm and spicy kick to this Japanese miso soup.
• Spinach: I like to have frozen, chopped spinach on hand for convenience, but feel free to use fresh spinach, or another type of leafy green (see "Variations" further below in this post)

How to make miso soup with mushrooms

1. Rinse the dried shiitake mushrooms, then put them in a small bowl with a cup of hot water. Allow them to soak for 20 minutes.
2. In a large pot, combine the re-hydrated mushrooms along with their mushroom broth soaking liquid, sliced Portobello mushrooms, soy sauce, ginger, and sesame oil.
3. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer 15-20 minutes, or until mushrooms are tender.
4. In a small bowl, combine the miso paste with a scoop of the soup broth and mix until smooth.
5. Stir the miso paste into the soup. Allow the soup to come to a simmer, but don't boil.
6. Remove from heat and stir in the spinach.
7. Ladle into bowls and garnish with sesame seeds and sriracha, or sliced scallions.

Variations

Although I love the simplicity of this miso soup recipe, it's also a great base for add-ins. Here are some of my favorites:

• Mushrooms: Try different varieties of fresh mushrooms. Button mushrooms (white mushrooms) work, and I also love to use king oyster mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, porcini mushrooms, or shimeji mushrooms. All of these kinds of mushrooms can be found dried or fresh in grocery store or on-line. Cooking time will vary, depending on the kind of mushroom.
• Greens: You can use fresh or frozen spinach, baby bok choy, kale, or chard.
• Base: Instead of water, try vegetable broth or mushroom stock. Traditional miso soup is often made with dashi broth, which is made with dried bonito flakes and kombu (kelp seaweed) Be aware that bonito is made with dried fish (not vegan, but you can look for vegan dashi).
• Vegetables: Try slivers of daikon radish or carrots, like I used in this vegetable miso soup recipe. Snow peas or edamame are also great vegetable choices. You can add the white parts of green onions to the soup, and use the green parts for garnish.
• Noodles: If you want to add some carbs, try adding ramen (I use gluten-free rice ramen), or vermicelli rice noodles.
• Protein: Add shrimp, beef, or silken tofu for even more protein.

Frequently Asked Questions

More soup for you

Try some more delicious and comforting soups to keep you warm and cozy.

• Lentil and Turkey Soup Recipe
• Chicken Minestrone Soup
• Sweet Potato Black Bean Soup
• Moroccan Sweet Potato Soup with Chickpeas
• Thai Red Curry Chicken Soup
• Beet Soup Recipe - Ukrainian Borscht
• Carrot and Lentil Soup Recipe