I love miso soup – I always order it whenever I’m at a Japanese restaurant and it’s actually very easy to make at home. This version stirs egg into the soup for extra protein and nutrients. It’s the perfect cozy, comforting soup for when your digestive or immune system needs a boost. I love having it for breakfast when the mornings get more chilly. Bulk it up by adding shredded chicken or tofu and/or rice or noodles!
Ingredient highlight
Miso paste! Miso means “fermented beans” in Japanese and is typically made using fermented soy beans and/or grains. It packs in lots of umami-rich flavor, making it great for dressings, sauces, soups, and marinades. It’s also rich in probiotics, B vitamins, vitamin E, vitamin K, and folate.
You can find mellow white miso paste at most grocery stores in the refrigerated section near other fermented foods (kimchi, sauerkraut, etc…).
Servings 2 – 4
Prep Time 15 minutes 
Cook Time 10 minutes Ingredients
- 2 tsp olive oil
- ½ cup chopped scallions (from about ½ bunch)
- 1 ½ cups sliced mushrooms (about 4 oz)
- 2-3 carrots, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 4 cups water
- 2 cups chopped greens or bok choy*
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp wakame or 2 nori sheets, cut into squares (optional)**
- 3 tbsp mellow white miso paste
Optional add-ins:
- Tofu! Cut tofu into small cubes (about ½-1 cup) and add them in with the water.
- Ginger! Stir grated ginger in with the water.
- Cooked noodles! Cook some soba or rice noodles or plain rice separately and add it to your bowl.
- *If adding a delicate green like bok choy or spinach, add it in during the last minute of cooking or at the very end. Hearty greens like kale can be added with the water.
- **If using wakame, soak it in water for 5-10 minutes, then drain and stir into the soup at the end. If using nori, just add it to the soup at the end.
- Note: ~ adding tofu and/or noodles should make this soup serve 4 people.
Instructions
- In a medium pot over medium heat, add the oil, scallions, mushrooms, carrot, and salt. Cook for about 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until softened.
- Stir in the water and greens (see note). Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Soak the wakame in cold water, if using (see note).
- In a small-medium bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth.
- For a classic egg drop (large curds): skip the tempering step described below and slowly pour the eggs into the soup while slowly stirring the soup.
- For a creamier egg drop (smaller curds): to temper the eggs, slowly pour in about ½ cup of the broth into the eggs while whisking constantly. Then slowly pour the eggs into the soup while stirring constantly. The soup should turn a little creamy with smaller egg strands.
- Stir the seaweed into the soup (if using), then turn off the heat.
- Transfer about ½ cup of water to the same small bowl as the eggs along with the miso. Mash/mix in the miso paste until it’s dissolved. Stir into the pot.
- Serve right away topped with more scallions if you’d like.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Chop ½ cup scallions
- Slice 1 ½ cups mushrooms (about 4 oz)
- Thinly slice 2-3 carrots (about 1 cup)
- Chop 2 cups greens or use spinach or bok choy
- If making the soup ahead, skip adding the miso part. Make the soup, then when you are ready to eat it, reheat it gently on the stove and then follow the steps for adding miso.
Substitutions:
- To make vegan, skip the egg. Instead, you can make it creamy by adding tahini (whisk about ¼ cup tahini with ½ cup of the broth, then stir it in).
- If you don’t like mushrooms, you could substitute with more carrots or celery or bell peppers.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Gently warm the miso soup up in the microwave or on the stove over low heat until just warm. Top with scallions and a squeeze of lemon if you want to brighten it up.
- Put a fried or soft-boiled egg on top and mix it in – the broth will become more velvety.
- Add cooked noodles or rice.
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