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Home » Soups

Zucchini Miso Soup

Published: Sep 24, 2025 by Grace · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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Zucchini might not be a traditional ingredient for miso soup in Japan, but it turns out to be a surprisingly perfect match! Using ingredients you probably already have at home—like zucchini and onion—this soup is simple, nutritious, and flavorful. It’s a quick and easy side dish that pairs well with any meal.

Zucchini miso soup served in a traditional owan bowl

Ingredients

  • Water – 4 cups
  • Dashi pack (Japanese soup stock pouch) – 2 bags
  • Miso – 3 Tbsp
  • Zucchini – 1 medium (about 7–8 oz)
  • Onion – ½ medium (about 3 oz)
  • Green onion – for garnish (optional)

(or replace water and dashi packs with about 3 cups of prepared dashi liquid!)

Ingredients for zucchini miso soup: miso paste, zucchini, onion, and dashi packs

Instructions

1. Bring water to a boil in a medium pot. Add dashi packs and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, then remove the packs. (You can skip this step if you use prepared dashi liquid.)

Dashi packs simmering in a pot of water
Golden-colored dashi broth boiling in a pot

2. Cut zucchini into 1-inch pieces, then slice each piece lengthwise into 6 wedges.

Cutting zucchini into wedges on a cutting board
Fresh zucchini wedges prepared for miso soup

3. Slice onion into thin strips. (3-5mm thick)

Cutting onion in half on a cutting board
Slicing onion thinly with a kitchen knife

4. Add zucchini and onion to the simmering broth. Bring to a boil again, then cook for 1–2 minutes over medium heat until the vegetables are tender. Skim off any foam for a smoother taste (optional), then remove from heat.

Adding zucchini and onion into boiling dashi stock
Skimming off foam from simmering vegetables in broth

5. Place miso in a ladle and dissolve it with chopsticks or a small whisk. Gradually mix into the soup, making sure not to boil after adding miso.

Miso paste in a ladle being dissolved into dashi stock with chopsticks
Miso paste fully dissolved into the soup

6. Garnish with chopped green onions if desired and serve immediately.

Finished zucchini miso soup served in an owan bowl with chopped green onion garnish

Recipe Tips

  • Add miso off the heat: Always dissolve miso after turning off the heat or when the soup is no longer boiling. Boiling miso can destroy its delicate flavor and beneficial nutrients.
  • Adjust miso to taste: Miso can vary a lot in flavor depending on the type. White miso (shiro miso) is mild and slightly sweet, red miso (aka miso) is stronger and saltier, and blended miso (awase miso) is somewhere in between. Start by adding a smaller amount of miso, taste the soup, and then add a little more if you like a stronger flavor. Remember, you can always add more miso, but you can’t take it out once it’s dissolved!

Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

Zucchini Miso Soup
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Zucchini Miso Soup

A light and comforting miso soup featuring tender zucchini and onion in a delicate dashi broth. Quick to prepare and perfect for everyday meals.
Cook Time 10 minutes minutes
Servings 4
Author Grace

Ingredients

  • 4 cups Water
  • 2 bags Dashi pack (Japanese soup stock pouch)
  • 3 tablespoon Miso
  • 1 Zucchini / medium size
  • ½ Onion / medium size
  • Chopped green onion / for garnishment

Instructions

  • Bring water to a boil in a medium pot. Add dashi packs and simmer for a few minutes, then remove the packs. (You can skip this step if you use prepared dashi liquid.)
  • Cut zucchini into 1-inch pieces, then slice each piece lengthwise into 6 wedges.
  • Slice onion into thin strips. (3-5mm thick)
  • Add zucchini and onion to the simmering broth. Bring to a boil again, then cook for 1–2 minutes over medium heat until the vegetables are tender. Skim off any foam for a smoother taste (optional), then remove from heat.
  • Place miso in a ladle and dissolve it with chopsticks or a small whisk. Gradually mix into the soup, making sure not to boil after adding miso.
  • Garnish with chopped green onions if desired and serve immediately.

Related

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  • Japanese Potato Croquettes (Korokke)
    Japanese Potato Croquettes (Korokke)

  • Japanese egg drop soup
    Japanese Egg Drop Soup (Kakitama-Jiru)
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    Kabocha Squash Soup
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    Vegan Miso Soup

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Hello!

I’m Grace! I share simple, beginner-friendly Japanese home cooking recipes—easy, family-friendly dishes designed to bring the harmony of umami flavors into your kitchen.

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