Vegan Miso Soup
A nourishing Vegan Miso Soup packed with umami from kombu and shiitake mushrooms—no fish-based dashi needed! Light, flavorful, and perfect for a body reset.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 burdock (gobo) (about 6 oz)
- ½ lb Japanese sweet potato
- 1 tablespoon roasted sesame oil
- 3 Tbsp miso
- green onion / chopped for garnishment
Soup Base
- 4-5 pieces dried shiitake mushrooms
- 2 pieces kombu (dried kelp) / about 4 x 2 inches)
- 4 cups water
Instructions
- Make the Soup Base:In a small bowl, soak dried shiitake mushrooms and kombu in 4 cups of water. Set aside for 4–6 hours, or preferably overnight, to extract the deep umami flavor.
- Prepare the Vegetables:Peel the Japanese sweet potato and slice it into ¼-inch (about 5 mm) thick half-moon pieces.Remove the soaked shiitake from the water and gently squeeze out the excess liquid. Trim off the stems and thinly slice the caps (about 5 mm thick).Slice the burdock root diagonally into thin pieces, or use the sasagaki style (shaving it into thin curls).
- Stir-Fry the Vegetables:In a medium pot, heat 1 tablespoon roasted sesame oil over medium heat. Add the burdock, sweet potato, and shiitake, then stir-fry until the burdock becomes aromatic.
- Simmer the Soup:Pour the shiitake and kombu soaking liquid into the pot.Just before it comes to a full boil, remove the kombu.Skim off any foam that rises to the surface, lower the heat, and simmer until the sweet potato and burdock become tender (about 7–8 minutes).
- Add the Miso:Turn off the heat. In a ladle, dissolve 3 tablespoon miso with a small amount of soup, then stir it back into the pot.Gently mix — do not boil after adding miso to keep its mellow, delicate flavor.
- Serve:Ladle the soup into bowls and serve warm. Optionally, sprinkle chopped green onion or a touch of sesame oil on top before serving for extra aroma.