Vegan Miso Soup: Healthy Japanese Winter Recipe

This delightful Japanese winter soup is given a vegetarian makeover in this vegan nabe or miso hot pot. It is flavored to the brim and creates the ideal soup foundation for vegan chanko nabe.

Additionally, hot pot is a shared meal. Around a boiling pot of soup, friends and family would assemble while adding pieces of meat, fish, or vegetables to cook. Imagine it as a fondue party.

Unfortunately, because the stock is frequently made with fish or pork, most hot pot dishes are not vegan. But I soon learned how to prepare a vegan variant at home using just a few basic components.

I'll give you the simple recipe so you can cook it yourself, but first let's explore what makes this meal so fantastic.

Vegan Miso Soup Recipe (Serves: 4)

Ingredients

• 2 tsp dark or toasted sesame oil, available in gourmet grocery shops or for purchase online

• 1 tsp chopped garlic

• 1 tsp chopped ginger

• 8 pieces oyster mushrooms

• 8 pieces button mushrooms, sliced

• 1 tsp rice wine vinegar, easily available in gourmet grocery shops or for purchase online

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 2 tbsp miso paste, easily available in gourmet grocery shops or for purchase online

• 200 gm bokchoy

• 100 gm tofu, cut into thin long slices, easily available in gourmet grocery shops or for purchase online

• ¼ cup chopped spring onion greens

• 1 tbsp toasted til or sesame seeds

• 2 fresh red chilies, sliced on a bias (optional or per taste)

• Salt to taste (the soy sauce will add salt too)

For the stock

• 10 dry shitake mushrooms, available in gourmet grocery shops or for purchase online

• 1-inch piece of ginger, crushed

• ½ cup spring onion greens

• 5 garlic pods, crushed

• 1 tsp sugar

• 1 tsp soy sauce

• 6 cups water

Method for the Preparation of Miso Soup:

• Combine all the stock ingredients in a pot.

• Over medium heat, add 6 cups of water and bring to a boil.

• For around 30 minutes, turn the heat down to low and slowly simmer the mixture.

• Shitake mushrooms should be strained, then the heat should be turned off.

• The remaining vegetables—the ginger, spring onion leaves, and garlic—should be thrown away.

• This stock can be made a few days in advance and frozen or stored in the refrigerator.

• Slice the shitake mushrooms you have saved and set them aside.

• Bok choy's tough stem should be cut, and the leaves should be kept apart.

• In a pot or wok with a thick bottom, heat the oil.

• Add the minced ginger and garlic and cook for a little while.

• Stir-fry the button and oyster mushrooms for two to three minutes after adding them.

• Fry for a further minute or two before adding the bok choy's crispy stem and sliced shitake mushrooms.

• Miso paste and 4 tbsp of the prepared stock should be combined thoroughly in a bowl before being added to the fried veggies.

• The remaining stock should be added, and the soup should be brought to a boil before serving.

• Miso paste, rice wine vinegar, and soy sauce should all be added.

• Only use salt as necessary.

• When the soup begins to boil, add the tender bok choy leaves and continue to simmer for an additional one to two minutes.

• After adding the tofu, simmer for an additional two minutes.

• Remove from heat, ladle into individual bowls, and top with chopped spring onion leaves, toasted sesame seeds, and red chilies, depending on your tolerance for heat.

• Serve Hot.

Note: Please exclude the garlic and ginger if you want to make this soup in the Jain style.