This vegan miso soup is a twist on a beloved Japanese recipe. An easy, 30-minute soup that recreates the amazing umami broth that everyone knows and loves. Serve this delicious soup as a starter or side with any meal! 

What is Miso Soup

Traditional miso soup is popular in Japanese cuisine and is generally very easy to make. It’s often served at Japanese restaurants and sushi restaurants, but they often come from a packet mix very similar to instant noodle soups, and most of the time, it’s made with a fish-based broth, which isn’t vegan.

To make miso soup vegan, the broth is the main thing that needs to be replaced. In order to achieve the same umami flavor using plants, I use a base of leeks, dried shiitake mushrooms, carrots, onions for sweetness, and scallions to add a nice aroma. 

You can customize a soup by adding many different ingredients, including dried seaweed varieties like hijiki and wakame seaweed, and different kinds of tofu, including fried tofu puffs and ofu (Japanese ingredient). You can also add tempura pieces, mushrooms, cabbage, and more. 

What Makes This Recipe Great

Most miso soups are made with white miso, but there are a few different types of miso, primarily red and white miso. I like to use a combination of both because miso paste varies in flavour profile. The red miso is bolder, umami, and deeper in flavor. The white miso paste is a little bit sweeter, mellow, and mild. 

Together, I feel like it provides the perfect balance of richness and sweetness. Garnish this vegan miso soup recipe with scallions and Ichimi togarashi, which is red Japanese chili powder. You can customize it as you see fit. 

I recommend serving the soup with fresh, short-grain white rice. This recipe takes under 30 minutes and is a delicious starter or side to any meal!

Ingredient Notes

All these ingredients can be found at most conventional grocery stores nowadays, but if you have any trouble finding them, always check your local Asian market or Asian grocery store first.

• Filtered Water
• Shiitake Mushrooms & Kombu: These two ingredients give the broth its deep umami flavor.
• Veggies: Leek, carrot, scallions, & yellow onion.
• Dried Wakame: I’ve included instructions below to rehydrate the wakame for this vegan miso soup. 
• Red Miso Paste & White Miso Paste: Be sure not to use dashi miso or any miso that has added ingredients like bonito flakes (which is fish based).
• Silken Tofu: While you can use any variety of tofu you like, my favorite is silken, tofu, or firm silken tofu because it has the best texture to enjoy with your soup. 
• Garnish: Scallions (green onions), ichimi togarashi, and cooked mushrooms. 

Step-by-Step instructions

Prepare Vegan Broth

1. Start by adding water to the pot you’ll be cooking in, and add the dried mushrooms and kombu. Let soak for about 15-30 minutes (the longer you soak, the more flavour will release).
2. Bring the pot to a boil, then lower it to a simmer. Let simmer for 10 minutes. 
3. Add leek, carrots, onion, and scallion stems, and cook for another 10 minutes. 
4. Add tofu to the pot and then remove the pot from the heat.

Re-Hydrate Wakame

1. In a small bowl, add dried wakame and hot water to cover. Let soak until the wakame is soft to the touch, then drain and set aside.

Add Miso Paste

1. Add white and red miso and a little bit of water in a small jar or bowl. You want to add just enough water to turn it into a thin paste. Use a whisk or chopsticks to break down the paste, so it’s pourable. This helps to eliminate clumps later on. 
2. Add the wakame and the whisked miso liquid to the pot and gently stir to combine. Adjust to taste, making sure you’ve used enough miso. 
3. Garnish with green scallion tops and ichimi togarashi if desired.

Expert Tips

• With the broth, the trick is that the longer time you have to soak your kelp and mushrooms, and the longer time you’ll have to simmer the veggies, the more flavorful your broth will be, but you can also add in vegetable broth or a veggie bullion paste to help give the best soup and extra oomph. 
• When adding the miso paste to the soup, it’s really important to add the miso paste off the heat to preserve its flavor. Miso is delicate in flavour and rich in probiotics, which cannot survive in super high heat, so it’s important to add it as the last step. 
• Growing up, my mom would put the miso paste in a little, then use a chopstick to add a little bit of the soup water into the ladle, and then slowly dissolve the paste.

Serving Tips

• I recommend serving this vegan miso soup with fresh, short-grain white rice as a delicious starter or side to any meal.

Storage Tips

• Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat over the stovetop and serve with garnish. 

Recipe FAQs

More Vegan Soup Recipes

Vegan French Lentil Soup

Soba Noodle Soup

Creamy Vegan Sweet Potato Soup

Korean Kale and White Bean Soup

Korean Radish Soup (Mu Guk)

Simple Vegan Udon Soup

If you make this recipe, be sure to let me know what you think with a comment below! Follow me on Instagram for more delicious recipes!