Miso Soup with Eggplant and Onion
みそ汁（なす・玉ねぎ） · Nasu to Tamanegi no Misoshiru
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Miso soup is on the table almost every day in Japanese school lunches, and the vegetables in it change with the seasons. This version pairs summer eggplant with sweet, soft onion in a light dashi broth. Peeling the eggplant in stripes keeps some of the color while making the skin easier for small children to chew, and cutting it into thin quarter-rounds means each piece fits neatly on a spoon.
Wheat-free, but uses miso (made with wheat). Japanese school-lunch allergy menus usually allow it, so check with your doctor. How to read the labels
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Ingredients
Amounts for 1 child (1 serving). An adult counts as 2 servings.
One serving here is 1.5× the portion served to a child in a Japanese preschool, sized for Western appetites. An adult counts as two servings. Tap an ingredient to check it off.
Ingredients
- 22.5 geggplant
- 15 gonion
Seasonings
- 150 gdashi stockJapanese soup stock, usually made from kombu (dried kelp) and/or bonito flakes; the base of most Japanese soups and simmered dishes. Substitute: Instant dashi granules dissolved in water, or a mild unsalted chicken or vegetable stock.
- 4.5 gmisoFermented soybean paste. Salty and savory, it is Japan's everyday seasoning for miso soup and many simmered dishes. Substitute: Any light (white or awase) miso. Misos differ in saltiness, so start with a little less and taste. Some misos are made with barley or wheat, so check the label if you avoid them.
About the Japanese ingredients in this recipe
- dashi stock (だし汁)
- Japanese soup stock, usually made from kombu (dried kelp) and/or bonito flakes; the base of most Japanese soups and simmered dishes. Substitute: Instant dashi granules dissolved in water, or a mild unsalted chicken or vegetable stock.
- miso (みそ)
- Fermented soybean paste. Salty and savory, it is Japan's everyday seasoning for miso soup and many simmered dishes. Substitute: Any light (white or awase) miso. Misos differ in saltiness, so start with a little less and taste. Some misos are made with barley or wheat, so check the label if you avoid them.
Directions
- 1
Peel the eggplant in alternating stripes and cut it into thin quarter-rounds. Cut the onion into thin slices, then halve the slices lengthwise.
- 2
Put the dashi stock and onion in a pot and bring to a boil, then add the eggplant and simmer.
- 3
Once the vegetables are tender, dissolve the miso into the soup.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 19.5 kcal | 39 kcal | 19.5 kcal |
| Protein | 1.5 g | 3 g | 1.5 g |
| Fat | 0.3 g | 0.6 g | 0.3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 3.9 g | 7.8 g | 3.9 g |
| Fiber | 0.9 g | 1.8 g | 0.9 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.8 g | 1.5 g | 0.8 g |
| Calcium | 16.5 mg | 33 mg | 16.5 mg |
| Iron | 0.2 mg | 0.3 mg | 0.2 mg |
| Potassium | 183 mg | 366 mg | 183 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 19.5 kcal | 1.5 g | 0.3 g | 3.9 g | 0.9 g | 0.8 g | 16.5 mg | 0.2 mg | 183 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 39 kcal | 3 g | 0.6 g | 7.8 g | 1.8 g | 1.5 g | 33 mg | 0.3 mg | 366 mg |
Values are per serving (1.5× the Japanese preschool portion); an adult serving is double. They were calculated by a licensed Japanese nutritionist using the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan. "Salt equivalent" is sodium × 2.54, the standard Japanese measure. Allergen flags cover egg, milk and wheat only and come from the nutritionist's records. Soy sauce and miso are made with wheat but are usually allowed on Japanese wheat-free school menus, so check with your doctor.
