Miso Soup with Komatsuna and Onion
みそ汁（小松菜・玉ねぎ） · Misoshiru (Komatsuna, Tamanegi)
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Miso soup is on the table at almost every Japanese school lunch, and this version pairs sweet, soft-simmered onion with komatsuna, a mild Japanese mustard green (spinach or baby bok choy works if you can't find it). The onion melts into the dashi and takes the edge off the miso, so even children who are wary of greens tend to drink it right up. We boil the komatsuna separately and add it just before serving, which keeps its color bright and its texture soft rather than stringy.
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 gkomatsunaA mild Japanese leafy green (Japanese mustard spinach) with tender stems. Substitute: Spinach or bok choy.
- 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
- komatsuna (こまつな)
- A mild Japanese leafy green (Japanese mustard spinach) with tender stems. Substitute: Spinach or bok choy.
- 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
Cut the komatsuna into 2 cm lengths and boil until tender.
- 2
Cut the onion in half lengthwise, then into thin slices.
- 3
Put the dashi stock and the onion from step 2 in a pot and simmer.
- 4
When the onion is soft, dissolve in the miso. Add the komatsuna from step 1 just before serving.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 18 kcal | 36 kcal | 18 kcal |
| Protein | 1.5 g | 3 g | 1.5 g |
| Fat | 0.3 g | 0.6 g | 0.3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 3.3 g | 6.6 g | 3.3 g |
| Fiber | 0.9 g | 1.8 g | 0.9 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.8 g | 1.5 g | 0.8 g |
| Calcium | 51 mg | 102 mg | 51 mg |
| Iron | 0.8 mg | 1.5 mg | 0.8 mg |
| Potassium | 246 mg | 492 mg | 246 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 18 kcal | 1.5 g | 0.3 g | 3.3 g | 0.9 g | 0.8 g | 51 mg | 0.8 mg | 246 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 36 kcal | 3 g | 0.6 g | 6.6 g | 1.8 g | 1.5 g | 102 mg | 1.5 mg | 492 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.
Ingredients in this recipe
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