Miso Soup with Napa Cabbage and Onion
みそ汁（白菜・玉ねぎ） · Miso Shiru (Hakusai, Tamanegi)
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Miso soup is on the table almost every day in Japan, and this simple version with napa cabbage and onion is one of the everyday staples of the preschool kitchen. Simmering the onion first draws out its natural sweetness, so the soup needs only a light hand with the miso to taste good to children. The cabbage is cut into small squares that fit easily on a toddler's spoon and cook until tender, making this a soup even the youngest eaters can manage on their own.
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 gnapa cabbage
- 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
Cut the napa cabbage into 1 cm squares. Halve the onion lengthwise, then slice it thinly into half-length pieces.
- 2
Put the dashi stock and onion in a pot and bring to a boil, then add the napa cabbage and simmer.
- 3
Once the vegetables are soft, dissolve the miso into the soup.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 18 kcal | 36 kcal | 18 kcal |
| Protein | 1.4 g | 2.7 g | 1.4 g |
| Fat | 0.3 g | 0.6 g | 0.3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 3.5 g | 6.9 g | 3.5 g |
| Fiber | 0.8 g | 1.5 g | 0.8 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.8 g | 1.5 g | 0.8 g |
| Calcium | 21 mg | 42 mg | 21 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 | 18 kcal | 1.4 g | 0.3 g | 3.5 g | 0.8 g | 0.8 g | 21 mg | 0.2 mg | 183 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 36 kcal | 2.7 g | 0.6 g | 6.9 g | 1.5 g | 1.5 g | 42 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.
