Miso Soup with Potato and Aburaage
みそ汁（じゃがいも・油揚げ） · Misoshiru (Jagaimo, Aburaage)
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Miso soup is on the table at almost every Japanese preschool lunch, and this potato version is one of the most comforting. Potatoes and onion simmered slowly in dashi turn soft and naturally sweet, so the soup needs only a little miso to taste good - just right for small children. Strips of aburaage (fried tofu pouch) soak up the broth and add a mild, savory richness that kids love. Rinsing the aburaage with boiling water first washes off excess oil so the soup stays light and clean-tasting.
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
- 30 gpotato
- 15 gonion
- 3 gaburaage (fried tofu pouch)Thin slices of tofu deep-fried until puffy and golden, sold in packs in the refrigerated section of Japanese and Asian markets. Substitute: Firm tofu, thinly sliced and pan-fried until golden.
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
- aburaage (fried tofu pouch) (油揚げ)
- Thin slices of tofu deep-fried until puffy and golden, sold in packs in the refrigerated section of Japanese and Asian markets. Substitute: Firm tofu, thinly sliced and pan-fried until golden.
- 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 potato into 1 cm thick quarter-rounds (icho-giri). Cut the onion in half lengthwise, then cut each half crosswise into thin slices of half the usual length.
- 2
Pour boiling water over the aburaage to remove excess oil, then cut it lengthwise into 4 strips and slice each strip into thin pieces.
- 3
Put the dashi stock, potato and onion in a pot and simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes. Add the aburaage and simmer for about 5 minutes more.
- 4
Once the vegetables are tender, dissolve the miso into the soup.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 45 kcal | 90 kcal | 45 kcal |
| Protein | 2.6 g | 5.1 g | 2.6 g |
| Fat | 1.4 g | 2.7 g | 1.4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 8 g | 15.9 g | 8 g |
| Fiber | 3.2 g | 6.3 g | 3.2 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.8 g | 1.5 g | 0.8 g |
| Calcium | 22.5 mg | 45 mg | 22.5 mg |
| Iron | 0.5 mg | 0.9 mg | 0.5 mg |
| Potassium | 259.5 mg | 519 mg | 259.5 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 45 kcal | 2.6 g | 1.4 g | 8 g | 3.2 g | 0.8 g | 22.5 mg | 0.5 mg | 259.5 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 90 kcal | 5.1 g | 2.7 g | 15.9 g | 6.3 g | 1.5 g | 45 mg | 0.9 mg | 519 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.
