Miso Soup with Potato and Wakame
みそ汁（じゃがいも・わかめ） · Misoshiru (Jagaimo, Wakame)
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Miso soup is a fixture of Japanese school lunches, and the combination of potato and wakame is one of the classics. The potato simmers until soft and slightly sweet, and the wakame adds a gentle ocean flavor that even young children take to. Because the potato is cut into thick pieces and simmered slowly in dashi, it holds its shape but is tender enough to break apart on a spoon. Dried cut wakame is a pantry staple in Japan and is easy to find at Asian grocers or online; a small pinch swells up into plenty of seaweed.
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
- 45 gpotato
- 0.5 gdried cut wakameSmall pieces of dried wakame seaweed that rehydrate in a few minutes and are used in soups and salads. Substitute: Any dried seaweed for soup, or omit.
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
- dried cut wakame (カットわかめ)
- Small pieces of dried wakame seaweed that rehydrate in a few minutes and are used in soups and salads. Substitute: Any dried seaweed for soup, or omit.
- 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 thick quarter-rounds about 2 cm wide. Soak the wakame in water to rehydrate it, then chop it finely.
- 2
Bring the dashi stock to a boil in a pot, add the potato and wakame from step 1, and simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes.
- 3
Once the potato is soft, dissolve the miso into the soup.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 39 kcal | 78 kcal | 39 kcal |
| Protein | 2 g | 3.9 g | 2 g |
| Fat | 0.3 g | 0.6 g | 0.3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 9.5 g | 18.9 g | 9.5 g |
| Fiber | 4.4 g | 8.7 g | 4.4 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.9 g | 1.8 g | 0.9 g |
| Calcium | 15 mg | 30 mg | 15 mg |
| Iron | 0.3 mg | 0.6 mg | 0.3 mg |
| Potassium | 297 mg | 594 mg | 297 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 39 kcal | 2 g | 0.3 g | 9.5 g | 4.4 g | 0.9 g | 15 mg | 0.3 mg | 297 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 78 kcal | 3.9 g | 0.6 g | 18.9 g | 8.7 g | 1.8 g | 30 mg | 0.6 mg | 594 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.
