Miso Soup with Spinach and Nameko Mushrooms
みそ汁（ほうれん草・なめこ） · Misoshiru (Horenso, Nameko)
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Miso soup is on the table almost every day in Japanese school and preschool kitchens, and this version pairs tender spinach with nameko, small amber mushrooms with a naturally slippery coating. That silky texture makes the soup easy for little ones to slurp, and the mild dashi and miso keep the seasoning gentle. If you can't find nameko (look for them in small packets at Japanese or Asian grocers), other small mushrooms such as shimeji work in their place.
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 gspinach
- 15 gnameko mushroomsSmall, amber-colored Japanese mushrooms with a naturally slippery coating, often used in miso soup. Substitute: Shimeji, enoki, or thinly sliced button mushrooms.
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
- nameko mushrooms (なめこ)
- Small, amber-colored Japanese mushrooms with a naturally slippery coating, often used in miso soup. Substitute: Shimeji, enoki, or thinly sliced button mushrooms.
- 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 spinach into 2 cm pieces and boil it.
- 2
Rinse the nameko mushrooms quickly, and roughly chop any with large caps.
- 3
Bring the dashi stock to a boil in a pot, add the mushrooms from step 2 and simmer.
- 4
Stir in the miso until dissolved, then add the spinach from step 1 just before serving.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 16.5 kcal | 33 kcal | 16.5 kcal |
| Protein | 1.7 g | 3.3 g | 1.7 g |
| Fat | 0.5 g | 0.9 g | 0.5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 2.8 g | 5.7 g | 2.8 g |
| Fiber | 1 g | 2.1 g | 1 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.8 g | 1.5 g | 0.8 g |
| Calcium | 19.5 mg | 39 mg | 19.5 mg |
| Iron | 0.8 mg | 1.5 mg | 0.8 mg |
| Potassium | 286.5 mg | 573 mg | 286.5 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 16.5 kcal | 1.7 g | 0.5 g | 2.8 g | 1 g | 0.8 g | 19.5 mg | 0.8 mg | 286.5 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 33 kcal | 3.3 g | 0.9 g | 5.7 g | 2.1 g | 1.5 g | 39 mg | 1.5 mg | 573 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.
