Miso Soup with Sweet Potato and Onion
みそ汁（さつまいも・玉ねぎ） · Miso Shiru (Satsumaimo, Tamanegi)
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Miso soup is on the table almost every day in Japanese homes and school lunchrooms, and the vegetables change with the season. This version pairs Japanese sweet potato (satsumaimo) with onion, two ingredients that turn naturally sweet as they simmer, so the soup tastes mild and comforting without much salt. The sweet potato is cut into thick pieces and cooked slowly over low heat until it is soft enough for even small children to eat easily, and the mellow sweetness makes this a soup that kids happily finish.
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 gJapanese sweet potato (satsumaimo)A purple-skinned, pale-yellow-fleshed sweet potato that is sweeter, drier, and fluffier than orange varieties. Substitute: Any sweet potato.
- 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
- Japanese sweet potato (satsumaimo) (さつまいも)
- A purple-skinned, pale-yellow-fleshed sweet potato that is sweeter, drier, and fluffier than orange varieties. Substitute: Any sweet potato.
- 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
Peel the sweet potato and cut it into thick quarter-rounds about 2 cm wide. Halve the onion lengthwise and cut it into thin slices, then cut the slices in half.
- 2
Put the dashi stock and onion in a pot and bring to a boil. Add the sweet potato and simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes.
- 3
Once the sweet potato is soft, dissolve the miso into the soup.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 52.5 kcal | 105 kcal | 52.5 kcal |
| Protein | 1.5 g | 3 g | 1.5 g |
| Fat | 0.5 g | 0.9 g | 0.5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 12.6 g | 25.2 g | 12.6 g |
| Fiber | 1.4 g | 2.7 g | 1.4 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.8 g | 1.5 g | 0.8 g |
| Calcium | 24 mg | 48 mg | 24 mg |
| Iron | 0.3 mg | 0.6 mg | 0.3 mg |
| Potassium | 247.5 mg | 495 mg | 247.5 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 52.5 kcal | 1.5 g | 0.5 g | 12.6 g | 1.4 g | 0.8 g | 24 mg | 0.3 mg | 247.5 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 105 kcal | 3 g | 0.9 g | 25.2 g | 2.7 g | 1.5 g | 48 mg | 0.6 mg | 495 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.
