Miso Soup with Taro and Green Onion
みそ汁（里芋・ねぎ） · Satoimo to Negi no Misoshiru
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Miso soup is on the table at almost every Japanese school lunch, and this version stars satoimo, the small, sticky Japanese taro that turns silky and tender when simmered. Its gentle sweetness and soft texture make it easy for young children to eat, and the green onion adds a light, mellow flavor. If you can't find satoimo, a small taro from an Asian market works the same way. It takes just three steps: simmer the vegetables in dashi until soft, then stir in the miso at the end.
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 gtaro (satoimo)Small Japanese taro root with a slightly sticky, tender texture when cooked. Substitute: Small taro from an Asian grocer, or waxy potatoes.
- 7.5 ggreen onion (naga negi)Japanese long onion, thicker and milder than Western scallions. Substitute: Scallions or the white part of a leek.
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
- taro (satoimo) (さといも)
- Small Japanese taro root with a slightly sticky, tender texture when cooked. Substitute: Small taro from an Asian grocer, or waxy potatoes.
- green onion (naga negi) (ねぎ)
- Japanese long onion, thicker and milder than Western scallions. Substitute: Scallions or the white part of a leek.
- 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 taro into 2 cm quarter-rounds (ichogiri) and thinly slice the green onion crosswise.
- 2
Bring the dashi stock to a boil in a pot, add the vegetables from step 1, and simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes.
- 3
Once the taro is soft, dissolve the miso into the soup.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 30 kcal | 60 kcal | 30 kcal |
| Protein | 1.7 g | 3.3 g | 1.7 g |
| Fat | 0.3 g | 0.6 g | 0.3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 6 g | 12 g | 6 g |
| Fiber | 1 g | 2.1 g | 1 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.8 g | 1.5 g | 0.8 g |
| Calcium | 15 mg | 30 mg | 15 mg |
| Iron | 0.3 mg | 0.6 mg | 0.3 mg |
| Potassium | 318 mg | 636 mg | 318 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 30 kcal | 1.7 g | 0.3 g | 6 g | 1 g | 0.8 g | 15 mg | 0.3 mg | 318 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 60 kcal | 3.3 g | 0.6 g | 12 g | 2.1 g | 1.5 g | 30 mg | 0.6 mg | 636 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.
