Miso Soup with Tofu and Onion
みそ汁（豆腐・玉ねぎ） · Miso Shiru (Tofu, Tamanegi)
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Miso soup is on the table at almost every Japanese meal, and this tofu-and-onion version is one of the simplest and most soothing. Simmering the onion in dashi until it turns soft and sweet gives the soup a natural sweetness that little ones love, while silken tofu adds a soft, tender bite that is easy for small mouths. In preschool kitchens we keep the miso light so the flavor of the dashi and vegetables comes through.
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 gsilken tofu
- 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
- 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 tofu into small cubes. Slice the onion thinly, then cut the slices in half so they are half the length.
- 2
Put the dashi stock and onion in a pot and simmer.
- 3
Once the onion is soft, add the tofu and simmer briefly, then dissolve the miso into the soup.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 31.5 kcal | 63 kcal | 31.5 kcal |
| Protein | 2.8 g | 5.7 g | 2.8 g |
| Fat | 1.4 g | 2.7 g | 1.4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 3.3 g | 6.6 g | 3.3 g |
| Fiber | 0.8 g | 1.5 g | 0.8 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.8 g | 1.5 g | 0.8 g |
| Calcium | 34.5 mg | 69 mg | 34.5 mg |
| Iron | 0.5 mg | 0.9 mg | 0.5 mg |
| Potassium | 178.5 mg | 357 mg | 178.5 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 31.5 kcal | 2.8 g | 1.4 g | 3.3 g | 0.8 g | 0.8 g | 34.5 mg | 0.5 mg | 178.5 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 63 kcal | 5.7 g | 2.7 g | 6.6 g | 1.5 g | 1.5 g | 69 mg | 0.9 mg | 357 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.
