Miso Soup with Wakame and Onion
みそ汁（わかめ・玉ねぎ） · Wakame to Tamanegi 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 wakame-and-onion version is one of the simplest. Simmering the onion until it turns soft and sweet means the soup needs only a little miso for flavor, which keeps it mild enough for small children. The wakame is chopped finely so it does not slip off a spoon or tangle in little mouths. Dashi stock is the base; if you do not have it, a light stock made from kombu or an instant dashi packet works fine.
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
- 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.
- 22.5 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
- 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 onion into thin slices, then cut the slices in half so they are half the length. Soak the wakame in water to rehydrate it, then chop it finely.
- 2
Put the dashi stock and onion in a pot and bring to a simmer. Partway through, add the wakame and continue simmering.
- 3
Once the onion is soft, dissolve the miso into the soup.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 19.5 kcal | 39 kcal | 19.5 kcal |
| Protein | 1.5 g | 3 g | 1.5 g |
| Fat | 0.3 g | 0.6 g | 0.3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 3.6 g | 7.2 g | 3.6 g |
| Fiber | 0.6 g | 1.2 g | 0.6 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.9 g | 1.8 g | 0.9 g |
| Calcium | 18 mg | 36 mg | 18 mg |
| Iron | 0.2 mg | 0.3 mg | 0.2 mg |
| Potassium | 147 mg | 294 mg | 147 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 19.5 kcal | 1.5 g | 0.3 g | 3.6 g | 0.6 g | 0.9 g | 18 mg | 0.2 mg | 147 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 39 kcal | 3 g | 0.6 g | 7.2 g | 1.2 g | 1.8 g | 36 mg | 0.3 mg | 294 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.
