Healthy Miso Soup Vegan Recipe (Basics for Beginners) | Purple Avocado (2024)

FAQs

How do you make miso soup without killing probiotics? ›

Avoid high heat when cooking with it, as it will kill off the good bacteria. When making miso soup, turn off the heat and dissolve (using a muddler like this will help avoid clumps).

Miso soup is low calorie, low fat, and high in nutrient content, so it is safe to eat daily. However, it does have a high salt content. So, those on blood thinning medication or who have heart problems (including high blood pressure and heart disease) may want to limit their consumption of miso soup.

Many varieties of miso soup are vegan, unless the recipe uses fish-derived ingredients, in which case it could suit a pescatarian diet or vegetarian diet that allows seafood. Some miso soup may also contain animal foods like pork.

Boiling miso can harm the probiotic bacteria. At temperatures above 115 degrees Fahrenheit these delicate bacteria are destroyed. We recommend adding miso paste to soups just prior to serving.

Miso soup is full of probiotics, which contribute to improved gut health and reduced inflammation. Miso is known for being rich in vitamins and minerals, good for bones, improving digestion, and heart function. It may also reduce the risk of cancer, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and diabetes.

Sodium restriction for vegetarians with kidney disease

To reduce sodium intake, the use of high-sodium foods such as meat analogs, salted nuts, miso, frozen entrees, marinated tofu products, savory snacks and meals in a cup should be limited.

Some people may have an allergy to soy protein and will therefore need to avoid miso and other soy-based foods. Soybeans are considered to be goitrogenic. This means if you have a thyroid issue you may be advised to minimise your intake.

“Traditionally, rice miso is more expensive than barley miso, because the grain is more expensive,” explains Chung. Accordingly, wealthier merchants could afford to purchase more expensive miso made with rice, whereas farmers and townsfolk often ate miso made with millet, barley, or other common grains.

The color of miso and its flavor profile go hand in hand. Typically, the lighter the miso, the more delicate and subtle its flavor profile becomes. As we move towards the darker end of the spectrum, the miso paste gains a more robust and pronounced taste.

A longer-fermented miso that encompasses any darker red and brown varieties, red miso is generally saltier than light yellow and white miso and has a more assertive, pungent flavor. It's best suited for heartier dishes like rich soups, braises, and marinades or glazes.

What are the three types of miso? ›

Most miso stock is dashi, a Japanese broth made from dried fish, kelp, and shiitake mushrooms. Japanese versions of vegan miso stock use dashi that only contains mushrooms and kelp. Miso stock in the United States may use vegetable, chicken, or Western-style fish stock instead of dashi.

Soy Sauce/ Aminos

Soy sauce is the most common substitute for miso paste. Miso is thick and creamy, whereas soy sauce is thin like water, but if texture isn't a factor, they are both made of soy and chock full of salty and savory notes.

Dashi most commonly utilizes a combination of kombu (kelp seaweed) and katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes), but other ingredients used to make dashi are shiitake mushrooms and niboshi (small dried fish). Dashi making has evolved over a long period of time.

To preserve the probiotic qualities of miso, you must avoid boiling it; instead, whisk in the miso just before serving, while the soup is still warm. Eric Kim's delicious recipe for miso soup is easy to make vegan. You could use a simple kombu dashi for the base, of course, or tweak Eric's recipe a bit.

Miso Soup Benefits. Miso is a rich source of vitamins and minerals, as well as probiotics, known as the gut's "good bacteria." Much of the potential health benefits of miso paste are because of the fermentation process used to make it.

Similar to other fermented foods, miso is jam-packed with probiotics, which are a type of beneficial bacteria that live in your digestive tract. (However, heating miso is likely to kill these probiotics, according to a 2018 research review .)

Miso instant soup is a great source of protein and healthy fats. It also contains probiotics that aid in digestion, may reduce cholesterol levels, increase bone density, lower your risk for heart disease and decrease inflammation throughout the body.