Global
Miso Vegetable Soup
A nourishing Japanese soup filled with garden vegetables and enriched with savoury miso.
Estimated. Worked out from the ingredients using the UK food composition tables, so treat it as a guide rather than a measurement. A typical recipe lands within about a quarter of the true figure. Makes about 1.
Ingredients
- 2 cups mixed vegetables (carrot, spinach, spring onion, mushrooms)
- 1 small piece fresh ginger
- 1 garlic clove
- 3–4 tbsp miso paste (store-bought, fermented)
- 4 cups water or vegetable broth
- Optional: tofu cubes, seaweed, sesame oil
Cooking Steps
Prep vegetables
Slice carrots, chop spinach, mince garlic and ginger.
Simmer
Heat water or broth; add carrot and ginger first.
Add quick-cook vegetables
Add spinach, spring onions, mushrooms.
Add miso
Remove pot from heat. Stir miso paste into a small bowl of warm broth, then add back to pot. Never boil miso, as it kills the probiotics.
Serve
Top with tofu, seaweed, or sesame oil if desired.
Optional Enhancements
- Greens: spinach, bok choy, kale, or chard
- Root veg: sweet potato or daikon radish
- Extra umami: add dried mushrooms or kombu
Plant & Growing Tips
Carrots
- Sow directly in loose soil.
- Keep moist to avoid cracking.
- Thin seedlings early.
Spinach
- Cool-season crop.
- Sow in early spring or autumn.
- Water consistently; provide partial shade in heat.
Spring Onions
- Sow directly or plant sets.
- Harvest continuously by cutting above the base.
Garlic
- Plant in autumn, mulch over winter.
- Harvest when leaves brown.
Mushrooms (if homegrown)
- Grow indoors in low light.
- Use mushroom kits or inoculated substrate.
Natural Pest Control
- Floating row covers protect spinach from caterpillars.
- Neem oil or soapy spray protects leafy greens.
- Companion plants: chives, basil, and marigolds deter pests.
Harvest
Spinach
- Cut outer leaves first for continuous growth.
Spring Onions
- Harvest once stalks reach pencil thickness.
Carrots
- Pull young for sweetness.
Storing & Freezing
Keeps 3 days in fridge. Do NOT freeze miso soups with greens, as the texture becomes mushy.
