Ginger Miso Winter Soup (Printable)

Light, warming soup with fresh ginger and miso, featuring winter vegetables and umami-rich broth.

# What You Need:

→ Broth Base

01 - 6 cups water or low-sodium vegetable broth
02 - 2 inches fresh ginger, thinly sliced
03 - 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
04 - 2 tablespoons white or yellow miso paste

→ Vegetables

05 - 1 cup napa cabbage, thinly sliced
06 - 1 medium carrot, julienned or thinly sliced
07 - 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
08 - 2 scallions, sliced

→ Garnishes

09 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
11 - 1 teaspoon chili oil or chili flakes

→ Optional Add-ins

12 - 7 ounces silken tofu, cubed
13 - 3.5 ounces soba or rice noodles, cooked per package instructions

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large pot, bring the water or vegetable broth to a gentle simmer.
02 - Add the sliced ginger and garlic. Simmer for 10 minutes to infuse the broth with aromatic flavors.
03 - Add the napa cabbage, carrot, and shiitake mushrooms. Simmer for another 5 to 7 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp.
04 - Remove the pot from the heat. Place miso paste in a small bowl, add a ladle of hot broth, and whisk until smooth. Stir the miso mixture into the soup without reboiling to preserve probiotics.
05 - Add tofu and cooked noodles if using, and let them warm through for 2 minutes.
06 - Ladle soup into bowls. Top with scallions, toasted sesame seeds, herbs, and chili oil or flakes as desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in 30 minutes, which means you can have a restaurant-quality bowl before your day really gets going.
  • The miso adds this deep, savory umami punch that makes it taste like you've been simmering it for hours when you absolutely haven't.
  • Unlike heavy soups, this one leaves you feeling restored rather than weighed down, which is the whole point of winter cooking done right.
02 -
  • Do not boil the soup after adding miso—this one rule separates a living, probiotic-rich broth from a soup that's lost its best qualities to heat.
  • Whisk the miso paste into a small amount of hot broth first before stirring it into the pot; this prevents lumps and ensures the miso integrates smoothly rather than clumping.
03 -
  • Toast your own sesame seeds in a dry pan for two minutes—it's a small step that transforms them from pleasant to genuinely aromatic and makes a noticeable difference in the final bowl.
  • If you find regular white miso too strong, try yellow miso for a gentler, slightly sweeter flavor that feels less intense but equally satisfying.
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