Ginger Miso Winter Soup (Printable View)

Light, warming broth with fresh ginger, miso, and winter vegetables for chilly days.

# What You'll Need:

→ Broth Base

01 - 6 cups water or low-sodium vegetable broth
02 - 2-inch piece 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 water or vegetable broth to a gentle simmer.
02 - Add sliced ginger and garlic to the simmering broth. Simmer for 10 minutes to infuse flavors.
03 - Add napa cabbage, carrot, and shiitake mushrooms to the pot. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until vegetables are tender.
04 - Remove pot from 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. Do not boil after adding miso 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, fresh herbs, and chili oil or flakes as desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in 30 minutes, which means comfort food doesn't require hours of planning or a stockpot's worth of dishes.
  • The miso paste delivers umami depth while probiotics work their quiet magic, so you feel nourished, not just full.
  • You can customize it endlessly—add tofu, noodles, or swap vegetables based on what's in your crisper drawer.
02 -
  • Never boil the broth after you add miso paste—heat damages the probiotic cultures that make miso worth eating in the first place, and high heat can also make it taste bitter and thin.
  • Miso paste can be grainy and stubborn; whisking it with a little hot broth first creates a smooth slurry that actually blends into the soup instead of clumping up.
03 -
  • If your miso has chunks or seems paste-like, you can smooth it through a fine mesh strainer before whisking it into the soup—it sounds fussy, but it prevents grainy texture.
  • Make the broth base ahead of time (just the ginger and garlic simmering in broth) and refrigerate it; add vegetables and miso when you're ready to eat for a genuinely quick meal.
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