In Japan, we enjoy many variations of miso soup (miso shiru) based on seasonal ingredients. That’s why I’m sharing with you a different miso soup recipe every 30th of the month for Miso Day (味噌の日) to add to my JOC Miso Soup Recipes collection. This month, I’m sharing Miso Soup with Enoki Mushrooms and Ground Sesame featuring delicious Tokyo negi (Japanese long green onion). I’m a big fan of negi because it adds a naturally sweet flavor when cooked till tender. Japanese people also believe that negi keeps a cold at bay, especially during wintertime when Tokyo negi are in peak season (November to March). In this soup, I paired negi with enoki mushrooms because we can slice both into a similar shape, which makes it easier to drink the miso soup.
Ingredients
Read the recipe card below for more detailed info, but here is an overview.
Japanese long green onion (negi) – Japanese and Korean grocery stores carry thick and long green onion. The white part of the green onion is about 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide. Enoki mushrooms – You can use other types of mushrooms like shimeji mushrooms or shiitake mushrooms. Tofu – Use medium tofu for the wonderful texture. Roasted sesame oil – Stir-fry the vegetables with a small amount of sesame oil. Grated ginger – Add a hint of ginger to this miso soup for a bit of a spicy kick. Dashi (Japanese soup stock) – More about the dashi below. Miso – Any miso you have in the fridge works! I used organic brown rice miso today. Ground white sesame seeds – I recommend toasting the sesame seeds in an ungreased frying pan to bring out their aroma.
How to Make Miso Soup with Enoki and Sesame
3 Ways to Make Dashi
Dashi is a Japanese soup stock, and many of you are already familiar with dashi-making methods. Just in case you’re new to making dashi, here are 3 ways to make dashi: If you want to learn more about dashi, check out The Ultimate Dashi Guide, where I talk about 6 different types of dashi and the above 3 methods in detail.
Recipe Tips
To improve the flavor of the miso soup, here are a few things to consider:
Use sesame oil to bring out more depth in the soup. If you don’t like the flavor of roasted sesame oil, you can use regular neutral cooking oil.
Add grated ginger for a light, refreshing flavor that counterbalances the bold sesame oil and miso flavors. I love using my ceramic grater to grate the ginger (as well as onion, daikon, and so on). You could use a microplane as well.
Toast the sesame seeds in an ungreased pan if they look pale or are untoasted. Then, grind them in a mortar and pestle before serving. The addition of toasted sesame seeds elevates your miso soup flavor.
Add miso paste to the hot soup stock off the heat, just before serving. Do not boil the miso. This is one of the most important points to consider when making miso soup.
What to Serve with This Miso Soup
Rice: Hijiki Rice, Brown Rice, Mushroom Rice Main: Yellowtail Teriyaki, Ginger Pork, Simmered Beef with Ginger Sides: Kinpira Gobo, Simmered Kabocha, Stir-Fried Mushrooms and Eggs
Seasonal Miso Soup Recipes
If you enjoy making and drinking miso soup daily, browse our JOC Miso Soup Recipes collection to find the perfect variation! I made recipe lists based on the season so you can incorporate more seasonal vegetables into your miso soup. Wish to learn more about Japanese cooking? Sign up for our free newsletter to receive cooking tips & recipe updates! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram.
