Japanese Wakame Seaweed Soup (Print Version)

A warming Japanese soup combining rehydrated wakame seaweed with tofu in a delicate miso-infused dashi broth.

# What You Need:

→ Seaweed and Broth

01 - 0.28 oz dried wakame seaweed
02 - 4 cups dashi stock

→ Vegetables and Tofu

03 - 3.5 oz silken or firm tofu, cubed
04 - 2 scallions, thinly sliced

→ Seasoning

05 - 2 tbsp white miso paste
06 - 1 tsp soy sauce
07 - 1 tsp sesame oil

# Directions:

01 - In a small bowl, soak the dried wakame in cold water for 5 minutes until fully rehydrated. Drain thoroughly and set aside.
02 - In a medium saucepan, bring the dashi stock to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
03 - Add the cubed tofu and rehydrated wakame to the pot. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - In a separate bowl, blend the miso paste with a ladle of hot broth until smooth. Stir the mixture back into the soup.
05 - Add soy sauce and sesame oil. Stir gently and heat for 1 more minute without boiling.
06 - Transfer soup to serving bowls and garnish with sliced scallions. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you can brew a cup of tea, yet tastes like someone spent hours caring for it.
  • The umami depth from dashi and miso makes you feel like you're eating something deeply restorative, not just a light soup.
02 -
  • Never boil the miso—high heat destroys the beneficial enzymes and makes the soup taste thin and sharp instead of complex and soothing.
  • Soaking the wakame in cold water is not optional; it rehydrates the seaweed evenly and removes any lingering salt or sand from drying.
03 -
  • If you're short on time, quality instant dashi packets exist and work beautifully here; don't feel guilty using them—convenience is not the enemy of good food.
  • Toast your white miso paste lightly in a dry pan before storing it, and it will deepen in flavor over weeks, becoming even more interesting to cook with.
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