Miso-Shiitake Soup with Napa Cabbage
Serves 6
Easy, filling, tasty, unusual and vegan! Some of these ingredients may be unfamiliar in your kitchen, but none are hard to find. Miso, in particular, should be in everyone’s fridge. It keeps forever, and a tiny bit can add so much flavor to sauces, soups, marinades, glazes, etc.
Ingredients #
- 7 cups water
- ½ lb carrots (2-3 medium), peeled, halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into ½" pieces
- 2 tbsp dried wakame seaweed
- 8 oz soft tofu (not firm), drained and cut into ½" cubes
- 5 oz fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, caps thinly sliced
- 4 cups chopped napa cabbage
- 6 tbsp white miso
- 1" chunk fresh ginger, grated
- 3 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 4 c fresh baby spinach (4 oz)
- 6 scallions, trimmed and cut to 1" lengths
- Hot chili oil to serve
Instructions #
In a medium Dutch oven over medium, combine the water, carrots and wakame. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add the tofu and mushrooms, then return to a simmer. Add the cabbage, then return to a simmer.
Place the miso in a 2-cup liquid measuring cup. Ladle out a bit of the cooking water and add to the miso, stirring until smooth. Pour the miso mixture back into the soup, then stir well.
As the soup returns to a simmer, stir in the ginger, soy sauce and sesame oil. Once the soup reaches a simmer, remove it from the heat and stir in the spinach and scallions. When the spinach is wilted, ladle into serving bowls. Serve with soy sauce, sesame oil and chili oil, if using.