Japanese Wakame Seaweed Soup (Printable)

Light and nourishing Japanese seaweed soup with tender wakame, tofu, and delicate dashi broth. Ready in 20 minutes.

# 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, optional

# 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 simmering broth. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
04 - In a separate bowl, blend the miso paste with a ladle of hot broth until smooth and well combined. Stir the mixture back into the soup.
05 - Add soy sauce and sesame oil if using. Stir gently and heat for 1 additional minute without allowing the soup to boil.
06 - Transfer the soup to serving bowls and garnish with sliced scallions. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It takes barely twenty minutes from start to finish, making it perfect for those nights when you need something warm but don't have the energy to fuss.
  • The umami from the dashi and miso creates a deeply satisfying broth that tastes like it's been simmering for hours.
  • Wakame seaweed delivers iodine and minerals your body actually craves, so you feel better after eating it, not guilty.
02 -
  • Never boil miso directly in the pot, or you'll destroy its complex flavor and turn it bitter, a mistake I made exactly once and learned from immediately.
  • The quality of your dashi matters more than anything else in this recipe, so if you're using store-bought, taste it first and choose one that tastes like the sea, not like salt.
  • Wakame continues to absorb liquid even after cooking, so if you're making this ahead, store the soup and seaweed separately and combine just before serving.
03 -
  • Toast your sesame oil lightly in a dry pan before adding it to the soup, releasing its deeper nutty notes and making that final drizzle truly sing.
  • Save the soaking water from the wakame if you're making your own dashi, as it holds extra umami and minerals that cost nothing but add everything.
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