Miso Ginger Winter Soup (Printable)

A warming Japanese-inspired soup with ginger, vegetables, and miso perfect for cold winter days.

# What You'll Need:

→ Broth

01 - 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
02 - 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
04 - 2 tablespoons white or yellow miso paste

→ Vegetables

05 - 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
06 - 1 cup baby spinach or bok choy, roughly chopped
07 - 1 medium carrot, julienned or thinly sliced
08 - 2 green onions, sliced

→ Garnish

09 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
10 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
11 - 1 teaspoon chili oil or pinch of red pepper flakes

# How To Make It:

01 - Bring vegetable broth to a gentle simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat.
02 - Add sliced ginger and garlic to the simmering broth. Simmer for 10 minutes to develop aromatic flavors.
03 - Add mushrooms and carrot to the broth. Cook for 5 minutes until vegetables reach tender texture.
04 - Remove one ladle of hot broth and whisk with miso paste in a small bowl until completely smooth and lump-free.
05 - Reduce heat to low. Stir the miso mixture into the pot, avoiding boiling to preserve probiotic integrity.
06 - Add spinach or bok choy and green onions, stirring until wilted, approximately 1 minute.
07 - Taste and balance seasoning with additional miso paste or soy sauce as desired.
08 - Ladle soup into bowls and top with toasted sesame seeds, fresh cilantro, and chili oil or red pepper flakes.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The combination of probiotic-rich miso and warming ginger creates a gentle, healing broth that feels like it's working magic from the inside out.
  • You can throw this together in under 30 minutes with ingredients that keep well, making it perfect for those evenings when you can barely muster the energy to cook but desperately need something nutritious.
02 -
  • After ruining several batches early on, I learned that boiling miso destroys both its probiotic benefits and its subtle flavor, so always add it off the heat or at a very gentle simmer.
  • Slicing the ginger instead of grating it makes an enormous difference—it releases its flavor more gradually and can be easily removed before serving if you prefer.
03 -
  • Creating a concentrated ginger-garlic oil by gently warming sliced ginger and garlic in a tablespoon of sesame oil before adding the broth adds an incredible depth that transforms this simple soup into something restaurant-worthy.
  • For the silkiest texture, strain the broth after infusing it with ginger and garlic, then return it to the pot before adding the vegetables—this extra step takes just a minute but elevates the entire experience.
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