Miso Ginger Winter Soup (Printer-friendly)

Light, warming Japanese-style soup with ginger, vegetables, and probiotic miso for winter nourishment.

# 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

# Directions:

01 - In a large saucepan, bring the vegetable broth to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Add the sliced ginger and garlic, then simmer for 10 minutes to infuse the broth with aromatic flavors.
02 - Add the mushrooms and carrot to the broth. Cook for 5 minutes until just tender.
03 - Remove a ladleful of hot broth and whisk with the miso paste in a small bowl until completely smooth, preventing lumps.
04 - Reduce the soup heat to low. Stir the miso mixture back into the pot without boiling to preserve the probiotic benefits.
05 - Add the spinach or bok choy and green onions. Stir until wilted, approximately 1 minute.
06 - Taste and adjust seasoning with additional miso paste or a splash of soy sauce if desired.
07 - Ladle into bowls and top with toasted sesame seeds, cilantro, and chili oil or red pepper flakes.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The combination of probiotic miso and zingy ginger creates this incredible immune-supporting duo that feels like a hug from the inside out.
  • You can customize the vegetables based on whatever is looking sad in your crisper drawer, making this the perfect end-of-week rescue meal.
02 -
  • Never ever boil the soup after adding miso - I ruined three batches before learning this destroys both the probiotics and the delicate flavor.
  • Slicing the ginger super thin rather than grating it gives you all the flavor without overpowering the broth, a tip I only discovered after accidentally leaving my grater at a friends house.
03 -
  • Freeze ginger root, then grate it directly into the soup without peeling - the skin adds depth and the frozen ginger is much easier to work with.
  • If youre sensitive to the intensity of raw garlic, try roasting it first for a mellower, sweeter flavor that complements the miso beautifully.
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