In most Japanese households, miso soup is served daily, often as part of breakfast, though it could just as easily appear at lunch or dinner. Most Japanese have strong regional preferences when choosing what miso to use (details posted to Kitchen Culture blog); the items floating in the miso soup are likely to reflect the season. Year-round, and throughout Japan, many miso soups will include tōfu in some form along with scallions, leeks and/or leafy greens. Another common addition is wakamé (sea vegetable).

Often miso soup will resemble a chowder brimming with chunks of root vegetables and hefty cubes of tōfu. Perhaps the best known is kenchin-jiru, credited to be resourceful monks at Kenchō-ji Temple (建長寺) in Kamakura who used scraps from preparing other meals. Nearly every household and casual eatery, too, will serve a similar soup. Some versions will have a clear broth, others will be thickened and seasoned with miso.

Download the recipe.