Mushroom Ginger Miso Soup

• Main Ingredient: Mushroom
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins
• Serves: 4
• Recipe by: Vitamix

Traditional miso soup made from mushroom dashi, with the aromatic addition of fresh blended ginger.

Method

For the Dashi Stock:

1. In a medium saucepan combine the water and kombu. Place over medium heat and gradually bring to a boil to extract full flavor. Just before boiling, turn off the heat. Remove and discard kombu. Reserve 1 cup of this stock for blending.
2. Add dried shiitake mushrooms to the pan with the remaining 3 cups of stock and let steep for 10 minutes.

For the Miso Soup:

1. Add 1 cup of reserved stock, miso paste, ginger, and green onion whites to the Vitamix container and secure the lid. Start the blender on its lowest speed, then quickly increase to its highest speed. Blend for 30 seconds or until smooth.
2. Bring the mushroom Dashi Stock to a gentle simmer to reheat, if necessary. Do not allow to boil, or the soup will lose flavor and aroma.
3. Pour the blended miso mixture into the pan, followed by the tofu and dried wakame.
4. Cover until serving.

Nutrition Note:

This is a nutrient-rich soup made with kombu, dried mushrooms, miso, ginger, and tofu. Kombu, a type of seaweed, provides iodine and vitamins, while dried mushrooms add antioxidants and minerals. Miso is fermented soy paste, and fermented foods are excellent for gut health. Just note that miso also has a generous amount of sodium, so use it in moderation. That being said, the sodium in this recipe is significantly less than if you were to buy this in a restaurant. Tofu contributes plant-based protein and essential minerals.