Here are a few ways to make a delicious and creamy vegan miso soup, ranging from a simple addition of plant-based milk to a richer cashew-based version.
Key Tip Before You Begin:
Never boil your miso paste. Boiling destroys the beneficial probiotics and alters the flavor.
Option 1: The Quick & Easy Creamy Method (Using Plant Milk)
This is the fastest way to get a creamy texture. Unsweetened soy milk or oat milk works best as they have a creamy consistency and neutral flavor that complements the miso.
Ingredients:
Broth Base: 4 cups vegetable broth or vegan dashi (made from soaking kombu kelp and dried shiitake mushrooms).
Creamy Element: 1 cup unsweetened soy milk or oat milk.
Miso: 3-4 tablespoons white (shiro) or yellow miso paste (adjust to taste). White miso is milder and sweeter, perfect for a creamy soup.
Aromatics: 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated; 1 clove garlic, minced (optional).
Add-ins: 1 block silken or soft tofu, cubed; 1 cup sliced mushrooms (shiitake or cremini); 2 green onions, sliced; 1 tablespoon dried wakame seaweed.
Instructions:
Rehydrate Seaweed: Place the dried wakame in a small bowl of water for 5-10 minutes to rehydrate.
Drain and set aside. Simmer Broth: In a pot, bring the vegetable broth or dashi to a gentle simmer.
Add the grated ginger, garlic (if using), and sliced mushrooms. Simmer for 5 minutes until mushrooms are tender. Add Creaminess: Stir in the unsweetened soy or oat milk and bring it back to a very gentle simmer. Do not let it come to a rolling boil.
Add Tofu & Wakame: Gently add the cubed tofu and rehydrated wakame to the pot. Let them warm through for 1-2 minutes. Turn off the heat.
Incorporate Miso: In a small bowl or ladle, take about 1/2 cup of the hot broth. Add the miso paste to this bowl and whisk vigorously until it's completely dissolved and smooth. Pour this miso mixture back into the main pot and stir gently to combine.
Serve: Ladle into bowls and garnish generously with sliced green onions.
Option 2: The Rich & Nutty Method (Using Cashews & Tahini)
This version uses blended cashews for an incredibly rich, almost dairy-like creaminess, balanced with a nutty depth from tahini.
Ingredients:
Cashew Cream: 1/2 cup raw cashews (soaked in hot water for 30 minutes, then drained), blended with 1 cup fresh water until perfectly smooth.
Broth Base: 3 cups vegetable broth or vegan dashi.
Flavor Base: 1 tablespoon tahini (sesame paste), 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari.
Miso: 3 tablespoons white or yellow miso paste.
Add-ins: Sliced mushrooms, tofu, green onions, greens like spinach or bok choy.
Instructions:
Make Cashew Cream: Blend the soaked and drained cashews with 1 cup of fresh water in a high-speed blender until completely smooth and creamy.
Cook Veggies: In a soup pot, lightly sauté mushrooms in a splash of water or broth until soft.
Add the vegetable broth/dashi and bring to a simmer. Add any hearty greens like bok choy stems at this point. Combine: Whisk the tahini and soy sauce into the simmering broth. Pour in the blended cashew cream and stir well. Let it heat through gently. Add tofu and leafy greens (like spinach) and cook for another minute until wilted.
Finish with Miso: Turn off the heat. Just like in the first recipe, dissolve the miso paste in a separate small bowl with a ladle of hot soup before stirring it back into the main pot.
Serve: Garnish with green onions and a drizzle of chili oil if you like a kick.
