Anti Inflammatory Japanese Miso Soup with Tofu & Ginger
Warm, deeply savory, and ready in under half an hour, this bowl delivers the kind of comfort that actually does your body a favor. The homemade dashi — built from kombu and bonito flakes — forms a clean, mineral-rich base that puts store-bought broth to shame, and it sets the stage for every ingredient that follows. Ginger is the quiet star here, lending a gentle heat that pairs beautifully with the mild sweetness of white miso, while wakame seaweed and silken tofu add substance without weighing the soup down. Each of those core ingredients brings something to the anti-inflammatory table: ginger is widely recognized for its bioactive compounds, miso contributes beneficial fermented cultures, and tofu offers plant-based protein with minimal saturated fat. The technique matters too — miso is whisked into warm dashi off the boil, which protects its live cultures and keeps the flavor bright rather than harsh. A finishing drizzle of toasted sesame oil and a scatter of scallion greens pull everything together with a nutty, fresh lift. Serves four, and honestly, it disappears fast.
About FigFig is a food discovery app that helps you find foods and recipes that fit your dietary needs. Whether you have food allergies, intolerances, or follow a specific diet, Fig makes it easy to eat with confidence.
Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the dashi
- 1 piece (4 inches) kombu
- 4 cups cold water
- ½ cup loosely packed bonito flakes (katsuobushi)
For the soup
- 2 tbsp dried wakame seaweed
- 3 tbsp white (shiro) miso paste
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 14 oz silken tofu, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 2 scallions (green tops only), thinly sliced
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp low-sodium tamari
Instructions
- 1
Combine the kombu and cold water in a medium saucepan. Let it soak for 5 minutes, then set the pan over medium heat. Warm until the water just begins to steam and small bubbles form at the bottom of the pan, about 8–10 minutes — do not let it boil. Remove and discard the kombu.
- 2
Add the bonito flakes to the hot kombu water, stir once, and remove the pan from the heat. Let the flakes steep for 3 minutes, then pour the dashi through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl or large measuring cup, pressing gently on the flakes. Discard the spent flakes and return the clear dashi to the saucepan.
Want the full recipe?
Create a Fig account for step-by-step instructions, access to our full recipe library, and more!