Reviewed: Jan. 7, 2012

Unfortunately, I could not find Dashi stock or Miso paste in any local grocery store (not even Kroger) - I did find the shitake mushrooms and soft tofu, though. I went ahead and rated this recipe, because the base was really good and I thought my substitutions I had to make, might help someone else who cannot find Dashi stock or Miso paste to at least have a clear soup with Asian flavor. I used the soup as an appetizer to Sushi. Instead of Dahi stock & Miso paste, I used chicken stock and added about 1 1/2 tsp of chicken base & freshly cracked black pepper & then added the Soy Sauce. I followed recipe directions as best as I could except I cooked green onion in broth for a very few minutes instead of waiting to use as garnishment. I also added at the last minute a hand full of roughly chopped fresh spinach leaves until they were wilted. Soy, tofu, mushrooms all helped to give it an Asian flavor. It was very good! Will definitely fix this again.

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Reviewer:

Tanya

Reviewed: May 24, 2011

Very good soup! It was a little on the salty side, so I may use reduced sodium soy sauce the next time I make it, but my husband and I really enjoyed it. My husband is very picky when it comes to stuff like this and he said it was almost as good as the miso soup our local Chinese restaurants serve.

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3 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

swtbby

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Cooking Level: Intermediate

Living In: Topeka, Kansas, USA

Reviewed: Apr. 28, 2011

Oh so good. We don't eat un-fermented soy so I substituted tiny pork strips for the tofu. Thanks so much for a recipe everyone in the house loves!!

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2 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

sutra

Cooking Level: Expert

Home Town: Sayreville, New Jersey, USA

Living In: Pemberton, New Jersey, USA

Reviewed: Jul. 29, 2010

I thought this recipe was great! I just finished cooking it. Due to the remote area that I live in, I couldn't get any Dashi stock so I substituded it with a mixture of vegie stock and chicken broth. I also added nori to it (thanks to some of the other reviews) and I found it to be an excellent addition.

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8 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

tyler

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Fort Bragg, California, USA

Living In: Ellsworth, Maine, USA

Reviewed: Sep. 15, 2009

I did not like this at all. It made my house smell awful. However, I think it was probably the dashi stock I used. It was pink and weird tasting. Maybe I'm just not a miso soup type of person or maybe I didn't do something right. It just wasn't for me. I don't think I'll try this again.

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5 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

TheBrain

Reviewed: Sep. 14, 2009

Delicious! Exactly how Japanese restaurants' soups taste. Works well with any kind of mushroom.

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6 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

GODSARTIST

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Reviewed: Aug. 26, 2009

This is really good! I am currently living in Japan and couldn't figure out how to get that "authentic" miso soup taste. Dashi stock was the answer! If you want to make it even healthier and more filling, add some fresh bean sprouts! They go great in this soup.

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18 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

Reviewed: Aug. 4, 2009

This miso soup is awesome! I've made it two times now. For convenience sake instead of the dashi stock, I use 1 can of chicken broth and 11/3 cup water plus some oyster sauce. I also had the idea to add in 2 sheets of nori, to add substance and give it more nutrients. Its not as authentic but it tastes great.

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9 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

princess of doom

Cooking Level: Expert

Home Town: Gillette, Wyoming, USA

Reviewed: Jun. 8, 2009

I live in Japan and wanted to make my first miso soup. If you don't use dashi, you won't get an authentic miso soup. It's essential in Japanese cooking. I had no idea which Miso paste to buy and since I can’t read the kanji I ended up buying a red and white combination. Appearance and taste differs between the two. I used dried shitake mushrooms that I rehydrated along with silken tofu. Served to my Japanese friend and her two year old and the two year old had three helpings and kept saying "oishii", delicious. Even my 22 month old devoured the stock, pushing aside the mushrooms and tofu. I will make it again and will look for more similar recipes.

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32 users found this review helpful

Reviewer:

MommyofRedHeads

Cooking Level: Expert

Home Town: Glendale, Arizona, USA

Reviewed: Jan. 13, 2009

This was awesome and really close to the miso soup you'd expect from your favorite sushi bar. I used a combination of mushrooms that I had on hand, and since I am a vegetarian I did not use dashi stock. Instead I used a combination of vegetable stock and water and found a great organic koji soy sauce to mix with the miso paste. My very picky friend loved it, too, so it's safe to say that it's a wonderful recipe.

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19 users found this review helpful