This article was updated on 6th July 2023 for clarity.
It’s easy to end up with more miso soup than you bargained for. Don’t get me wrong – it’s delicious – but I always find myself making (and sometimes ordering) too much.
So I decided to experiment and find out the best ways to store and reheat miso soup.
The best way to reheat miso soup
The best way to reheat miso soup is on the stove. Pour your soup into a cold saucepan and gently warm it using low to medium heat for 5-7 minutes. Don’t let the soup come to a boil, or you will lose some of the miso flavor. If you’re in a hurry, you can also microwave miso soup.
The key here is not to allow the miso soup to boil at any point during the reheating process. You can easily achieve this by being cautious with the heat.
If the soup boils, the miso flavors will be muted and the texture will become grainy (yuk!).
If you have big chunks of tofu, I would consider cutting them in half before you reheat the soup. Otherwise, you might find the middle of the tofu is cold.
Results: The stove is a quick but gentle method. You have good control over how fast the miso soup heats, so it’s easy to make sure it doesn’t boil (which would be a disaster). And at the end, my soup was just as delicious as when it was fresh.
Related: How To Reheat Tofu
Reheating miso soup in the microwave
To reheat miso soup in the microwave, place it in a microwave-safe bowl and cover it with a lid or plastic wrap. Reheat the miso soup in 20-second intervals, stirring frequently. Don’t let the soup boil. A typical portion of miso soup should take around 1 minute to fully reheat.
It’s important to stir the miso soup at regular intervals to prevent any cold spots from forming and (more importantly) to prevent the soup from boiling or getting too hot.
I also tried experimenting with microwaving the miso soup for longer on lower power settings, but this didn’t have any (noticeable) impact.
Results: The microwave is a super-fast way of reheating miso soup, and you don’t create any extra washing up! If you’re careful and don’t overheat the soup, the results are just as good as the stove.
Why is it so important not to boil miso soup?
Loss of flavor and aroma. This is probably the most prominent issue. Miso turns sour when boiled/overheated.
Loss of nutrients and enzymes. If you drink miso soup for its health benefits, heating it above 115°F (46°C) has been shown to kill its live probiotic cultures. This temperature is far below boiling point and would result in a lukewarm dish, but it’s still worth noting.
Texture change of the miso. Miso tends to get ‘gritty’ when overcooked or boiled. This is why recipes call for it to be added after the broth has boiled.
How to store miso soup
Store miso soup in an airtight container in the fridge, where it will last 2-3 days. For best results, separate any tofu, seaweed, and green onions from the miso soup before storing and keep these in a separate airtight container.
If you just want to keep your leftover miso soup overnight, keeping the solid stuff in the soup should be fine. After more than 12 hours though, the tofu and seaweed will start to break down pretty rapidly.
Storing the tofu separately from the miso soup helps to ensure that it doesn’t get ‘waterlogged’ and soggy.
Freezing miso soup
To freeze miso soup, remove any remaining tofu and green onions. Next, divide the miso soup into individual portions and freeze in separate airtight containers for up to 2 months. You can freeze the tofu or any vegetables separately.
To freeze tofu, lay it out on a baking tray to flash-freeze for 30 minutes before transferring the cubes to a heavy-duty freezer bag. Pre-freezing the cubes mean they won’t all stick together.
Some sources online suggest freezing miso soup in ice cube trays. I was considering testing this, but in reality, I would need so many ice cubes to make one portion I didn’t think it was worth it.
Your best bet is to invest in some small, one-portion airtight containers if you don’t have any already. These containers are perfect as they hold 6oz of liquid and are fully airtight. They’re just the right size for a regular portion of miso soup.
Or use freezer bags and lay them flat while they freeze, so you can stack them and they won’t take up too much room.
Tips to make miso soup ahead of time
Make and store the dashi broth before adding the miso. Keep the miso separately and only add it to individual portions when serving. Doing so allows you to bring the broth to a boil without worrying about the miso losing potency or nutritional value.
Consider making some ‘instant miso soup balls’. When you’re ready to indulge, just add boiling water. Genius? I think so.
Read Next: How To Heat Up Pho
How To Reheat Miso Soup [Tested Methods]
Equipment
- Pan
Ingredients
- 1 portion miso soup
- 1 portion tofu and other miso soup ingredients
Instructions
- Pour your miso soup into a small saucepan.
- Place the saucepan over a low heat and gently warm up the soup.
- Gradually increase the heat to a medium heat, making sure the miso soup does not boil.
- Reheat for 5-7 minutes or until the miso soup reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Serve immediately.
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