What To Eat With Miso Soup: 15 Yummy Side Dishes

Miso Soup

If you like Japanese cuisine, you most likely tried a tasty miso soup. But did you know that you can incorporate your miso soup in an even more complex meal by adding some tasty side dishes?

Miso soup is made of fermented soybeans, veggies, and umami seasoning and it is iconic for Japan but it slowly breaks the borders and charms the rest of the world. However, the ingredients differ according to each region. But the miso paste stays constant in all miso soups recipes.

Keep reading to find out how to put together a complete meal with your miso soup and a tasty side dish!

Best Side Dishes For Miso Soup

Choose the best side dish for your miso soup according to your personal preferences and you will enjoy a healthy and tasty meal in a matter of minutes!

1. Sashimi

sashimi

Sashimi is another Asian special dish that consists of raw fish. Even if raw fish might not sound appealing, you will be surprised by how well it combines any recipe of miso soup.

You can also pair your sashimi with rice and a sauce of your choice if you are not a fan of raw fish and it will taste very good as well.

2. Rice

Fried rice

Rice combines well with many Asian dishes, including miso soups.

You can prepare your rice plain or with some sweet chili sauce as a topping and have a bowl of it right next to your miso soup.

You can dip a spoon of rice with your miso soup broth for a great, mixed flavor that will spoil your culinary taste.

3. Tofu

Marinated tofu

Fried tofu or marinated tofu will also be a great choice if you are looking for a side dish that will go great with your miso soup.

You can even add some pieces of tofu to your soup if you want to increase its chewy texture. Plus, tofu will complement nicely the soy taste of the miso soup and you will prefer to have it as part of your meal many other times in the future.

4. Edamame

Edamame

Edamame is a healthy type of side dish that you can add to many meals, including to your miso soup. You can steam, fry or bake your edamame or even eat them plain with some salt and pepper. They are not just healthy but they taste deliciously next to any Asian soup.

5. Kimchi

Kimchi

Kimchi is specific to Asian cuisine as well and if you don’t want to prepare it yourself, you can find it already made in many stores.

Adding kimchi to your meal will definitely spice up your entire culinary experience. You can add a fried egg on top of your kimchi to put some valuable protein into your meal too.

6. Fish

Grilled fish

Grilled or barbecued fish can also be a delicious side dish for your miso soup.

You can use any type of fish from trout to salmon. Then, season it with the herbs of your choice. You simply can’t go wrong with grilled fish next to your miso soup as the tastes of these two dishes blend so well together!

7. Steamed veggies

Steamed veggies

Steam your favorite veggies such as broccoli, baby carrots, potatoes, or peppers and add them next to your miso soup.

Add a bit of butter on top of your veggies for an even more filling flavor and salt and pepper so you compliment the miso soup perfectly.

8. California rolls

California rolls

California rolls work perfectly if you dip them into the broth of miso soup. They both have a strong umami flavor that can only enhance the final taste of your food.

You can either make California rolls or order them already made and serve them with your miso soup every time you want a complete and healthy meal.

9. Sushi

Sushi Rice

Sushi comes in a wide range of versions and you can get sushi that contains fish or vegetarian sushi. They all go great with miso soup at any meal of the day.

We recommend fish sushi-like tuna or salmon in order to have a complex range of flavors in one meal but ultimately, any sushi type would be a good choice for such a combination.

10. Nachos

Nachos

Nachos, being plain or with cheese can taste even better when they are combined with a tasty miso soup.

You won’t even feel the need for a dipping sauce but if you want one, nothing stops you from having it next to this combination. Some cheese topping on your nachos could be a very inspired choice as well.

11. Beans

borlotti beans

Fried beans or simply canned beans baked in tomato sauce, can be delicious next to your miso soup. If you want, you can even add them to the soup. However, keep in mind that doing so, will change the consistency of your dish significantly.

Nevertheless, though, your miso soup will taste that much better with a side of beans that are seasoned with some spicy chili.

12. Mashed veggies

Mashed Potatoes

Mashed veggies such as mashed potatoes or mashed peas or even mashed pumpkin, can be a great side dish for your miso soup. So, choose a vegetable of your preference and make a mashed veggies side dish.

You can even combine two veggies such as celery and potatoes or carrots and pumpkin and you will love the outcome. Season your side dish as you prefer and enjoy it next to your miso soup for a more nutritious meal.

13. Pickles

Cornichons Pickles

Pickles might not seem like the first choice to pair with your miso soup but try it and you will definitely find this combination interesting, to say the least.

You can use any type of pickles but the best choice would be cucumbers or peppers. You can also combine this side dish with other side dishes in this list for a better, final meal.

14. Shrimp

boil shrimp

If you like shrimp, know that you can have some fried shrimp along with your miso soup and you will not regret it.

Marinated shrimp is also a great choice that you might love even more since it is even richer in flavor. Some like to add shrimp to their miso soup during the cooking process and this could also be a very good option.

15. Clams

Clams

Clams might seem like a delicacy in many different parts of the world. However, if you can find them fresh, they can be an amazing side dish for your miso soup.

Season your clams how you prefer, add a spicy sauce next to them, and your meal will be astonishing. Clams need some lemon on them too! Therefore, don’t forget to squeeze the juice from one lemon to make them even tastier!

Do You Eat Miso Soup With Rice?

Miso soup can be served with a side of rice as well as with other side dishes that contain rice such as sushi. You can make spicy rice or use sweet chili rice to enhance the umami flavor of your miso soup.

Also, adding some veggies to your rice or any other ingredients that will make it a richer side dish is also a great idea. The sky is the limit when it comes to how you can use rice in combination with your miso soup.

What To Serve With Miso Soup For Dinner?

If you want to have miso soup for your dinner, you also have a wide variety of side dishes that can go with it perfectly for the last satisfying meal of the day.

You could have your miso soup with grilled fish or barbecued fish and it will be a healthy yet very filling combination. Another idea includes miso soup and California rolls or sushi to complete your dinner.

If you don’t want fish or rice, you can simply combine your miso soup with some steamed veggies with butter and they will taste extremely good at dinner time too.

Ultimately, all the options in this guide will make for a tasty dinner with your miso soup. So, your personal preference should make the final decision after all.

The Best Vegetables For Miso Soup

Your miso soup doesn’t have a set-in-stone recipe. You can use almost any vegetables you like to obtain a complex and tasty flavor.

Common veggies for a good miso soup include potatoes and red peppers. However, you can add seaweed, pumpkin, and even squash to make your miso soup unique and tasty.

Carrots also go extremely well in a miso soup just make sure you don’t overboil them. The last thing you want is mushy veggies in your soup.

This soup allows for plenty of creativity in the kitchen and it is one of the easiest dishes to put together. So, you can’t really make a mistake, even if you add veggies that are not common for Asian cuisine but they happen to be your favorites

Final Thoughts 

As you can see, you don’t have to be a fan of Asian cuisine to incorporate a delicious miso soup in your dinner or lunch. Pair your soup with any of the side dishes in this guide and you will obtain a tasty combination that will amaze you and the rest of your guests.

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