Before heading to California, I made this Japanese Meatball Miso Soup but decided I’d make it one more time before taking pictures and sharing it with all of you. It is a detoxifying Japanese meatball soup or niku Dango miso. The recipe is simple but requires a few Japanese pantry staples: wakame, light or mild miso and hondashi. So here’s the easy recipe to try.
Comforting Japanese Meatball Miso Soup
This Japanese meatball miso soup is unlike any regular meatball soup you have tried before. It's a fusion of American and Chinese cuisines that complement well.
Ingredients
Mini-Meatballs Ingredients
- ½ pound ground beef - lean
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 dash salt
- 1 dash ground black pepper
- 1 clove garlic - grated
- 1 teaspoon ginger - grated
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
Soup Base Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon ginger - minced
- 1 clove garlic - minced
- 2 large carrots - cut into circles
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 4 cups water
- 2 handfuls kale - chopped
Instructions
Meatballs Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except the sesame oil.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Using your hands, roll small meatballs (smaller than a ping pong ball) and place them in the skillet one at a time.
- Let them brown on the outside — toss them in the pan every minute or so. Once they are brown on all sides, slice the biggest one in half to check doneness. Cover, remove from heat and set aside.
Soup Base Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in your soup pot. Add ginger and garlic. Sauté until fragrant.
- Add your carrot and cook for 1 minute. Add soy sauce and 4 cups of water. Bring it to a boil for 2 minutes, and then reduce to a simmer.
- Next, add your miso paste. Trick: Place the miso paste in a ladle and then fill the ladle with hot water from the soup pot. Stir the miso paste in the ladle until it dissolves, and then add it to the pot. Be careful not to bring the soup broth to a boil — it’ll jeopardize the miso flavour. Taste the broth and judge whether or not you want more miso.
- Add the hondashi, wakame and kale. Keep the soup at a low simmer and cover for 5 minutes.
- Serve hot! Divide meatballs in 2 or 4 bowls, then add broth over the top. Want it spicy? Add a dab of garlic chilli paste.
Nutrition
Calories: 208kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 14gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 939mgPotassium: 403mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 7683IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 79mgIron: 2mg
How did this recipe turn out for you?We’re eager to hear your thoughts!