Japanese Sweet Potato Miso Soup is a comforting miso soup made with satsumaimo, a Japanese sweet potato. The sweet potato is gently simmered to a tender, fluffy texture and adds natural sweetness to the savory dashi and miso broth. This is how to transform everyday miso soup into something that feels cozy and special for fall and winter.
The beauty of miso soup is its versatility. You can use seasonal ingredients to make miso soup feel seasonal and different each time. That's why miso soup is enjoyed every day in Japanese homes. Kabocha Squash Miso Soup is another favorite of mine during fall and winter.
Sweet potato becomes especially sweet when slowly baked into Yaki Imo, slow-roasted Japanese sweet potatoes. That's why I make Sweet Potato Chocolate Truffles with yaki imo!
When gently simmered with dashi, Japanese sweet potato becomes subtly sweet, which complements the umami-rich miso and dashi.
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What Is Japanese Sweet Potato Miso Soup?
Japanese Sweet Potato Miso Soup is a miso soup made with satsumaimo(さつまいも), Japanese Sweet Potato. It adds subtle sweetness to the savory soup and makes this simple soup so hearty and satisfying.
Japanese Sweet Potato is a type of sweet potato commonly used in Japanese and Korean cuisine. It has a nutty, sweet flavor with a dense, starchy texture. The light yellow flesh contrasts beautifully with reddish-purple skin, just like the sweet potato emoji.
Seasonal produce is what makes everyday miso soup so special. I especially love Japanese sweet potato miso soup during fall and winter, when I need something comforting, warm, and cozy.
Ingredients
- Sweet potato: I highly recommend using Japanese sweet potato! Japanese sweet potato is denser and starchier compared to regular orange sweet potato. It makes simple miso soup so hearty. It gives the soup a Japanese home-cooked flavor. I recommend keeping the peels on. It adds vibrant color contrast and helps the flesh stay intact while cooking.
- Miso: I personally love using white miso in this recipe to enhance the subtle sweetness of sweet potato. But yellow miso also works well, and it's more common, actually. White miso is milder and sweeter, and yellow miso is more robust and savory.
- Dashi: Dashi is an important part of miso soup. It creates the umami base. But it doesn't have to be complicated. I always keep dried dashi packets in my pantry to make dashi quickly. They're like tea bags with dashi powder in them! All you need to do is add one to water and gently simmer, and flavorful dashi is ready so quickly.
- Onion, shimeji mushrooms, and tofu: miso soup is so forgiving, and basically anything can be used depending on what you have on hand. I really love the variety of textures that onion and mushrooms add. And tofu is a must too!
- Green onion: It adds a pop of color, especially because fall miso soup can have a muted color palette. The refreshing flavor it adds is so satisfying too.
For a vegan version, use Kombu Dashi for an easy dashi swap!
How to Make Japanese Sweet Potato Miso Soup
- Prepare the sweet potato. Slice the sweet potato into ⅓ inch slices, then cut in half into half moons. Soak them in water until ready to use.
- Cook the vegetables and dashi. In a medium pot, add the sweet potato, onion, mushroom, dashi packet, and water. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until fork-tender, for about 5 minutes.
- Add the tofu. Add the tofu and return to a gentle simmer to warm through. Remove from heat.
- Add the miso. Use a small sieve and chopsticks to stir miso into the soup. The saltiness of the miso varies depending on the product you use. So taste and add more miso for your liking. Rewarm gently if necessary. Do not boil after adding miso.
- Serve. Divide into serving bowls and top with green onions.
Why do you soak sweet potatoes?
Soaking sweet potatoes can reduce browning and bitterness. You only need 10-15 minutes of soaking. You don't need to be precise. I usually just soak them in water after cutting while preparing other ingredients. Just be careful not to soak them too long, as some flavor can leach into the water.
Yoko's Tips for the Best Satsumaimo Miso Soup
Making miso soup is simple and easy, but keeping a few tips in mind makes a huge difference.
- Use Japanese sweet potato if possible: Japanese sweet potato, or satsumaimo, has a dense, starchy texture and natural sweetness that works beautifully with savory miso soup. Regular orange sweet potatoes are softer and more watery, so the texture will be different.
- Keep the skin on: The reddish-purple skin adds beautiful color and helps the sweet potato pieces hold their shape while cooking. Just scrub the skin well before cutting.
- Soak the sweet potato after cutting: Soaking can reduce browning and bitterness. You just need a quick 10-15 minute soak while preparing the other ingredients.
- Simmer gently: Avoid boiling the dashi too hard, as its delicate flavor can be weakened. Gentle simmering helps maximize the flavor and also helps the sweet potato cook evenly without falling apart.
- Add miso at the end: Turn off the heat or reduce it to low before stirring in the miso. Harsh heat can reduce the flavor and aroma of miso.
What to Serve With Sweet Potato Miso Soup
I love to start the day with miso soup! A cup of cozy and hearty satsumaimo miso soup is a great breakfast to keep you warm on a chilly morning.
It also works well as part of a teishoku-style meal. When building a meal, I always keep the Ichiju Sansai principle in mind. It's a traditional Japanese formula: combine rice, soup, a main dish, and two sides for a balanced and satisfying meal.
Here are some delicious Japanese recipes to pair with nikujaga:
- Rice: Tuna Mayo Rice Balls, Natto Maki, and Chirashi sushi.
- Main Dishes: Air Fryer Karaage, Shio Koji Salmon, Shio Koji Chicken, and Nikujaga.
- Side Dishes: Cucumber Sunomono, Tamagoyaki, Cold Soba Noodle Salad, and Agedashi Tofu.
- Desserts (optional but fun!): Strawberry Mochi, Hanami Dango, Mitarashi Dango, and Shiratama Dango.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftover sweet potato miso soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
When ready to enjoy the refrigerated miso soup, warm it gently over medium-low heat. Try not to boil the soup aggressively, as it can cause the delicate miso flavor to fade.
The sweet potato may become softer after sitting in the soup, so reheat gently to keep the pieces from breaking apart.
More Japanese Recipes
Japanese Sweet Potato Miso Soup
Ingredients
- 1 medium Japanese sweet potato sliced into ⅓ inch rounds and halved (about 8oz)
- ½ onion cut into wedges
- 1 cup shimeji mushrooms
- 1 dashi packet
- 4 cups water
- 8 oz silken tofu (about ½ block) cubed
- 3 tablespoons miso add more to your taste.
- 4 green onions thinly sliced
Instructions
- Prepare the sweet potato. Slice the sweet potato into ⅓ inch slices, then cut in half into half moons. Soak them in water until ready to use.
- Cook the vegetables and dashi. In a medium pot, add the sweet potato, onion, mushroom, dashi packet, and water. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until fork-tender, for about 5 minutes.
- Add the tofu. Add the tofu and return to a gentle simmer to warm through. Remove from heat.
- Add the miso. Use a small sieve and chopsticks to stir miso into the soup. The saltiness of the miso varies depending on the product you use. So taste and add more miso for your liking. Rewarm gently if necessary. Do not boil after adding miso.
- Serve. Divide into serving bowls and top with green onions.
Notes
Nutrition
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