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My Secret to Eating Miso Soup Almost Every Day: Homemade Frozen Dashi Cubes

  • 5 hours ago
  • 4 min read
Two turquoise ice cube trays filled with amber liquid sit on a kitchen counter beside a matching bottle.

Make dashi once, freeze it, and make miso soup whenever you want. 🍲


I love miso soup and eat it almost every day.


But let's be honest—making dashi from scratch every day takes time.


So I want to share a simple solution: I make a large batch of concentrated dashi, freeze it into cubes, and use them whenever I make miso soup.


This small bit of preparation makes my everyday cooking much easier.



CONTENTS



MY MAKE-AHEAD DASHI - 2x CONCENTRATED|

I make my dashi 2× concentrated, so I can freeze it in convenient portions and dilute it when I'm ready to make miso soup.


1 frozen cube = about 200 mL concentrated dashi

→ Add about 200–250 mL water

→ Makes approximately 2 cups of miso soup



KOMBU X KATSUOBUSHI DASHI RECIPE |

INGREDIENTS:

  • 3 L filtered water

  • 60 g kombu

  • 120 g katsuobushi


INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Soak the kombu in 3 L water for about 1 hour.

  2. Gently heat and remove the kombu before boiling.

  3. Add katsuobushi and gently simmer for 5–7 minutes.

  4. Remove the katsuobushi and strain the dashi.

  5. Strain again through a fine strainer to remove small pieces.

  6. Portion into 200 mL containers and freeze.


♻️ Don't Throw Away the Kombu!


I use the same kombu to make a second dashi.


KOMBU X DRIED SHIITAKE DASHI (2番ダシ) RECIPE |

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 L water

  • Used kombu

  • 16 dried shiitake mushrooms


INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Gently heat the used kombu in water and remove it before boiling.

  2. Let the stock cool completely.

  3. Add dried shiitake.

  4. Place parchment paper directly on the surface to prevent the shiitake from drying out.

  5. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.

  6. Remove the shiitake and strain the dashi.

  7. Portion into 200 mL cubes and freeze.


And don't throw away the shiitake either! The used shiitake is edible!

I'll use them in another recipe.



HOW I MAKE MISO SOUP IN MINUTES |

When I'm ready to make miso soup:

1 frozen dashi cube

↓

Add 200–250 mL water

↓

Add whatever vegetables I have↓Cook until tender

↓

Turn off the heat & add miso

↓

🍲 Miso soup is ready!

One 200 mL concentrated dashi cube makes approximately 2 servings once diluted.


THE BEST PART? |

There Is No Perfect Recipe.

This is how I enjoy miso soup almost every day.


I use whatever I have:

Mushrooms • cabbage • carrots • kabocha • spinach • tofu • eggs • seafood


And I change the miso and dashi depending on what I'm in the mood for.


That's one of my favorite things about Japanese home cooking:

You don't need a complicated recipe.


A simple bowl of miso soup can bring together vegetables, mushrooms, protein, and a traditional fermented food—miso—all in one meal.


From a gut-health perspective, I value this kind of variety and consistency much more than trying to make every meal perfect.



SHOPPING TIPS |

Making homemade DASHI is simple, but using quality ingredients truly makes a difference in flavor and overall nutrition. Here are a few staples I personally recommend keeping in your pantry if you enjoy Japanese cooking regularly.


DRIED KELP [KOMBU] FROM HOKKAIDO, JAPAN:

Packaged kombu seaweed tied with string, featuring Japanese text on the label. Clear plastic bag, minimalistic presentation.

Kombu is the foundation of Japanese cuisine.


High-quality kombu makes all the difference when preparing basic ingredients.


Hokkaido is known as the production center of premium kombu due to its unique climate and coastal conditions. Among the most famous varieties are:

  • Rishiri kombu

  • Hidaka kombu


There are many kombu products sourced from other countries. While they can work, when I make traditional Japanese food, I prefer using ingredients from Japan whenever possible for authenticity and flavor quality.



KATSUOBUSHI (BONITO FLAKES):

Clear bag of Hanakatsuo dried shaved skipjack tuna with red patterns and Japanese text, used for making dashi. Visible 80g weight.

Katsuobushi (bonito flakes) is made from dried skipjack tuna and is essential for making traditional dashi.


When I purchase katsuobushi, I prefer products made in Japan. Yamaki is one of the leading producers, with over a century of history in producing high-quality bonito flakes.


Freshness is extremely important. Once opened:

  • Reseal tightly

  • Store properly

  • Use within a short period



JAPANESE DRIED SHIITAKE "DONKO":

Plastic-wrapped tray of dried shiitake mushrooms with Japanese label, red circle design, and QR code on beige packaging.

Japanese Dried Shiitake Donko type are thick, round-capped mushrooms known for their intense umami and meaty texture.


Compared to thinner shiitake, Donko varieties are harvested earlier, resulting in a denser structure and richer flavor.


I always recommend choosing Japanese-grown shiitake, as the quality, aroma, and depth of flavor are noticeably superior.



ORGANIC "NAMA" MISO PASTE FROM JAPAN:

Plastic container of organic miso paste with a white label featuring Japanese text. The lid is clear, and the background is plain white.

This is one of the best quality miso options widely available in the U.S. market.


The ingredient list is exactly how miso should be:

  • Rice koji

  • Soybeans

  • Salt

  • Water

Nothing else.


It is:

  • Made in Japan

  • Gluten-free

  • Simple and traditional


MAKE IT ONCE. ENJOY IT ALL WEEK. |

Healthy eating doesn't have to mean cooking everything from scratch every day.


For me, it's about creating little systems that make good habits easier.


Make dashi once. Freeze it. Add whatever you have. Make miso soup. Repeat. 🍲


That's my secret to enjoying miso soup almost every day—even when life gets busy. 💛

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