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Japanese Clear Soup

Japanese clear soup made with a delicate dashi broth and quick-simmered mushrooms, tofu, and green onion. This light, clean soup stays gentle (no hard boil) for a clear, comforting finish.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: Japanese
Calories: 160
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

dashi stock
  • 6 cup dashi stock homemade or from dashi powder
seasoning
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp mirin
  • 0.5 tsp salt
mushrooms
  • 4 oz enoki mushrooms trimmed
  • 4 oz shiitake mushrooms thinly sliced
tofu
  • 0.5 cup soft tofu cubed
garnish
  • 2 green onions thinly sliced
carrot (optional)
  • 0.25 cup carrot thinly sliced into flower shapes

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Make the broth
  1. Bring the dashi stock to a gentle simmer in a pot and keep it from boiling hard; this helps the broth stay clear. Look for small bubbles just around the edges rather than a rolling boil.
  2. Stir in the soy sauce, mirin, and salt until fully combined. The surface should look uniform with no streaks of seasoning.
Cook the mushrooms and vegetables
  1. Add the shiitake mushrooms and the carrot (if using), then simmer for 3–4 minutes until tender. You should see the mushrooms soften while the broth remains clear.
Warm the tofu and finish
  1. Gently add the enoki mushrooms and tofu cubes, then simmer for 2 more minutes until just heated through. The tofu should look intact and the enoki should turn glossy without breaking apart.
  2. Ladle the soup into small bowls and garnish with the sliced green onion. The green should sit on top fresh and bright.

Notes

Tip: keep the soup at a gentle simmer (not a hard boil) so the dashi stays translucent. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently to avoid breaking tofu. Freezing isn’t recommended because enoki and tofu can change texture. For a gluten-conscious swap, use gluten-free soy sauce and gluten-free dashi powder if using a store-bought version.