Dashi-Based Recipes: Simple Japanese Comfort Food at Home
Are you curious about how to use dashi in Japanese cooking at home? Many beginners struggle to make authentic dishes with dashi.
This article explains miso soup, katsudon, ramen, and gyudon step by step. By reading, you’ll gain confidence to cook with dashi and enjoy true flavour.
1. Miso Soup
A classic Japanese soup featuring miso paste dissolved in savoury bonito–kelp dashi, enhanced by the umami of dried seaweed. Rich and comforting, it makes a perfect starter.
Ingredients (2 servings)
・Water: 400 ml
・Bonito & kelp Dashi pack: 1 pack
・Miso paste: 2 tbsp (adjust to taste)
・Soy sauce: 1 tsp
・Dried seaweed (nori), roasted: 1 sheet (torn)
Instructions
・In a pot, combine water and the dashi pack and bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove the pack.
・Reduce heat to low. Dissolve the miso paste into the hot dashi, then add soy sauce and heat briefly. Do not boil aggressively.
・Place torn seaweed in bowls and pour the miso soup over it to serve.
2. Katsudon
A hearty rice bowl of crispy fried pork cutlet and tender egg, simmered in a sweet–savory dashi-based sauce. It’s a beloved Japanese comfort food.
Ingredients (2 servings)
・Pork cutlets (Tonkatsu, ready-made or homemade): 2 pieces
・Onion (sliced): 1/2 piece
・Eggs (beaten): 3
・Cooked rice: 2 bowls
・Mitsuba (Japanese parsley, optional): a few sprigs
・Beni shoga (pickled ginger, for garnish): to taste
・(A) Sauce:
・Water: 150 ml
・Bonito & kelp Dashi pack: 1 pack
・Soy sauce: 2 tbsp
・Mirin: 2 tbsp
・Sake: 1 tbsp
・Sugar: 1/2 tbsp
Instructions
・Slice the pork cutlets into 2 cm strips. Cut the onion into thin wedges. Lightly beat the eggs.
・Heat oil in a pan. Sauté the pork and onions until the onions turn translucent. Add (A) and the dashi pack, bring to a simmer, and skim off any foam.
・Reduce heat to low, pour the beaten eggs evenly over the cutlets, cover the pan, and cook until the eggs are softly set. The sweet–savory dashi sauce will coat the pork and egg.
・Serve over hot rice. Garnish with mitsuba leaves and pickled ginger if desired.
3. Ramen Soup
Dish description: A simple yet flavorful broth made by infusing bonito–kelp dashi pack. This aromatic shoyu (soy sauce) soup is light but full-bodied, perfect for topping ramen noodles.
Ingredients (2 servings)
・Ramen noodles (fresh): 2 servings
・Eggs (soft-boiled): 2
・(A) Dashi:
・Bonito & kelp Dashi pack: 2 packs
・Water: 800 ml
・(B) Seasoning:
・Soy sauce: 2 tbsp
・Sake: 1 tbsp
・Oyster sauce: 2 tsp
・Mirin: 2 tsp
・Salt: a pinch
・White sesame seeds: for garnish
・Spring onions (chopped): to garnish
・Sesame oil: a drizzle
Instructions
・Boil the eggs until they reach desired doneness (runny yolk is typical). Cool and peel.
・In a pot, combine water and dashi packs. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently for 5 minutes. Remove and discard the packs.
・Turn off the heat. Add the soy sauce, sake, oyster sauce, mirin, and salt. Stir and let the soup rest for 10–15 minutes to blend the flavours.
・Cook the noodles according to package instructions in boiling water. Drain.
・Warm the serving bowls. Divide the noodles into the bowls, pour the hot soup over them. Top each with a halved egg, sprinkle on sesame seeds and spring onions, and finish with a drop of sesame oil.
4. Gyudon Sauce
A classic sweet–savory sauce for beef bowl (gyudon) made with soy sauce and bonito–kelp dashi. The richly flavored broth soaks into tender beef and rice, making a satisfying Japanese comfort dish.
Ingredients (2 servings)
・Thinly sliced beef: 150 g
・Onion (sliced): 1/2 piece
・Oil: a little (for frying)
・Cooked rice: 2 bowls
・Beni shoga (pickled ginger, for garnish): to taste
・(A) Sauce:
・Water: 150 ml
・Bonito & kelp Dashi pack: 1 pack
・Soy sauce: 2 tbsp
・Mirin: 2 tbsp
・Sugar: 1/2 tbsp
Instructions
・Cut the beef and onion into bite-sized pieces.
・Heat oil in a pan. Sauté the beef until just browned, then add the onion and continue to cook until softened.
・Pour in water and add the dashi pack, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. Bring to a boil and skim off any scum. Cover and simmer on low heat for 5–10 minutes so the flavors meld.
・Serve the seasoned beef and sauce over hot rice. Garnish with pickled ginger if desired.
References
・白ごはん.com「おいしい味噌汁のレシピ」
・堅魚屋ブログ「絶品！カツ丼レシピの決め手はだし！」
・クックパッド「長男の得意料理♡あっさり！和風ラーメン」
・主婦A子ブログ「自宅で作るおいしい牛丼の作り方」