Kinoko Jiru (Japanese Mushroom Soup)

Why not try Kinoko Jiru, a Japanese mushroom soup rich in umami? This soup allows you to enjoy a variety of mushrooms combined with dashi broth, offering a complex flavor and texture.

Jump to:

• What is Kinoko Jiru?
• Mushroom varieties
• Optional ingredients
• Choosing dashi
• 📋Step-by-step recipe
• Recipe card

What is Kinoko Jiru?

Kinoko Jiru is a Japanese mushroom soup made with a variety of mushrooms simmered in dashi broth. "Kinoko" means mushrooms, and "Jiru" refers to soup. By using different types of mushrooms, the flavors blend together, creating a flavorful and umami-packed dish.

Originally, this dish was often enjoyed in the fall when mushrooms are in season. However, now that mushrooms are available year-round, it has become a common choice for everyday meals. You can use any type of mushroom you like. Enjoy the complex flavors, textures, and nutritional benefits of mushrooms by using your favorite varieties.

Mushroom varieties

Mushrooms commonly used in this dish include:

• Shiitake
• Enoki
• Shimeji
• Maitake
• Nameko

While you can make kinoko jiru with just one type of mushroom, combining different varieties allows you to enjoy a more complex flavor and texture. The mushrooms don’t necessarily have to be Japanese varieties; feel free to use any type of mushroom available in your area.

Optional ingredients

Kinoko jiru can also be enjoyed by adding various ingredients. Common choices include vegetables like naganegi (Japanese leeks), carrots, and daikon radish, as well as aburaage (deep-fried tofu) and chicken. In this recipe, I used aburaage to add richness to the flavor.

However, since mushrooms are the main focus of this dish, it is best not to add too many additional ingredients. These ingredients are optional, and the dish is often made with just mushrooms.

Choosing dashi

Kinoko jiru is a soup that combines the umami of dashi broth and mushrooms, creating a delicious flavor. You can use any type of dashi, but I highly recommend using bonito dashi for the best results. Since this dish doesn't contain animal protein, using bonito dashi, which is made from fish, adds depth to the flavor.

However, this is only a suggestion to enhance the dish. If you are vegan and cannot use animal-based dashi, you can use kombu dashi. Regardless of the dashi you choose, you can still make delicious kinoko jiru.

📋Step-by-step recipe

Ingredients

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You can also use different types of mushrooms, or increase or decrease the number of varieties.

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Instructions

🕒 Total: 15 mins mins

If you already have bonito dashi or another type of dashi, start from step 3. In this case, use 1 ⅔ cups (400ml) of your dashi for 2 servings.

Step 1
Fill a pot with water and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, add bonito flakes, and let it simmer for 2 minutes.

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Step 2
Turn off the heat and strain the mixture through a sieve lined with paper towels or a cloth (such as cheesecloth). Alternatively, if you don't mind having some fine bonito flakes remaining, you can simply use a fine-mesh strainer. Bonito dashi is now ready.

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Step 3
Remove the stems from shiitake mushrooms and thinly slice the caps. Trim off the base of enoki and shimeji mushrooms and separate them into smaller or individual pieces. Thinly slice green onion.

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Step 4
Place aburaage in a heatproof bowl and pour boiling water over it to remove excess oil. Remove it from the bowl and once it has cooled enough to handle, drain off the water. Cut it in half lengthwise and slice it into thin strips.

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Step 5
Return the dashi to the pot and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, add all the mushrooms, the aburaage, and sake, and simmer them over low heat for 3 minutes. Then, turn off the heat, add salt and soy sauce, and let the flavors blend.

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Step 6
Serve in each bowl and top with the green onions.

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To Store

You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Recipe card