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Japanese Veggie Soup

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This Buddhist temple soup combines various vegetables, mushrooms, and tofu in a rich dashi broth made from kombu and shiitake. It's both nourishing and vegan-friendly, showing off the depth of Japanese vegetarian cooking.

Casey
Updated on Mon, 20 Jan 2025 20:06:44 GMT
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A close-up of a bowl of soup filled with various vegetables, topped with chopped green onions, against a blurred green background. Pin it
A close-up of a bowl of soup filled with various vegetables, topped with chopped green onions, against a blurred green background. | cookingwithcasey.com

Let me share one of my favorite Japanese soups that I discovered years ago Kenchin Jiru! This beautiful vegetable soup comes from Buddhist temple cuisine and honestly it's like a warm hug in a bowl. I love how the tender daikon carrots and burdock root swim in this amazing soy-flavored broth made with kombu and dried shiitake mushrooms. It's completely vegan and packed with these incredible umami flavors that'll make you forget all about meat.

What Makes This Soup Special

You know what I love most about this soup? It's how all the natural flavors of the vegetables shine through without any fancy tricks. Just a touch of soy sauce and sesame oil brings everything together perfectly. The recipe comes from shojin ryori Japanese temple cooking and there's something so peaceful about making it. Every time I prepare this soup it feels like a little meditation in my kitchen.

Everything You'll Need

  • Kombu: One 4x4 inch piece this seaweed is the backbone of our broth.
  • Dried Shiitake Mushrooms: 3-4 pieces they add such amazing depth.
  • Daikon Radish: 1 cup sliced into pretty quarter rounds.
  • Carrots: 1 cup cut just like the daikon.
  • Burdock Root: ½ cup scraped and sliced on an angle.
  • Konnyaku: Half a block cut into bite-sized pieces.
  • Aburaage: One piece of this fried tofu sliced thin.
  • Sesame Oil: Just a tablespoon but it makes everything fragrant.
  • Soy Sauce: 2 tablespoons for that perfect seasoning.
  • Spring Onion: One large one sliced diagonally.
  • Water: 4 cups for our dashi broth.

Let's Make It Together

Start With The Broth
First let's make our dashi. Pop that kombu and those shiitakes in water and let them hang out for at least 30 minutes I like doing this overnight. Then we'll bring it to a gentle simmer remove the kombu and mushrooms and slice up those mushrooms for later.
Get Those Veggies Going
Heat up your sesame oil and throw in all your vegetables plus the konnyaku aburaage and those sliced mushrooms. Give everything a good stir and let them dance around for about 3-5 minutes until they're all coated and smelling amazing.
Add Our Magic Broth
Now pour in that beautiful dashi bring it up to a gentle boil then turn it down and let everything simmer together for about 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are just tender.
Season To Perfection
Add your soy sauce give it a taste and adjust if needed. Let it simmer for another 5 minutes to let all those flavors get to know each other.
Make It Pretty
Right before serving toss in those spring onions or sprinkle them on top. Serve it up hot and watch everyone's faces light up!

My Best Tips

Here's a little secret try to cut all your vegetables about the same size they'll cook more evenly that way. That sesame oil at the start really makes everything sing and don't add the soy sauce too early or it'll lose its punch. I love adding extra spring onions on top or sometimes a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

Make It Your Own

Can't find konnyaku? No worries just use firm tofu instead. Burdock root can be tricky to find too you can swap in parsnips or just skip it. Sometimes I add a splash of yuzu juice at the end for brightness or a pinch of chili flakes if I'm craving heat. Want to make it more filling? Throw in some cooked soba or udon noodles.

A bowl of vegetable soup featuring diced carrots, mushrooms, and green onions in a clear broth. Pin it
A bowl of vegetable soup featuring diced carrots, mushrooms, and green onions in a clear broth. | cookingwithcasey.com

Keeping It Fresh

This soup actually gets better after a day or two in the fridge store it in an airtight container and it'll stay good for about 3 days. Just reheat it gently on the stove you don't want to cook those vegetables to death. The flavors get even deeper overnight it's like magic.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ What is dashi?

Dashi is a Japanese stock, here made with kombu seaweed and dried shiitake mushrooms for a vegetarian version.

→ Can I find these ingredients easily?

Most ingredients can be found at Asian markets. Regular mushrooms and radish can substitute for some items.

→ How long does this soup keep?

Store in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat on stove or in microwave.

→ What is konjac/konnyaku?

It's a Japanese ingredient made from yam starch, adding texture to dishes. You can skip it if unavailable.

→ Can I make the dashi ahead?

Yes, soaking kombu and shiitake overnight creates a deeper flavor.

Kenchin Jiru

A traditional Buddhist vegetable soup featuring root vegetables, mushrooms, and tofu in a kombu-shiitake dashi broth. Healthy, vegan, and deeply flavorful.

Prep Time
10 Minutes
Cook Time
20 Minutes
Total Time
30 Minutes
By: Casey


Difficulty: Intermediate

Cuisine: Japanese

Yield: 5 Servings (1)

Dietary: Low-Carb, Vegan, Vegetarian, Dairy-Free

Ingredients

01 500ml water.
02 5g dried kelp (kombu).
03 10g dried shiitake mushrooms.
04 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil.
05 75g carrot, quartered rounds.
06 250g daikon radish, quartered rounds.
07 100g burdock root (gobo), peeled and sliced.
08 150g konjac (konnyaku), chunked.
09 20g fried tofu pouch (aburaage), sliced.
10 50g shimeji mushrooms.
11 100g enoki mushrooms.
12 50g green onion, sliced diagonally.
13 2 tablespoons sake.
14 2 tablespoons mirin.
15 3 tablespoons soy sauce.

Instructions

Step 01

Soak kombu and dried shiitake in water 30 minutes or overnight.

Step 02

Remove and slice shiitake.

Step 03

Heat dashi until bubbling, remove kombu.

Step 04

Heat sesame oil in large pot.

Step 05

Add all ingredients except green onion, stir-fry until vegetables soften.

Step 06

Add dashi, simmer until root vegetables are tender.

Step 07

Add sake, mirin, and soy sauce.

Step 08

Simmer 2-3 minutes.

Step 09

Add green onion, simmer 5 minutes more.

Step 10

Taste and adjust seasonings.

Notes

  1. A traditional Buddhist vegetable soup that's naturally vegan.
  2. The dashi base can be made stronger by soaking ingredients overnight.
  3. Leftovers keep 2-3 days in fridge.

Tools You'll Need

  • Large pot.
  • Second pot for dashi.
  • Knife.
  • Cutting board.

Allergy Information

Please check ingredients for potential allergens and consult a health professional if in doubt.
  • Soy (tofu, soy sauce).

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 101
  • Total Fat: 2 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 12 g
  • Protein: 3 g