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Sauces, pastes & condiments · Stocks & broths

Dashi

Clear Japanese stock of kombu seaweed and dried bonito flakes, the savoury base of miso soup and noodle broths.

Also called: japanese soup stock, awase dashi

A kind of stock / broth

18 recipes with it

What it is

A quick stock made by steeping kombu (kelp) in water, heating it, then briefly infusing katsuobushi (smoked, dried bonito flakes) and straining. Awase dashi uses both; kombu-and-shiitake dashi is vegan. Instant granules (hondashi) and tea-bag packs are common shortcuts. It is lighter and much quicker than Western stocks.

How it’s used

  • Miso soup
  • Udon, soba and ramen broths
  • Simmered dishes (nimono) and oden
  • Chawanmushi and tamagoyaki
  • Agedashi tofu and tempura dipping sauce

Characteristics

Taste
Clean, delicate and deeply savoury (umami).
Aroma
Lightly smoky and oceanic.
Appearance
Clear, pale golden.
When cooked
Kombu turns slimy and bitter if boiled hard; remove it just before boiling.
Sold as
liquid, powder
Cooking uses
Commonly cooked, Suitable for boiling
Common in
Japanese, Nikkei

Storage

Refrigerated. Refrigerate home-made dashi and use within a few days, or freeze. Keep granules sealed and dry.

Diet, allergens and safety

Contains Fish.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Contains fish (bonito) unless made with kombu and shiitake only. Kombu is very high in iodine; use in moderation.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
16 kcal
Protein
2.26 g
Carbohydrate
0 g
Fat
0.81 g
Fibre
0 g
Sugars
0 g

USDA FoodData Central: Soup, stock, fish, home-prepared (a close stand-in).

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Instant dashi granules — Dissolve in hot water per pack; saltier and may contain MSG.
  • Vegetable stock — With a strip of kombu; lighter and less smoky.

Related ingredients

Recipes with dashi

See all 18

6 more

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