Japanese Clear Soup Recipe
This Japanese Clear Soup is a light and flavorful broth made by simmering aromatic vegetables and chicken broth, then straining to create a delicate, clear soup. Topped with fresh scallions and thinly sliced mushrooms, it offers a comforting and healthy starter that embodies the simplicity and elegance of traditional Japanese cuisine.
- Author: Elena
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Japanese
Vegetables
- 1 large sweet onion, peeled and cut into wedges
- 3 medium carrots, cut into chunks
- 1 piece fresh ginger (2 inches), sliced
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
- 3 scallions, sliced
- 12 button mushrooms, sliced thinly
Liquids & Oils
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- 6 cups chicken broth
Seasoning
- Heat oil: Add 1 tablespoon of neutral oil to a large pot over medium-high heat to prepare for searing the vegetables.
- Sear vegetables: Add the sweet onion wedges, carrot chunks, and sliced ginger to the pot. Sear them until the edges begin to brown, which helps develop depth of flavor in the broth.
- Sauté garlic: Add the sliced garlic cloves and cook for about 1 minute until they start to brown lightly, releasing their aroma without burning.
- Simmer broth: Pour in 6 cups of chicken broth and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer gently for 1 hour to fully extract flavors from the vegetables and aromatics.
- Strain broth: After simmering, strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve to remove all the cooked vegetables and solids. Discard these solids and season the clear broth with salt to your taste.
- Serve: Divide the hot, clear broth equally into four bowls and garnish each with sliced scallions and thinly sliced button mushrooms for added texture and freshness.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, substitute chicken broth with vegetable broth.
- Make sure not to burn the garlic as it can turn the broth bitter.
- The soup can be served as a starter or a light meal.
- Adjust the salt seasoning after straining to avoid over-salting.
- Use fresh mushrooms for the best texture; shiitake mushrooms can be a delicious alternative.
Keywords: Japanese clear soup, chicken broth soup, light soup, vegetable broth, scallion garnish, mushroom soup, simple Japanese recipe