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Japanese Clear Soup Recipe

4.8 from 114 reviews

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.

Ingredients

Scale

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

  • Salt, to taste

Instructions

  1. Heat oil: Add 1 tablespoon of neutral oil to a large pot over medium-high heat to prepare for searing the vegetables.
  2. 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.
  3. Sauté garlic: Add the sliced garlic cloves and cook for about 1 minute until they start to brown lightly, releasing their aroma without burning.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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