Dashi (Japanese soup stock)

We’d like to introduce how to make dashi, an essential element of Japanese cooking.

This guide covers various types of dashi—including kombu (kelp), katsuobushi (bonito flakes), niboshi (dried sardines), dried shiitake mushrooms, dashi packs, and granulated Japanese soup stock—with methods that are easy to follow, even outside Japan.

The type of dashi you need depends on the Japanese dish you’re preparing.
Use this page as a handy reference whenever you need to make dashi for your Japanese recipes.

 

What is Dashi?

Dashi is made by simmering natural ingredients such as kombu (kelp), katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes), niboshi (dried sardines), and dried shiitake mushrooms.
Using dashi as a base enhances the natural umami of ingredients and brings depth and richness to the flavor of a dish.

Often described as the “soul” of Japanese cuisine, dashi is considered so essential that there’s a saying: “The deliciousness of a dish depends on the quality of its dashi.”

Dashi is used in nearly all types of Japanese dishes—including miso soup, simmered dishes, hot pots, udon, soba, and more. It’s a staple in both everyday home cooking and refined meals at traditional restaurants and high-end Japanese dining establishments.

While it plays a similar role to bouillon, fond, or stock in Western cuisine, dashi differs in that it can be made quickly and easily without the long hours of simmering meat, bones, and vegetables.

In recent years, convenient options like dashi packs and instant granulated dashi have become widely available, making it easier than ever to enjoy the flavor of dashi in everyday cooking.

 

The Story Behind This Recipe

Historical records show that as early as the Nara period (710–794), katsuobushi (dried bonito) and kombu (kelp) were already being offered as tribute to the imperial court.

In 675 AD, Emperor Tenmu issued a ban on meat consumption based on Buddhist principles prohibiting the taking of life. This meat prohibition remained in place in various forms until the Meiji period, when a decree officially lifted the ban and reintroduced meat into the Japanese diet.

Although it seems that meat was not completely absent from people’s diets during that time, a lifestyle of eating little to no meat became widely established. (Fish, however, was generally allowed and regularly consumed.)

Without access to meat, meals often lacked rich savory flavors. To compensate for this, the culture of dashi evolved—a method of extracting umami from ingredients like katsuobushi and kombu and infusing it into dishes to enhance the flavor of other ingredients.

This practice became central to Japanese cuisine, shaping a food culture that draws depth and character from simple, natural ingredients.

The secret behind today’s “healthy yet delicious” Japanese food lies, in part, in this unique historical background.

 

Kombu dashi

Kombu dashi has a clean, refined flavor with little bitterness or unwanted taste.

Its light and delicate taste pairs well with a wide variety of dishes, making it a versatile choice for Japanese cooking.

It’s especially well-suited for simmered dishes, miso soup, seasoned rice (takikomi gohan), yudofu (tofu hot pot), shabu-shabu, and mizutaki (chicken hot pot).

 

Ingredients

• Kombu (dried kelp) – 0.35 oz / 10 g
  Wipe the kombu gently with a damp cloth to remove surface dust. Avoid scrubbing or rinsing with water, as it may wash away the natural umami.
  
• Water (filtered or soft) – 4 ¼ cups / 35 oz / 1 L
  

 

Instructions for Cold-Brew Kombu Dashi

An easy way to make a clean and refreshing dashi broth.

1		Place the kombu in water and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight (for at least 3 hours, preferably more than 8 hours). Tip The ideal ratio of kombu to water is about 1% by weight.
2		Remove the kombu — your cold-brew kombu dashi is ready to use. Tip The kombu used for cold-brewing still contains umami and can be reused. For the second use, simmer it to make a hot kombu dashi, combine it with katsuobushi for a richer broth, or use it in simmered dishes or as tsukudani (sweet-savory kombu side dish).

 

Instructions for Simmered Kombu Dashi

This method produces a richer, more umami-packed kombu dashi compared to the cold-brew version.

1		Place the kombu that has been soaked overnight, along with its soaking water, into a pot.
2		Heat gently over low heat for about 10 minutes to slowly draw out the umami. When small bubbles begin to appear from the bottom of the pot (around 80°C / 176°F), remove the kombu just before it starts to boil. If any scum (foam) rises to the surface, skim it off. Tip Avoid letting it boil—boiling causes the kombu’s sticky compounds to dissolve, which can negatively affect the flavor. Be careful not to overheat.

 

Katsuobushi dashi

Katsuobushi dashi (bonito stock) is a versatile broth used in a wide range of Japanese dishes thanks to its rich aroma and deep umami flavor.

It pairs especially well with dishes where dashi plays a central role—such as sumashijiru (clear soups), miso soup, simmered dishes, noodle broths for udon and soba, and chawanmushi (savory egg custard).

Because of its strong umami content, katsuobushi dashi enhances the flavor of everyday dishes, making them even more satisfying and flavorful.

 

Ingredients

• Katsuobushi (bonito flakes) – 0.7–1.1 oz / 20–30 g
• Water (filtered or soft) – 4 ¼ cups / 35 oz / 1 L

 

Instructions

1		Pour water into a pot and bring it to a boil.
2		Once it reaches a boil, turn off the heat and add the katsuobushi (bonito flakes).
3		Let the flakes steep for about 2 minutes, until they sink to the bottom of the pot.
4		Place a strainer lined with a paper towel (or clean cloth) over a bowl, and gently strain the broth. Your katsuobushi dashi is ready. Tip Avoid squeezing the bonito flakes when straining. Pressing them will make the dashi cloudy and introduce bitterness or unwanted flavors, resulting in a less refined taste.

 

First Dashi (Ichiban Dashi) with Katsuobushi and Kombu

Ichiban Dashi has a beautiful, clear golden color and a rich, refined aroma that exudes elegance. It offers a deep yet delicate flavor, created by the synergistic umami of katsuobushi (bonito flakes) and kombu (kelp).

Its full-bodied taste and fragrant aroma make it especially well-suited for subtly seasoned dishes. It brings out the best in clear soups like osuimono and sumashi-jiru, as well as in chawanmushi (savory egg custard) and dashimaki tamago (Japanese rolled omelet).
Its delicate umami also pairs beautifully with dishes like ohitashi (blanched greens in dashi), nibitashi (simmered vegetables), and furofuki daikon (simmered daikon radish).

 

Ingredients

• Kombu (dried kelp) – 0.35 oz / 10 g
  Wipe the kombu gently with a damp cloth to remove surface dust. Avoid scrubbing or rinsing with water, as it may wash away the natural umami.
  
• Katsuobushi (hana-katsuo or kezuri-katsuo) – 0.7–1.1 oz / 20–30 g
• Water (filtered or soft) – 4 ¼ cups / 35 oz / 1 L

 

Instructions

1		Place the kombu in water and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight. Tip If you want to make cold-brew kombu dashi, simply remove the kombu after soaking overnight. This method produces a light and clean-tasting broth with minimal effort.
2		For simmered kombu dashi, either use the kombu from step 1 or soak a fresh piece in water for about 30 minutes before heating. Then, heat the water slowly over low heat for about 10 minutes to extract the umami. When small bubbles start to rise from the bottom of the pot (around 80°C / 176°F), remove the kombu just before the water reaches a boil. Tip This completes the simmered kombu dashi, which is richer in umami compared to the cold-brew method. If any scum appears, skim it off gently. Boiling can cause the sticky components in kombu to dissolve, which may ruin the flavor. Be careful not to overheat.
3		Once the kombu dashi begins to boil, turn off the heat and add the katsuobushi (bonito flakes). Let it sit for about 2 minutes until the flakes sink slowly to the bottom.
4		Place a strainer lined with a paper towel (or clean cloth) over a bowl. Slowly strain the dashi through the lined strainer. Tip Do not press or squeeze the bonito flakes, as this will make the broth cloudy and bring out bitterness and off-flavors, resulting in a less refined taste.

 

 

Second Dashi (Niban Dashi) with Katsuobushi and Kombu

Niban dashi (second dashi) is made by reusing the kombu and katsuobushi left over from the first dashi (ichiban dashi). While its aroma is milder than that of ichiban dashi, it still has a rich umami flavor and makes an excellent soup stock.

It’s ideal for a wide variety of dishes such as miso soup, simmered dishes, soba and udon broth, as well as seasoned rice dishes like takikomi gohan. Because of its deeper umami and lighter aroma, it pairs especially well with recipes that use stronger seasonings or bolder flavors.

 

Ingredients

• Kombu and katsuobushi left over from the first dashi (ichiban dashi) above
• Katsuobushi (for added flavor, known as oigatsuo) – 0.35 oz / 10 g
• Water (filtered or soft) – 2 cups / 17.6 oz / 500 g
  Use half the amount of water used in the first dashi (ichiban dashi) as a general guideline.

 

Instructions

1		Place the used kombu and katsuobushi from the first dashi (ichiban dashi) into a pot with water and bring it to a boil.
2		Once it reaches a boil, reduce to low heat and simmer for about 5 minutes.
3		Add the additional katsuobushi (oigatsuo) and simmer for another 2 minutes.
4		Place a strainer lined with a paper towel (or clean cloth) over a bowl. Slowly strain the dashi through it, without pressing the ingredients.

 

 

Niboshi Dashi (Dried Sardine Broth)

Niboshi dashi, also known as iriko dashi, is a traditional Japanese soup stock made from dried sardines. It has a distinct umami flavor and a rich, oceanic aroma that brings out the essence of seafood.

This type of dashi pairs especially well with miso soup and noodle dishes, but it's also widely used in simmered dishes, takikomi gohan (seasoned rice), and hot pots.

 

Ingredients

• Niboshi (dried sardines) – 0.53 oz / 15 g
• Water (filtered or soft) – 2 cups / 17.6 oz / 500 g
  

 

Instructions

1		Remove the heads and guts from the niboshi (dried sardines). Tip Removing the heads and guts helps eliminate bitterness and off-flavors, resulting in a cleaner, better-tasting dashi.
2		Place the prepared niboshi (with heads and guts removed) in water and refrigerate overnight. If you're short on time, soak them for at least 30 minutes. Tip Cold-brewing niboshi dashi for a longer time helps extract more umami. For best results, soak overnight. After soaking, remove the niboshi — your cold-brew niboshi dashi is ready. It will have a clean, clear flavor.
3		Transfer the soaked water and niboshi to a pot and heat over low heat. Skim off any foam or scum that rises to the surface. You can either bring it to a gentle simmer for 6–7 minutes, or, for a more delicate extraction, keep the temperature around 70°C (158°F) and simmer for 20–30 minutes. Tip Heating above 80°C (176°F) may result in a fishy smell, so try to keep the temperature below that for a more refined flavor.
4		Place a strainer lined with a paper towel (or clean cloth) over a bowl. Strain the dashi through it gently — and your niboshi dashi is ready to use.

 

 

Dried Shiitake Dashi

Dried shiitake mushroom dashi is rich in umami and packed with nutrients.
It has a wonderful aroma and a deep, savory flavor that pairs well with a wide range of dishes, including miso soup, simmered dishes, noodle broths, takikomi gohan (seasoned rice), and hot pots.

Its robust taste makes it a popular choice not only for shojin ryori (traditional Buddhist vegetarian cuisine), but also as a flavorful base for meat dishes like chicken and pork.

 

Ingredients

• Dried shiitake mushrooms – 4 to 5 pieces
• Water (filtered or soft) – 2 cups / 17.6 oz / 500 g

 

Instructions

1		Place the dried shiitake mushrooms—rinsed under running water to remove any dirt—into water, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours. Tip Soaking them slowly in cold water helps extract a rich, full-bodied dashi without losing any of the umami.
2		Place a strainer lined with a paper towel (or clean cloth) over a bowl. Strain the soaking liquid — your shiitake dashi is now ready to use. Tip The rehydrated mushrooms can be used in simmered dishes, chirashi sushi, or other recipes.

 

 

Dashi Pack Dashi (Broth from Dashi Packets)

Dashi packs are small sachets filled with finely ground ingredients used to make dashi, such as katsuobushi (bonito flakes), kombu (kelp), and niboshi (dried sardines). They’re convenient and easy to use—simply place a packet in hot water to make dashi.

Compared to granulated dashi, dashi packs offer a more natural aroma and umami from the ingredients, bringing richer flavor and depth to your dishes.

 

Ingredients

• Dashi pack
• Water (tap or soft) 
  

Follow the quantities indicated on the package.

 

Instructions

Follow the instructions on the package.

 

Granulated Dashi (Instant Dashi Powder)

Granulated dashi is a powdered or granule-form soup stock that dissolves easily in hot water, allowing you to create a dashi base quickly and effortlessly. While its flavor may not be as refined as that of natural dashi, and it can sometimes contain more salt, it’s highly convenient—offering consistent seasoning with minimal effort.

It's a popular choice for busy cooks who want to save time without sacrificing too much flavor.

 

Ingredients

• Granulated dashi
• Water (filtered or soft) 

Follow the quantities indicated on the package.

 

Instructions

Follow the instructions on the package.