Zōsui

Name: Zōsui
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 300g Cooked Japanese Short-Grain Rice, Day-old preferred; 700ml Dashi, Kombu–katsuobushi stock or good-quality instant dashi (per label); 1 1/2 tbsp Soy Sauce; 1 tbsp Sake; 1 tbsp Mirin; 1/4 tsp Salt, Fine; adjust to taste; 1 small Carrots, Finely diced; 2 Shiitake Mushrooms, Thinly sliced (stems removed); 1/2 Negi, Japanese long onion; or 2 scallions, thinly sliced; 2 large Eggs, Lightly beaten; 1 handful of Mitsuba, Japanese parsley; or extra sliced scallions

Zōsui is a warm, soothing Japanese rice soup made by simmering tender vegetables and umami-rich broth with cooked short-grain rice, then finishing with ribboned egg and fresh herbs. It’s simple, nourishing comfort food—light yet deeply flavorful—perfect for chilly evenings or when you want something gentle on the stomach.

Zōsui is a warm, soothing Japanese rice soup made by simmering tender vegetables and umami-rich broth with cooked short-grain rice... Show more

Traditional Japanese Recipe

Health Grade

A · Excellent

Time

25 min

Price

2,54 €

Calories

343 kcal

low calorie

quick

easy

one pot

Method

Wash the produce

Rinse the carrot, shiitake mushrooms, negi, and mitsuba under cool running water. Pat everything dry well with a clean towel or paper towels so the vegetables slice neatly and the herbs stay fresh-looking.

Cut the vegetables

Peel the carrot, then finely dice it into small, even pieces so it cooks quickly in the soup. Trim off and discard the shiitake stems, then thinly slice the caps. Thinly slice the negi, and roughly chop the mitsuba for garnish.

Beat the eggs

Crack the eggs into a small bowl and beat them lightly with chopsticks or a fork until the yolks and whites are just combined. Stop before the mixture gets foamy; a light beat gives you softer ribbons in the finished zōsui.

Season the broth

Pour the dashi into a medium pot, then stir in the soy sauce, sake, mirin, and salt. Set the pot over medium heat and bring it to a gentle simmer, stirring once or twice so the seasonings blend evenly.

Rinse the rice

Put the cooked Japanese short-grain rice in a sieve and rinse it briefly under cool water, gently loosening any clumps with your fingers. Let it drain well so you wash away excess surface starch without watering down the soup.

Simmer the zōsui

Add the carrot and shiitake to the simmering broth and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the rice and most of the negi, breaking up any clumps with your spoon, then keep the pot at a gentle simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. The rice should loosen into the broth, the carrot should be tender, and the soup should look slightly thickened but still brothy.

Add the egg

Lower the heat so the soup is only barely simmering. Slowly drizzle in the egg in a thin stream; stir once or twice for delicate ribbons, or leave it mostly undisturbed for soft curds. Cover the pot and cook for 1 minute, until the egg is just set and silky.

Serve and garnish

Taste the zōsui and adjust the seasoning if needed, then ladle it into bowls. Scatter the mitsuba over the top and serve right away while the broth is hot and the egg is still tender.