By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 20
15 min
Basic Japanese Dashi
Recipe GLPRc1ab389531a5d9
A foundational Japanese stock made by gently steeping dried kombu seaweed and bonito flakes in hot water. This aromatic, umami-rich broth serves as the base for countless Japanese soups, sauces, and dishes. Ready in just 15 minutes with minimal ingredients.
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Ingredients
2 quarts Water
1 ounce Dried kombu seaweed
1 ounce Dried bonito flakes
Directions
Pour the water into a large pot and bring it to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
Once simmering, add the dried kombu seaweed and let it steep for approximately 5 minutes without boiling vigorously—maintain a calm simmer to extract its delicate flavors.
Remove the kombu from the water with tongs or a slotted spoon and discard.
Add the dried bonito flakes to the hot water and immediately remove the pot from the heat.
Let the bonito flakes steep in the hot water for about 3–5 minutes until they sink to the bottom.
Carefully pour the dashi through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a clean container, leaving behind the bonito sediment. Your dashi is now ready to use.
Comments
The 15-minute time is misleading—dashi simmers for 10 minutes unattended, but sourcing kombu and bonito (dried kelp and skipjack tuna) requires a trip to an Asian market like Lucky Dragon or Mitsu-wa, not any Harris Teeter or Kroger banner in Charlotte. At roughly $1–1.50 per serving for ingredients that aren't shelf-stable pantry basics, this is a one-time investment if you plan to make Japanese broths regularly. It keeps beautifully in the freezer for months, making it ideal for meal prep, but the initial shopping hurdle means it works best for a cook already buying Asian ingredients weekly.
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