Homemade Sukiyaki Recipe (Japanese Hot Pot) (2024)

Last modified: . Originally posted: By Sophia DeSantis

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This sukiyaki recipe is made with vegetables and tofu in a savory and flavorful broth. A family friendly healthy meal done in less than 30 minutes!

If you need a delicious way to get in your dose of veggies, then hot pot is perfect choice. You can change it up for your preferences because almost anything goes!

Homemade Sukiyaki Recipe (Japanese Hot Pot) (1)
Homemade Sukiyaki Recipe (Japanese Hot Pot) (2)

This post was originally published on January 20, 2015.

Japanese food is not in my Greek culture, but I grew up eating a lot of it. I love udon soups and miso soups but Sukiyaki is one of my top favorite warming meals!

Sukiyaki Ingredients

More often than not Japanese hot pot dishes are made with thinly sliced beef cooked either in the broth or in a cast iron pot, but since this version is a vegan take on sukiyaki I used tofu instead. See below for some variations, but here's what we usually use:

  • Tamari
  • Mirin rice cooking wine
  • Sake
  • Sugar
  • Rice noodles, shirataki noodles, udon noodles, cellophane noodles, or any you prefer.
  • Bok choy
  • Napa cabbage
  • Shiitake mushrooms, or other varieties such as enoki mushrooms
  • Chinese broccoli or broccolini
  • Carrots
  • Green onions
  • Extra firm tofu
  • Water
  • Oil or veggie broth for sautéing
Homemade Sukiyaki Recipe (Japanese Hot Pot) (3)
Homemade Sukiyaki Recipe (Japanese Hot Pot) (4)

How to Make Sukiyaki

  1. Prepare the noodles by rinsing or soaking if necessary.
    • No need to boil, they will cook in the sukiyaki broth.
  2. In a large soup pot, sauté the green onions and mushrooms with a dash of oil, or broth, until slightly browned.
    • Remove and set aside to add later.
  3. Add the water, Tamari (or Soy), mirin, sake and sugar to the potand simmer until the sugar is dissolved.
  4. Mix in the broccoli and carrots to the pot. Simmer for a few minutes.
  5. Then add the bok choy and cabbage.Simmer a few more minutes.
  6. Turn the heat to low and add the mushrooms, green onions, tofu and noodles.
    • Allow to warm for a few more minutes until everything is just cooked.
  7. Turn off the heat, dish up into bowls, and serve.
Homemade Sukiyaki Recipe (Japanese Hot Pot) (5)
Homemade Sukiyaki Recipe (Japanese Hot Pot) (6)

More Veggies for Hot Pot

The beauty of Japanese sukiyaki is that you can use a wide variety of vegetables. We like what I've included in the recipe, but feel free to choose from any of these hot pot veggies:

  • Mushrooms - shiitake, enoki, oyster, or brown mushrooms are best.
  • Onions - green onions, thinly sliced red or sweet onions.
  • Bell peppers
  • Spicy peppers
  • Broccoli or broccolini
  • Carrots
  • Cauliflower
  • Corn
  • Cabbage - Napa cabbage (AKA Chinese cabbage), savoy cabbage, red cabbage, and even green cabbage can be used.
  • Bok choy
  • Kale
  • Spinach
  • Potatoes
  • Squash
  • Bean sprouts
  • Snow peas
  • Radish

Make sure to add in any firm veggies on the earlier side as they will take longer to cook. More delicate items like spinach should be added in just before serving.

Adding Protein

Boost your sukiyaki recipe with more flavor or protein!

I use extra firm tofu that simply cooks in the broth, but you could use grilled tofu for added texture, or any of these flavors:

  • Kung Pow Tofu
  • Crispy Baked Tofu Teriyaki
  • General Tso Tofu

Don't need this recipe to stay vegan? Feel free to add any of these ideas into your homemade hot pot creation:

  • Steak
    • Wagyu
    • Ribeye
    • Brisket
    • Short rib
  • Pork
    • Pork loin
    • Pork belly
  • Lamb shoulder or leg
  • Chicken
    • Breast
    • Thigh
  • Shrimp

Slice all proteins (with the exception of the shrimp) as thin as possible to ensure they cook fully in the sukiyaki broth. Alternatively you can sear or cook them fully in a separate pan before adding to the bowl.

What to Serve With Sukiyaki

Believe it or not, the authentic way to enjoy Japanese sukiyaki is with some raw eggs on the side to dip the meat in! It's not vegan, and it's not too common here in the states, but you can still up the flavor with these:

  • Sukiyaki sauce - this is made with soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, and sake.
  • Dashi
  • Soy sauce
  • Sriracha
  • Chili sauce
  • Hoisin
  • Ponzu

You can also pair this hot pot dish with a side salad topped with Japanese ginger carrot dressing, or even some homemade vegan sushi rolls!

Homemade Sukiyaki Recipe (Japanese Hot Pot) (7)

Common Questions

What is sukiyaki sauce made of?

Most recipes use soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin, and sake. Occasionally dashi will be included as well.

What is sukiyaki soup base made of?

The base of this broth gets its umami flavor with soy sauce (Tamari for gluten free), mirin, sake, and sugar. The added veggies also contribute to the pverall taste of the soup.

What are the 2 types of sukiyaki?

The two types of sukiyaki are kanto style and kansai style. This sukiyaki recipe follows the kanto style where the sauce is added to the pot first and then the remaining ingredients are cooked in the broth. The kansai style is cooked and eaten in stages.

Homemade Sukiyaki Recipe (Japanese Hot Pot) (8)

More Soup Recipes

Warm up and fill up with any of these vegan soup recipes:

  • Vegan Noodle Miso Soup with Vegetables
  • Thai Vegetable Coconut Curry Soup
  • Tuscan Ribollita Soup Recipe
  • Creamy Vegan Potato Soup Recipe
Homemade Sukiyaki Recipe (Japanese Hot Pot) (13)

Homemade Sukiyaki Recipe (Japanese Hot Pot) (14)

Homemade Sukiyaki Recipe (Japanese Hot Pot)

Sophia DeSantis

This sukiyaki recipe is made with vegetables and tofu in a savory and flavorful broth. A family friendly healthy meal done in less than 30 minutes!

5 from 3 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Shop Ingredients

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course 30 Minutes or Less, Main Course

Cuisine Japanese

Servings 4 servings

Calories 281 kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 cups water
  • ¾ cup Tamari orsoy sauceif you don't need gluten free
  • ¾ cup mirin rice cooking wine
  • ½ cup sake
  • 3 tablespoons sugar see note
  • 8 ounces asian noodles rice, shirataki, udon, cellophane or other noodles of choice (I did a mix)
  • 2 cups chopped bok choy
  • 2 cups chopped napa cabbage
  • 2 cups stemmed and sliced sh*take mushrooms
  • 1 cup Chinese broccoli or broccolini
  • 1 cup sliced carrots
  • 1 cup green onions cut into 4 inch pieces
  • 1- 14 ounce package extra firm tofu cut into cubes
  • oil to sautée veggies or broth if oil free

Shop Ingredients on Jupiter

Instructions

  • Rinse and soak noodles in hot water to soften, if necessary depending on the kind of noodles you chose. Shiratake simply need to be rinsed, but some cellophane and udon may need to be soaked in hot water to soften before adding. Drain when done.

  • In a large soup pot, sauté the green onions and mushrooms with a dash of oil, or broth, until slightly browned. Remove and set aside to add later.

  • Add water, Tamari (or Soy), mirin, sake and sugar to the potand simmer until the sugar is dissolved. Add broccoli and carrots to the pot. Simmer for a few minutes. Then add bok choy and cabbage.

  • Simmer a few more minutes. Then turn heat to low and add mushrooms, green onions, tofu and noodles. Allow to warm for a few more minutes until everything is just cooked.

  • Turn off heat and serve.

Notes

  • You can arrange switch up the veggies and protein for anything you prefer.
  • You can use regular sugar or another sugar like coconut or maple if you prefer.

Recipe by Veggies Don’t Bite, visit our site for more great plant-based recipes.

Nutrition

Calories: 281kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 20gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 0gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0gMonounsaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 2981mgPotassium: 1090mgFiber: 6gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 8285IUVitamin C: 93.3mgCalcium: 228mgIron: 3mg

Nutrition and metric information should be considered an estimate.

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  1. Barbara

    Delicious! I cut the coconut sugar in the recipe down to 2.5 T in our ongoing effort to reduce our sugar consumption. 3T would have been fine but it tasted great with 2.5 as well. We used our Zojirushi skillet so we could keep the food warm on the table and just keep refilling our bowls as needed. Fun communal experience. Will definitely make it again. Thanks so much for sharing!

    Reply

    • veggiesdontbite

      So happy you liked it! I love the skillet idea!

      Reply

  2. Ed

    Made this. It was amazing. But the broth turned out too sweet. Suggest to skip the sugar. Otherwise amazing!

    Reply

    • veggiesdontbite

      Glad you liked it Ed! I like the slight sweetness, but if you prefer it without then definitely leave out the sweetener!

      Reply

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Homemade Sukiyaki Recipe (Japanese Hot Pot) (2024)

FAQs

Is sukiyaki the same as hot pot? ›

Hot pot or steamboat is an umbrella term for dishes made in a cauldron of broth and served with dipping sauces. The ancient Chinese came up with the brilliant choose-your-own-adventure dish approximately 1,000 years ago. It evolved into many iterations, such as the Japanese shabu shabu and sukiyaki.

What are the 2 types of sukiyaki? ›

There are two main styles of sukiyaki preparation, the Kanto (Tokyo) style of eastern Japan, and the Kansai (Osaka) style of western Japan. Kanto style sukiyaki is done by heating sukiyaki sauce (warish*ta) in a pot before adding all the ingredients to simmer together. Kansai style sukiyaki is eaten in stages.

What is the difference between Japanese sukiyaki and shabu shabu? ›

Although both cuisines are based around thinly-sliced beef, they are cooked with completely different methods, and both have their own specialty restaurants. Sukiyaki offers a rich flavor, seasoned with soy sauce and sugar, while shabu-shabu is fatty meat with a light flavor.

Why is sukiyaki so expensive? ›

It's a communal food, usually eaten with friends or family. As sukiyaki is usually made with high-grade meat, it's more expensive than your average dinner, and is reserved for special occasions. The dish itself doesn't have a very long history, with most scholars only tracing it back to the early Meiji era (1868-1912).

What cut of meat is used for sukiyaki? ›

Thinly Sliced Beef Chuck/Ribeye for Sukiyaki.

What is the flavor of Japanese sukiyaki? ›

Sukiyaki is a type of hot pot dish known for its sweet and salty flavor, seasoned with shoyu, sugar, and mirin. In addition to thin slices of beef, common ingredients for sukiyaki include naganegi (Japanese leek), shungiku green, shiitake, tofu, and shirataki noodles.

What does sukiyaki sauce contain? ›

Made with the highest-quality ingredients, it's a delicious blend of traditionally brewed Kikkoman® Soy Sauce, mirin, sugar and seasonings all combined to add flavor to everything that's cooked in it. Using Kikkoman® Sukiyaki Sauce is quick, convenient and economical.

What is belly sukiyaki? ›

Pork belly sukiyaki is thin sliced belly and perfect for hotpot and grilling.

Why is sukiyaki dipped in raw egg? ›

Dipping the warish*ta-infused ingredients into the raw egg gives them a mellow taste. In many countries, it is not common to eat raw egg, so some people may not be entirely comfortable with this, but it is worth giving it a try when you come to Japan.

What does Suki means in Japanese? ›

Suki is a sweet girl's name of Japanese origin, meaning “beloved,” that delights in your devotion for baby. This likeable little name is taken from the Japanese word suki, which, when used in conversation, can be used to express a certain fondness for something.

How do you eat sukiyaki in Japan? ›

How to eat sukiyaki. Once the ingredients have been cooked in the warish*ta, they are usually dipped in raw egg yolk before eating. The egg imparts a mellow flavor.

Why is sukiyaki so sweet? ›

Sukiyaki has a more complex, sweeter flavor due to the sweet soy-based broth, while in shabu shabu the natural taste of the beef and vegetables shine with the more delicate broth. This becomes particularly noticeable as the broth gets seasoned over the course of the meal from the beef and vegetables being dipped in it.

Why is sukiyaki popular in Japan? ›

They began promoting meat in an effort to increase the size and strength of ordinary people. Thus, sukiyaki gradually became a common meal among Japanese people.

What is the Japanese version of hot pot? ›

Nabe (鍋) is the term used to describe Japanese hot pot dishes as well as the hot pot itself. Nabe is a popular winter dish that is typically cooked and eaten at the table. Common ingredients found in nabe include vegetables, mushrooms, meat and seafood.

What is the other name for sukiyaki? ›

In the Kansai District, the dish was called “sukiyaki,” as it is called today, but in the Kanto District the dish was called “gyu-nabe,” and it became tremendously popular among common people.

What is another name for a hot pot restaurant? ›

They are also called steam boat restaurants. You cook supplied raw ingredients at your table with a pot of hot soup. They are popular in other east Asian countries including Mongolia. Chinese being a very convivial people enjoy dining together and find hot pot dining a chance to cook and talk rather than eat and leave.

What is the equivalent of hot pot? ›

Meat Fondue: Meat fondue is similar in concept to hot pot. Thin slices of raw meat, such as beef or chicken, are cooked at the table by immersing them into a pot of hot oil or broth. Once cooked, the meat is often dipped in various sauces for added flavor.

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