Kenchinjiru is a Japanese plant-based soup made with vegetables and tofu. It’s a hearty, comforting, and healthy meal or side dish.

What is Kenchinjiru?

Traditional kenchinjiru is a clear broth vegetarian soup made with root vegetables and tofu. It’s considered part of shōjin ryōri (精進料理), Japanese Buddhist temple cuisine. Shōjin ryōri is vegetarian cuisine that is also allium-free (so no onions, garlic, scallions, chives, etc.). So it’s vegan/plant-based by default!

Kenchinjiru has become very popular among regular people now, so there are many variations on it. Some people will use alliums, fish-based dashi, or even add some chicken/pork. For my version, I like to add green onions, miso instead of soy sauce, and abura-age in place of tofu. But feel free to play around with the veggies/tofu to suit your tastes!

What Ingredients to Use

Root vegetables usually form the base of the soup:

daikon
gobo (burdock root)
carrots
taro root
lotus root

Then you can add in other veggies/protein:

shiitake mushrooms
konnyaku
cabbage/napa cabbage
green onions
abura-age
tofu – medium firm, silken firm, or Japanese soft tofu (regular silken tofu will break very easily)

Feel free to mix and match to find a combo you like!

Variation of kenchinjiru with tofu and shiitake

Kenchinjiru FAQ

How do I make kombu dashi?
You can use instant dashi granules* or make your own kombu dashi.
There are two ways to make kombu dashi:
Mizudashi: Soak about 8 grams of kombu in 700ml of water overnight (covered) in the fridge, or for 2-3 hours at room temperature.
Nidashi: Place kombu and water in a pot. Let the kombu soak for 30-60 minutes, then place over medium low heat and slowly bring to a boil. Right before boiling, remove the kombu. If you boil the kombu it will start to get slimy, so make sure you remove it before the water boils.

Tips for Success

Boil/pour hot water over konnyaku ⟶ This helps remove the smell from the konnyaku. You can boil in a pot of water for 2 minutes or pour boiling water over it and let it soak for a few minutes. Then drain and rinse.

Boil/pour hot water over abura-age ⟶ This removes excess oil. Boil for a minute (flip the abura-age halfway) or soak in hot water for a minute (press down a few times to submerge the abura-age).

Soak gobo ⟶ Gobo will start to oxidize (turn brown) when exposed to air, so place the cut gobo in a bowl of water while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. This will also help remove some of the aku (アク), or astringency, in the gobo.

Soak lotus root ⟶ The same goes for lotus root. It will oxidize so place it in a bowl of water mixed with a splash of vinegar until ready to cook. Lotus root to oxidizes more easily than gobo, so adding vinegar to the water helps keep its color.

Try These Hearty Soups Too!

Watch How to Make Miso Kenchinjiru

If you try out this miso kenchinjiru, don’t forget to leave a comment/rating down below and tag me in your photos on instagram @ellielikes.cooking. I love seeing all of your tasty recreations!

Prep Time:15

Cook Time:15

Servings: 4

Ingredients

½ package konnyaku (about 4 ½ oz)
1 sheet abura-age**¹
1 tbsp sesame oil*
100 grams gobo (burdock root) peeled and thinly sliced
180 grams daikon peeled, quartered, and thinly sliced
1 carrot peeled and thinly sliced
2 leaves napa cabbage chopped
700 ml kombu dashi**²
2 tsp mirin optional
2 green onions thinly sliced
3 tbsp red or awase miso*

Instructions

Soak cut gobo in a bowl of water. You will notice the water get very brown after a few minutes. Soak until ready to cook.
Boil konnyaku for 2 minutes or pour boiling water over konnyaku and let it soak for a few minutes. Drain and rinse. Thinly slice.
Boil abura-age for 1 minute or pour boiling water over it and let it soak for a minute. Drain and quickly rinse under cold water. When cool enough to handle, gently squeeze out excess water. Thinly slice.
Heat sesame oil in a pot over medium heat. Drain and rinse gobo, then add to the pot along with daikon and carrots. Stir to coat with oil and cook for a minute.
Stir in cabbage and cook another minute.
Stir in konnyaku and abura-age. Add dashi and mirin and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes or until all the veggies are tender.
Turn off heat and add green onions. Place miso in a ladle and fill with some of the broth. Stir until miso dissolves in the broth, then mix into the soup.

Notes

1) You can swap for 1/2 a block of Japanese soft tofu or silken firm tofu*. Cut into cubes or just break into chunks with your hands.　

2) You can use 1 teaspoon instant dashi granules* + 700ml water, or make your own kombu dashi. To make kombu dashi, soak about 8 grams of kombu in 700ml of water overnight (covered) in the fridge, or for 2-3 hours at room temperature (mizudashi method). OR you can use the nidashi method and place kombu and water in a pot. Let the kombu soak for 30-60 minutes, then place over medium low heat and slowly bring to a boil. Right before boiling, remove the kombu. You can also soak 2 dried shiitake mushrooms with the kombu, then slice the shiitake and use it in the soup (add with the cabbage).

Variations: Feel free to play around with the ingredients! Other common veggies are taro, mushrooms, lotus root, and bamboo. You could also add in a little grated ginger for spice. Get creative!

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