This simple, quick-to-prep vegan broth is a versatile recipe that can be used as a base for soups, ramen, risotto and other flavorful dishes. Made with dried shiitake mushrooms and aromatic garlic and lemon, this rich soup stock is an easy substitute for dashi and can be customized to your liking with ingredients you have on hand in your kitchen.
Inspiration
I am going to be really vulnerable with you guys, in a way that I find sorely lacking in blogs today. This month, my husband and I are on a diet.
Being a professional food blogger and photographer means there is always food, good food, and lots of it, around our house. And when you try to subscribe to a no-waste lifestyle (using vegetable ends and less-than-perfect veggies, for example), this means that most of that food ends up in our bellies.
So two weeks ago, F and I decided to take action. I already practice intermittent fasting, which sees me eschewing breakfast in the mornings in favor of a nice latte. But now, we also subbed our dinner with a liquid option.
Some days, our light liquid dinner is a smoothie packed with protein. On other days, when I need more comfort, it's my grandmother's chicken soup. But on most days, we have ourselves a bowl of this shiitake dashi or miso soup, with a few pieces of floating tofu.
And let me tell you, my friends — this soup already helped me lose 3 kilograms in 2 weeks.
What are shiitake mushrooms?
Native to East Asia, the shiitake mushroom is known for its earthy flavor and rich texture. Loaded with immunity-boosting vitamin B5 and copper, this edible mushroom can help fight cancer and support heart health. It's no wonder it is a popular meat substitution ingredient in vegan and vegetarian cookbooks.
You can find fresh shiitake mushrooms in your grocery store. Most Asian stores stock them regularly. But my favorite way to source shiitake mushrooms is to buy them dried in bulk, on Amazon and in Costco.
What is dashi?
Dashi (or dashi stock) is a savory Japanese stock base used to make miso soup and noodle soups. It is an essential part of Japanese cooking, incredibly simple yet providing the famous umami taste found in many of its foods.
There are many types of dashi in the stock family: kombu dashi, katsuo, awase... the list goes on. However today we are focusing on shiitake dashi, which is a popular choice for vegans.
Shiitake dashi can also be combined with kombu seaweed for an unbeatable umami flavor you experience in many Japanese dishes. However, for today's dashi recipe, we will keep it simple and focus on enriching the stock with herbs and spices. This keeps it extremely adaptable, allowing it to be used as a base for a multitude of meals.
Ingredients
- Fresh shiitake mushrooms: The main ingredient of this dashi.
- Onion and green onions: For flavor and garnishing.
- Garlic cloves: For flavor.
- Lemon peel: Bringing aromatic flavor to the recipe.
- Water or vegetable broth: The liquid base for our stock.
- Herbs and spices: Parsley, bay leaves, black pepper.
See recipe card for detailed quantities
Equipment
- Large soup pot
- Knife and cutting board
- Fine mesh strainer
- Large wooden spoon
Step-by-step instructions
Make this dashi in under 10 minutes and let it sit on the stove to cook.
10-minute preparation:
Firstly, slice your fresh mushrooms, chop your onion and smash your garlic. If using dried shiitake mushrooms, soak them in hot water for 30 minutes before cooking to rehydrate. Reserve soaking liquid and use it as part of the liquid base.
Then, in a large soup pot, combine all the ingredients except for the green onions. (these will be added later on) Bring your mix to a boil over high heat.
Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes (1 hour if using dried mushrooms).
After cooking:
Strain the dashi through a fine mesh strainer, pressing on solids to extract maximum flavor. Then, discard the solids.
Next, stir in the sliced green onions and your dashi is now ready. Serve hot.
Storage
The best way to store leftover mushroom dashi is by freezing it in ice cube containers. Frozen dashi will keep for 6 months.
Otherwise, you can store shiitake mushroom stock in an airtight jar in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Top Tip
Don't overcook the mushrooms. This can impart the stock with unpleasant, bitter flavors.
Accompanying Dishes
The classic way to serve dashi is in miso soup. For this preparation, add kombu to the soup. Finish it off with some semi-soft tofu and sliced green onions.
I like to accompany this soup with other Asian-inspired dishes, like my seared tofu with mango kiwi salsa. Air-fried tofu also makes for a delicious accompaniment. For an appetizer, try these vegan spring rolls.
Recipe
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Shiitake Broth Recipe
Equipment
- Knife and cutting board
- Fine mesh strainer
- Large wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh shiitake mushrooms sliced (or ½ cup dried shiitake mushrooms)
- 1 onion sliced
- 4 garlic cloves smashed
- 2 sprigs parsley
- 2 strips lemon peel
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 green onions sliced
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 8 cups water or vegetable broth
Instructions
- In a large pot, combine all the ingredients except for green onions.
- Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes (1 hour if using dried mushrooms).
- Strain the stock through a fine mesh strainer, pressing on solids to extract maximum flavor.
- Discard the solids.
- Stir in the sliced green onions.
- Serve hot.
Notes
- If using dried shiitake mushrooms, soak them in hot water for 30 minutes before cooking to rehydrate. Reserve soaking liquid and use it as part of the 8 cups liquid.
- For richer stock, roast mushrooms at 400°F for 15 minutes before simmering.
- Add a splash of soy sauce or miso paste if desired.
- Store your dashi in an airtight container.
- It can be frozen.