A Japanese shabu-shabu hot pot setup with a donabe pot, thinly sliced beef, tofu, assorted mushrooms, vegetables, udon noodles, and dipping sauces arranged on a wooden table.

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Hot pot is the ultimate cold-weather comfort food. It’s a lively, communal meal that everyone enjoys cooking together at the table. While we have many hot pot recipes in Japan, I suggest starting with Shabu Shabu (しゃぶしゃぶ). I’ll guide you through the easy prep and cooking steps so you can share this dish at home with your family and friends.

If you’re craving more hot pot recipes, try my Yosenabe, Sukiyaki, and Mille-Feuille Nabe next!

Thinly sliced beef is being cooked in the hot pot along with vegetables and tofu in a donabe, Japnaese hot pot.
Thinly sliced beef is being cooked in the hot pot along with vegetables and tofu in a donabe, Japnaese hot pot.
Thinly sliced beef is being cooked in the hot pot along with vegetables and tofu in a donabe, Japnaese hot pot.

What is Shabu Shabu?

Shabu shabu is Japanese onomatopoeia for the “swish-swish” sound of cooking the meat and vegetables in the light dashi broth. It’s one of Japan’s most popular hot pot dishes where the diners cook the meal together at the table in a communal Japanese clay pot (donabe). While hot pot may have originated in Inner Mongolia and China, this classic Japanese variation was invented in the early 1950s at Suehiro restaurant in Osaka.

Namiko Hirasawa Chen

Why I Love This Recipe

  • No pre-cooking needed: Just cut the ingredients and let everyone cook it at the table. I love not cooking before dinnertime!
  • Light and nutritious: Everything cooks in hot broth, not oil. It’s a low-fat cooking method and a great way to add vegetables and tofu to your diet.
  • It’s quick and easy: As a busy mom, I make this simple and low-effort meal during the holidays or on a weeknight.
A Japanese shabu-shabu hot pot setup with a donabe pot, thinly sliced beef, tofu, assorted mushrooms, vegetables, udon noodles, and dipping sauces arranged on a wooden table.

Ingredients for Shabu Shabu

  • Kombu (dried kelp) and water
  • Thinly sliced beef (chuck or ribeye; well marbled)
  • Medium-firm tofu
  • Shiitake mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, and shimeji mushrooms
  • Napa cabbage
  • Shungiku (chrysanthemum greens)
  • Tokyo negi (long green onion) – or use the white part of a leek or green onions
  • Carrot
  • Udon noodles – frozen or parboiled
  • Sesame sauce and ponzu sauce – for dipping
  • Grated daikon radish, chopped green onions/scallions, and shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice) – for the  sauce condiments

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

Jump to Recipe

Substitutions

  • Kombu dashi: We always use soup stock made with dried kelp for this dish. Simply drop a piece of kombu in a pot of water and let it steep. That’s it! If you can’t find kombu, you can use another dashi.
  • Thinly-sliced beef or pork: Select well-marbled meat labeled “for shabu shabu” from a Japanese or Korean grocery store. If you can’t find it, you can slice good-quality chuck or rib eye yourself using my How to Slice Meat Thinly tutorial.
  • Dipping sauces: You can find bottled ponzu (citrus soy sauce) and creamy sesame sauce on Amazon or at an Asian/Japanese supermarket. I like the fresh taste of my Homemade Ponzu Sauce and Homemade Sesame Sauce recipes, so please give them a try!
  • Shungiku and Tokyo negi: Try a Japanese or Asian grocery store for harder-to-find produce like shungiku, long green onion, and Japanese mushrooms. Or, you can swap your choice of leafy greens and vegetables.

Key Kitchen Tools or Key Equipment

A Japanese shabu-shabu hot pot setup with a donabe pot, thinly sliced beef, tofu, assorted mushrooms, vegetables, udon noodles, and dipping sauces arranged on a wooden table.

How to Make Shabu Shabu

Preparation

Step 1 – Prepare the broth and reheat the udon. Soak the kombu and water in a donabe for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, if you’re going to serve udon noodles at the end of your hot pot meal, reheat the frozen udon in boiling water. Drain and set aside on a plate.

Soak a piece of kombu in a donabe.
Cook the frozen udon noodles.
Transfer to a plate.

Step 2 – Cut the vegetables. Cut the napa cabbage, shungiku, carrots, and Tokyo negi into bite-sized pieces. Grate the daikon and chop the green onion and place in small bowls.

Cut the shungiku.
Cut the napa cabbage
Cut the Toko negi.

Step 3 – Prep the mushrooms and tofu. Break the shimeji and enoki into smaller chunks and cut the shiitake stems. Cut the tofu.

Cut the mushrooms.
Tear the mushrooms
Cut the tofu.

Step 4 – Arrange the platters. Set the tofu, mushrooms and vegetables on one plate and the beef on another. Place them on the table along with the donabe and portable burner.

Bamboo basket filled with veggies, mushrooms, and tofu.
Place the meat on the plate.
Set up the donabe at the table.

Cooking

Step 5 – Cook the dense vegetables. Bring the dashi to a boil over medium heat; remove the kombu just before boiling. Add the tofu, thick parts of the napa cabbage and shungiku, carrots, and some mushrooms. Simmer until cooked.

Slowly bring the kombu water to a simmer.
Cook vegetables, mushrooms, and tofu being cooked in a donabe, Japanese hot pot.
Cook vegetables, mushrooms, and tofu being cooked in a donabe, Japanese hot pot.

Step 6 – Cook the meat. Briefly swish the beef in the broth until no longer pink.

Thinly sliced beef is being cooked in the hot pot along with vegetables and tofu in a donabe, Japnaese hot pot.
Thinly sliced beef is being cooked in the hot pot along with vegetables and tofu in a donabe, Japnaese hot pot.

Step 7 – Serve and keep cooking. Self-serve the cooked food as it’s ready and dip in sauces to enjoy.

Dipping the cooked vegetables in the ponzu sauce.
Dipping the beef in the sesame sauce.

Step 8 – Skim and add the leafy vegetables. Cook until tender and serve. Cook the meat as you’re ready to eat, and enjoy the other ingredients while restocking the pot along the way.

Skimming scum with a fine mesh skimmer in a donabe, Japanese hot pot.

Step 9 – Make the udon finishing course. After the main course of the meal, heat the noodles and serve in the bowls of ponzu sauce diluted with shabu shabu broth.

Cook the udon in the leftover shabu shabu broth.
Dip the udon noodles in the ponzu sauce.

Nami’s Recipe Tips

  • Use a pot that retains heat – We use a Japanese earthenware pot called donabe (土鍋) that distributes and retains heat well. You could also use a heavy-bottomed pot or an electric hot pot.
  • Use paperthin meat – The well-marbled beef adds flavor to the broth and the thin slices take seconds to cook. Simply swish the slices in the broth with cooking chopsticks and be careful not to overcook it.
  • Prep all the ingredients beforehand – Cooking goes quickly, so make sure everything is ready to go before you start.
  • Cook the food in order – Start cooking the dense vegetables first until tender, then briefly swish the thin-sliced beef in the hot broth and serve. Add the soft leafy vegetables afterwards and cook until tender.
  • Pick one person to cook the meat – This way, everyone gets meat at the same time. They can serve directly to the individual bowls around the table as each piece is done cooking.
  • Clean the broth as you cook – Skim off the scum and foam from the surface with a fine-mesh skimmer to keep the broth as clean as possible.
  • Cook in batches – If your cooking vessel can’t fit everything, cook a first round with a portion of the ingredients. Then, cook another round as you eat and make more room in the pot.

Variations and Customizations

  • Use other proteins. We typically cook hot pot with thinly sliced beef and pork, but occasionally, we cook seafood or chicken as in my Chicken Hot Pot called Mizutaki.
  • Add different vegetables. Try cabbage, broccoli, zucchini, carrots, other leafy Asian greens, and sweet corn (cut in sections).
  • Use rice for the finishing course. Instead of udon, add cooked Japanese rice to make a porridge with the flavorful broth. Stir in beaten eggs to add extra substance and protein.
  • Make it vegan/vegetarian. Simply omit the meat. The dashi, tofu, udon, and dipping sauces are all plant-based shabu shabu ingredients. For greater variety, I suggest adding a mixture of tofu, such as grilled tofu or tofu puffs.
A Japanese earthenware pot (donabe) containing Mizutaki (Japanese Chicken Hot Pot) filled with chicken, tofu, mushrooms, and all kinds of vegetables.

Storage Tips

To store: You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for a month.

Shabu Shabu

4.71 from 99 votes
by Namiko Hirasawa Chen
A Japanese shabu-shabu hot pot setup with a donabe pot, thinly sliced beef, tofu, assorted mushrooms, vegetables, udon noodles, and dipping sauces arranged on a wooden table.
Shabu Shabu is a popular Japanese hot pot where everyone cooks together at the table. Swish thinly sliced meat in a light broth, along with tofu and fresh vegetables, then dip each bite into flavorful sauces. It's a fun, comforting meal that's easy to make at home.
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Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Kombu Soaking: 30 minutes
Total: 30 minutes

Ingredients 
 

Servings: 4

For the Soup Stock

  • 1 piece kombu (dried kelp) (10 g, 3 x 3 inches, 7.5 x 7.5 cm; 1 piece per large donabe)
  • water (enough to fill the donabe about two-thirds full; add more as needed during cooking)

For the Shabu Shabu

For the Dipping Sauces and Garnish

Instructions

Before You Start…

To Prepare the Stock

  • Fill 1 large donabe (Japanese clay pot), Dutch oven, or heavy-bottomed pot two-thirds full with water. Add 1 piece kombu (dried kelp) and soak for at least 30 minutes.
    Meanwhile, prepare the remaining ingredients. The right image shows the kombu dashi after soaking.
    Shabu Shabu 1

To Prepare the Hot Pot Ingredients

  • Prepare 1 serving udon noodles according to the package instructions. I use frozen udon and cook it in boiling water for 1 minute.
    Transfer to ice water to stop the cooking, then drain well and set aside on a plate. You'll add the udon to the broth at the end of the shabu shabu meal.
    Shabu Shabu 2
  • Cut ¼ napa cabbage crosswise into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces, then cut each piece lengthwise into halves or thirds. Keep the thick, firm stem pieces separate from the tender leafy pieces, as they cook at different rates.
    Shabu Shabu 3
  • Cut ½ bunch shungiku (chrysanthemum greens) into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces. Keep the thick stems separate from the tender leaves, as they cook at different rates.
    Shabu Shabu 4
  • Diagonally cut only the white part of 1 Tokyo negi (long green onion) into pieces ½ inch (1.3 cm) thick.
    Nami's Tip: Save the green parts for soups, stir-fries, or making stock.
    Shabu Shabu 5
  • Trim off and discard the tough bases of 1 package enoki mushrooms and 1 package shimeji (brown beech) mushrooms, then separate them into small clusters.
    Shabu Shabu 6
  • Remove the stems of 4 shiitake mushrooms. If desired, cut a decorative flower pattern into the caps (see How to Cut Shiitake Hanagiri).
    Shabu Shabu 7
  • Cut 2 inches carrot into ¼-inch (6 mm) rounds. If desired, use a vegetable cutter to cut the carrots into a flower shape.
    Shabu Shabu 8
  • Cut 1 package medium-firm tofu (momen dofu) into 1-inch (2.5-cm) cubes.
    Shabu Shabu 9
  • Arrange the prepared vegetables, mushrooms, and tofu on a serving platter.
    Shabu Shabu 10

To Prepare the Garnishes and Beef

  • Peel and grate 2 inches daikon radish using a ceramic grater. Gently squeeze out most of the liquid, then transfer the grated daikon to a small bowl.
    Shabu Shabu 11
  • Thinly slice 2 green onions/scallions into rounds and transfer them to a small bowl.
    Shabu Shabu 12
  • Place the optional shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice) in a small bowl. Arrange 1 lb thinly sliced beef (such as ribeye) on a serving platter.
    Shabu Shabu 13

To Set Up the Table

  • Set up a portable gas stove at the table and place the donabe on the burner. Arrange the ingredient platters nearby. Give each person separate bowls of ponzu and sesame dipping sauce, along with a shallow bowl to cool their cooked food before eating.
    Shabu Shabu 14

To Cook Shabu Shabu

  • Bring the broth to a simmer over medium heat. Remove the kombu just before the water comes to a boil to prevent the broth from becoming slimy.
    Shabu Shabu 15
  • Add the tofu, thick stems of napa cabbage and shungiku, negi, carrots, and some mushrooms. Save the tender leafy greens for later. You don't need to add everything at once; cook in batches if needed.
    Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
    Shabu Shabu 16

To Enjoy Shabu Shabu

  • While the ingredients cook, prepare your dipping sauces. Add the grated daikon, shichimi togarashi, and green onions to the ponzu sauce. Add some green onions to the sesame dipping sauce.
    Shabu Shabu 17
  • When you're ready to cook the meat, pick up a slice of thinly sliced beef with communal cooking chopsticks. Gently swish it through the simmering broth for 20–30 seconds, or until no longer pink. Be careful not to overcook it.
    Shabu Shabu 18
  • Enjoy the cooked beef, vegetables, mushrooms, and tofu with your choice of ponzu or sesame dipping sauce.
    Shabu Shabu 19
  • Skim off the scum and foam from the surface, especially after cooking the beef, to keep the broth clear. As space opens up in the pot, add the tender leafy vegetables and simmer for a few minutes until cooked.
    Continue cooking the beef one slice at a time as you eat, adding more vegetables, mushrooms, and tofu throughout the meal.
    Nami's Tip: Keep a fine-mesh skimmer and a 2-cup measuring cup filled with water nearby. Rinse the skimmer in the water between uses to easily remove foam while cooking at the table.
    Occasionally skim the scum and foam in the shabu shabu hot pot.

To Make the Udon Course

  • Once you've finished enjoying the meat and vegetables, skim the broth one last time before adding the udon noodles. In Japan, we traditionally finish a hot pot meal with noodles or rice porridge (zosui) to enjoy the flavorful broth.
    Shabu Shabu 20
  • Add the udon noodles to the pot and reheat for 1–2 minutes. If desired, lightly season the broth with salt and white pepper to taste.
    Shabu Shabu 21
  • Add some hot broth to each bowl of ponzu sauce to dilute it, then divide the udon noodles among the bowls and serve.
    Shabu Shabu 22

To Store

  • Transfer leftovers to airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month. Cool promptly before storing.

Nutrition

Calories: 477kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 38g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 69mg, Sodium: 178mg, Potassium: 1036mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 3133IU, Vitamin C: 31mg, Calcium: 238mg, Iron: 5mg

The nutrition facts shown are generated by an online calculator and are estimates only. Please consult a professional nutritionist for specific dietary needs.

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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on December 2, 2011. It was updated with a new video and new images in December 2018. It was republished with more helpful content on April 11, 2025.