Hot Tofu (Yudofu) 湯豆腐

With just tofu and kombu stock, you can enjoy protein-rich and nourishing Hot Tofu (Yudofu) at home. This comforting tofu hot pot is possibly the easiest tofu dish that you can make! {Vegan/vegetarian adaptable}

If you’re looking for a new way to enjoy tofu besides adding it to miso soup or shabu shabu, this simple dish called Hot Tofu, or Yudofu (湯豆腐) in Japanese, might be your new go-to recipe! 

Yudofu is so light and healthy. It comes in handy when you’re looking for a comforting warm dish that you can prepare in a few minutes! I’ll show you how to make this simple recipe that’s also easy to adapt into a vegan or vegetarian dish.

What is Yudofu?

Yudofu (湯豆腐) is a Japanese hot pot dish with the most basic ingredients list and preparation you can imagine. It’s simply blocks of tofu boiled until hot in a light Japanese soup stock made of kombu (dried kelp), a dash of sake, and a sprinkle of salt. It’s traditionally cooked in a donabe earthenware pot, which retains heat well thanks to the thick walls and clay material.

We add a green vegetable or herb like mitsuba (Japanese parsley) for presentation. At the table, it’s served with an array of toppings of your choice. Then, it’s drizzled with a simple and savory sauce rich with umami flavor made from the Japanese pantry staples.

Serve yudofu as an appetizer, side dish, or simply a meal on its own. It’s a clean, elegant, and comforting dish to enjoy on a cold day!

Ingredients You’ll Need

• medium-firm tofu (momen dofu) – I use medium-firm texture in this recipe since it’s easier to handle; silken tofu is a popular choice in Japan
• water – for heating the tofu
• mitsuba (Japanese parsley) – I keep it simple with this Japanese herb, but you can use any green vegetable you like for color
• kombu (dried kelp) – find it at Japanese and Asian grocery stores or buy online
• sake
• Diamond Crystal kosher salt

For the Sauce

• soy sauce
• sake
• mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
• katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) – skip for vegan/vegetarian

For the Optional Toppings

• green onion/scallion – chopped
• fresh ginger – grated
• shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice)
• yuzu kosho (Japanese citrus chili paste)

How To Make Hot Tofu (Yudofu)

This dish is unbelievably easy! With a prep time of 5 minutes and a cook time of 15 minutes, you can enjoy yudofu in just 20 minutes total time. Here’s an overview of the cooking instructions:

1. Make the kombu dashi. Let the piece of kombu soak in the water for 1–2 hours. If you‘re short on time, you can steep the water with kombu slowly over the lowest heat.
2. Make the sauce. Bring the soy sauce, sake, and mirin to a boil in a small saucepan, then add the katsuobushi. Mix with chopsticks and cook for 1–2 minutes. Pour into a small serving dish.
3. Bring the kombu dashi to a boil on medium heat in a donabe (Japanese clay pot), then add the sake and kosher salt.
4. Cut the tofu into large pieces and add to the hot kombu dashi. Heat the tofu through for several minutes. Add the mitsuba to cook.
5. Enjoy hot in individual bowls. Serve at the table with the sauce and the optional toppings.

How to Eat Yudofu

So, how do you serve and eat yudofu? There are many sauces that go well with hot tofu. You can use soy sauce, ponzu, sesame sauce, or sauce made with miso. Today, I made a special soy-based sauce (not vegetarian) with dried bonito flakes to add more soup stock flavor instead of using just plain soy sauce.

I also sprinkle the yudofu with some chopped scallions and shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice). Enjoy!

Variations on Hot Tofu

• To add meat and veggies to your hot tofu, try Shabu Shabu with tofu, thinly sliced beef/pork, shiitake mushrooms, and napa cabbage.
• Change up the broth. Make Sukiyaki that has similar ingredients to Shabu Shabu but with a sweet-savory soy sauce broth instead.
• For warm-weather months, try refreshing Japanese Cold Tofu (Hiyayakko) with delicious toppings and a cold beverage.

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Hot Tofu (Yudofu)

4.72 from 14 votes

With just tofu and kombu stock, you can enjoy protein-rich and nourishing Hot Tofu (Yudofu) at home. This comforting tofu hot pot is possibly the easiest tofu dish that you can make! {Vegan/vegetarian adaptable}

Print Pin

Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Cook Time: 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 20 minutes mins

Servings: 2

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 medium-firm tofu (momen dofu) (14 oz, 397 g)
• ▢ 1½–2 cups water (add more if your pot is bigger)
• ▢ mitsuba (Japanese parsley) (or any green vegetable you like for color)
• ▢ 1 piece kombu (dried kelp) (2 x 2 inches, 5 x 5 cm per piece)
• ▢ 1 Tbsp sake
• ▢ ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt

For the Sauce (optional)

• ▢ ¼ cup soy sauce (4 Tbsp)
• ▢ 1 Tbsp sake
• ▢ 1 tsp mirin
• ▢ ½ cup katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) (packed loosely)

For the Toppings (optional)

• ▢ green onion/scallion
• ▢ grated ginger
• ▢ shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice)
• ▢ yuzu kosho (Japanese citrus chili paste)

Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.

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Instructions

 

• Gather all the ingredients.
  

To Prepare the Kombu Dashi

• Remove any dust or particles on kombu with a damp cloth (but leave the white powdery substances which contribute to the umami flavor in the stock). These days kombu is much cleaner and you don‘t really have to wipe it. Never wash it under running water!
  
• In a donabe (Japanese clay pot), put 1 piece kombu (dried kelp) and 1½–2 cups water. Let the kombu soak for 1–2 hours. If you‘re short on time, you can steep the water with kombu slowly over the lowest heat.
  

To Prepare the Sauce

• Meanwhile, make the sauce. To a small saucepan, add ¼ cup soy sauce, 1 Tbsp sake, and 1 tsp mirin.
  
• When boiling, add ½ cup katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes).
  
• Mix well with chopsticks and cook for 1–2 minutes.
  
• Pour the sauce into a small serving dish. You don’t have to strain it; it’s okay if some bonito flakes go into the sauce.
  
• These leftover bonito flakes have a nice flavor and you can use it as filling for Okaka Onigiri or to make Homemade Furikake (rice seasoning).
  

To Prepare the Hot Tofu

• When the kombu dashi is ready (after 1–2 hours), bring the dashi to a boil on medium heat. If you were slowly heating up the kombu dashi (because you didn‘t have time to soak for 1–2 hours), bring it to a boil, too. Once boiling, add 1 Tbsp sake and ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
  
• When boiling again, cut 1 medium-firm tofu (momen dofu) to any size you like (whole tofu, halves, or 6 pieces, for example) and put it in the kombu dashi.
  
• When the tofu is heated through, after several minutes, add the mitsuba (Japanese parsley). If you plan to use other vegetables, make sure are they cooked through.
  
• While the tofu is hot, serve it with the sauce and add the optional toppings of your choice, such as chopped green onion/scallion, grated ginger, shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice) and yuzu kosho (Japanese citrus chili paste).

Nutrition

Calories: 178 kcal · Carbohydrates: 5 g · Protein: 18 g · Fat: 9 g · Saturated Fat: 1 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 5 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 2 g · Sodium: 165 mg · Potassium: 24 mg · Fiber: 2 g · Sugar: 1 g · Vitamin A: 1 IU · Vitamin C: 1 mg · Calcium: 276 mg · Iron: 2 mg

Author: Namiko Hirasawa Chen

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: tofu

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