If you’ve ever wondered “what is dashi” and how to make it, look no further! In this ultimate guide, I’ll explain the different types of Japanese soup stock, ingredients used, and ways to cook with these umami-rich stocks in Japanese dishes.

Dashi is a foundational ingredient in Japanese cuisine. In my guide What is Dashi and How to Make It, I’ll explain the several types of Japanese soup stock and how to make it from scratch. Then, start making easy Japanese recipes like Homemade Miso Soup and Udon Noodle Soup!
Table of Contents

What is Dashi?
Dashi (だし, 出汁) or dashijiru (出し汁) is Japanese soup stock made from one or more ingredients like dried kelp, dried bonito flakes, dried shiitake mushrooms, and/or dried anchovies. They are naturally rich in glutamates that deliver intense flavor and give Japanese food its rich and deep umami taste. Its use in daily Japanese cooking traces back to 17th-century Japan.
Why I Love Dashi
- Simple ingredients, usually only one or two.
- Quick to make – It takes 20 minutes from scratch or 5 minutes with a packet.
- Layers of flavor – It’s crucial to many of my favorite dishes.
- A plant-based dashi option is available, making Japanese food accessible to all.
How to Use Japanese Soup Stock
- In soups like miso soup for an authentic umami flavor.
- As a broth base for Japanese hot pots, stews, simmered dishes, and noodle soup dishes.
- As seasoning for rolled omelette, mixed rice, or grilled octopus balls.
- In sauces for a touch of clear liquid that adds a savory depth and subtle aroma.




Ingredients for Dashi
- Kombu – dried kelp* (a kind of seaweed)
- Katsuobushi – dried and fermented skipjack tuna/bonito shaved into thin flakes
- Iriko or niboshi – dried anchovies/sardines
- Shiitake – dried shiitake mushrooms*
*vegan and vegetarian




Six Different Types of Dashi
How do we decide which type to use for a particular dish? While pairings are often based on customary practice, there is no hard-and-fast rule.
1. Awase Dashi (合わせだし)

- uses dried kelp and bonito flakes
- means “combination” or “mixed”
- classic all-purpose stock; most commonly used
- my go-to soup stock for my recipes
Use it in:
- Homemade Miso Soup
- Donburi (rice bowls): Oyakodon
- Simmered dishes: Nikujaga, Chikuzenni
- Tamagoyaki
2. Kombu Dashi (昆布だし)

- uses dried kelp
- vegetarian/vegan
- gentle flavor
- for fish, seafood, or ingredients with a subtle taste
- the easiest stock to make
Use it in:
- Japanese Clear Clam Soup
- Hot Tofu (Yudofu)
- Shabu Shabu
3. Katsuo Dashi (鰹だし)

- uses dried bonito flakes
- aromatic, flavorful, and elegant
- good for simmered dishes, noodle soup dishes, and vegetables
- not recommended for fish dishes
Use it in:
4. Iriko Dashi (いりこだし)

- uses dried baby anchovies/sardines; most affordable ingredient
- strong, fishy aroma and taste
- a savory stock that complements flavors or seasoning like soy sauce
- not recommended for fish dishes as the taste may be too strong
Use it in:
- Homemade Miso Soup
- Noodle soup: Curry Udon and Kitsune Udon
- Mentsuyu
- Donburi (rice bowls)
- Simmered dishes: Japanese Simmered Kabocha
5. Shiitake Dashi (干し椎茸の戻し汁; 椎茸だし)

- byproduct of rehydrating dried shiitake mushrooms
- vegetarian/vegan
- rarely used on its own; usually combined with kombu stock or katsuo stock
Use it in:
- Chawanmushi
- Noodle soup dishes: Nabeyaki Udon
- Simmered dishes: Chikuzenni
- Chinese-style dishes: Harumaki, Stir-fried dishes
6. Vegan Dashi (精進だし)

- uses dried kelp and the shiitake mushroom soaking liquid
- vegetarian/vegan
- more flavorful than kombu stock
Use it in:
- any recipe to make it friendly for vegans and vegetarians
Three Ways to Make Dashi
In just 5 to 20 minutes, you’ll have a stock to use in your favorite Japanese recipes.
Method 1: Dashi from Scratch

Cook time: 20 minutes
Pro: Best flavor
How to make: Add ingredient(s) to a pot of cold water and very slowly bring to a near boil. Steep and strain it. Use this method for:
Optional: Make it cold brew instead (most types)
Method 2: Dashi Packet

Cook time: 5 minutes
Pros: Very good flavor; convenient
How to make: Add to a pot of cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2–3 minutes. Discard the packet. [See my recipe]
Where to buy: Local Japanese grocery stores; hard to find at other Asian grocery stores.
My recommended brands: Kayanoya Dashi Packet (preservative-free, a bit pricey; find it on Amazon); or Yamaki Dashi Packet in Japanese grocery stores; or Yamasan Chaganju on Amazon.
Method 3: Dashi Powder

Cook time: 3 minutes
Pro: Fastest method (instant). Con: Least flavor; use only in a pinch
How to make: Dissolve the dashi granules into water and heat to a boil. [See my recipe]
Where to buy: Hondashi (ほんだし) and Dashinomoto (だしの素) are the most common brands. Find in Asian or American grocery stores.
My recommended brands: Shimaya awase dashi powder and Shimaya kombu dashi powder on Amazon and at Japanese grocery stores
Watch How to Make Dashi
Storage and Reheating Tips
To store: Transfer leftover stock to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for 3–4 days or freezer for up to 3 months.
To reheat: Simmer in a small pot over medium heat until warm, or microwave in 30-second intervals until fully reheated.
Frequently Asked Questions
There’s no good substitute. You can use chicken stock or broth, seafood broth, or mushroom broth, but the flavor will not be the same.
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on January 4, 2011. It was updated with new images, video, and content in May 2019, when we opened this post’s comment section to the public. The post was republished with more helpful information on July 5, 2025.
Hello, I’ve been following your recipes for years now! My partner and I love cooking all these dishes and miso soup became pretty much a staple in our house.
Now, the prices for katsuobushi have skyrocketed in my country and I’m not sure how I can keep making a good dashi stock for miso soup. My partner has been getting Hondashi, of which I’m not a fan. I think kombu dashi would be too light, and there are no dashi packets or quality dashi powder in my country.
Which of these dashi would be the best for miso soup, or the most similar to the katsuo + kombu combo?
Thank you for reading!
Hello, Maze. Thank you for reading Nami’s post.
Have you tried making Dashi using dried Shiitake mushrooms? It produces a great umami flavor and can be used with Kombu Dashi. Another approach will be to use Iriko. It also produces a fishy taste, similar to Katsuobushi. We hope this information is helpful.
Hi
I have used the fried shiitake mushroom and small amount of dried shrimp. The taste was very delightful. Thanks
i now make my own miso thanks to you and your videos. i find them to be more healthful than the store-bought ones. thank you for your wonderful inspirational cooking.
Hi Tony! Aww. We are so happy to hear you enjoyed Nami’s homemade Miso recipe as much as we do!
Thank you for trying Nami’s recipe and for your kind feedback. Happy Cooking!
I’ve read a lot about the health benefits from eating homemade dashi/miso soup.
I wonder, would you lose the health benefits if you would be using instant dashi?
The brand I could find is Shimaya Dashi-No-Motto. Is this a good brand?
Love this website!
Hello, Dennis. Thank you for reading Nami’s post.
Shimaya is a common brand in Japan. However, if you’re looking for health advantages, we feel it’s always best to make dashi using natural ingredients.
We hope this helped!🙂
Firstly love the website! I had the privilege to study in Nagoya and feel spoiled by the food so it’s great to have an accessible way to recreate some of those dishes. I would like to ask, what is the mildest (least fishy) version of dashi I could use please? While I know that some/most of the meals I ate there would have had it (ignorance is bliss), as soon as my brain tells me there is seaweed or fish or anything that lived in water in my food I struggle with it, my body rejects anything that remotely tastes fishy :'( (I really tried, big fomo on lots of food worldwide!). What would be the best and most discreet one to use please (e.g. katsudon, meat based ramen and udon are heaven and I would like to recreate at home as close as I can so they still “taste Japanese” rather than western.
Sorry for the ramble!
Many thanks!
S X
Hello Serina! Thank you so much for your kind words. We are so happy to hear you love our website!
You may make dashi using shiitake mushrooms. We hope this will be a good option.😊
https://www.justonecookbook.com/shiitake-dashi/
Hello Naomi,
i read and use your recipes for a long time now and enjoy them very much. Thank you!
I was very intrigued by the concept of a dashi packet.
But no chance of getting any where i life (Germany) even Amazon and eBay failed me. Well, not completely, but i still need money to feed my family.
Looking at the pictures of your dashi packets however, I get the impression it should be possible to assemble some kind of dashi packet myself. Like putting a certain amount of bonito flakes and a bit of kombu into a disposable tea filter bag used for loose tea.
You are the expert, what do you think?
Hello, Anthea! Thank you so much for your kind compliments regarding Nami’s recipes!
We’re thrilled to hear you’ve been enjoying her recipe.🥰
Yes, you can put together the dashi package, however, if you have access to the ingredients, making it without the packet is much easier.
Please see the recipe links in this post to see how simple it is to produce dashi from Katsuobushi (Bonito flakes) or Kombu.
We hope this helps!
Hello
I just found you, I like your website 😁 I have a question… what do you do with the bonito flakes after making the dashi? Do we use them again or do we dispose them?
Hi Jasmin! Thank you so much for reading Nami’s post and trying her recipes.
You can make Furikake with used bonito flakes! We highly recommend it.
Here is how to make it: https://www.justonecookbook.com/homemade-furikake-rice-seasoning/
We hope this helps!
How long can I keep Dashi in the fridge?
Hello, Kristina! Thank you so much for taking the time to read Nami’s post and try her recipe! The length of time varies depending on the type of Dashi. For example, if you make Awase dashi, you can store it in a bottle or mason jar in the fridge for 3-5 days or in the freezer for 2 weeks. For additional information on different types of Dashi, please see the recipe link. We hope this helps!😊
What’s the best way to store unused dashi?
Hi Tom! Thank you for taking the time to read Nami’s post!
You can refrigerate or freeze it in an airtight container.
Please see the bottom of each recipe card for more information.😉
Have fun cooking!
Hi Nami,
First time watching your video, great!
Can you please tell me where to buy the aluminum stock pan with long wooden holder you use in the video ? I love it so much and want to. have one myself 🙂
Thank you in advance.
chai.
Hi Chai! Thank you for watching Nami’s video and trying her recipe!
The saucepan is called Yukihira Saucepan and is one of Nami’s favorite cookware.
https://www.amazon.com/shop/justonecookbook/list/2R2UR0OTHR4WB?ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d
We hope this helps!
Where did you get those tall containers that hold your dashi?!
Hi Lisa! Thank you for asking!
There are from brand name called “Hario”.
Links are here: https://www.amazon.com/shop/justonecookbook/list/JD39FUPH6SRN
Please scroll down, you will see few different types there.
We hope this helps!🙂
Nami!!! Can you please add Amazon links to those cute carafe/containers you’re storing the dashi in???
Hi Jana! Thank you for reading Nam’s post!
Those carafes are from Hario, and Nami listed a few types with Amazon links here. https://www.amazon.com/shop/justonecookbook/list/JD39FUPH6SRN
We hope this helps!
How do you store dashi? 🙂
Hi Jenny! Thank you very much for reading Nami’s post!
If you are making Dashi from scratch, you can store the Dashi in a bottle or mason jar and keep it in the refrigerator for 3-5 days or in the freezer for 2 weeks.
If you use Dashi powder, we don’t recommend storing Dashi in the refrigerator or freezer.
Please check out each Dashi recipe for more detail.
We hope this helps!🙂
It’s difficult to get dashi packs here but they are certainly really convenient. I was wondering about making my own dashi packs using large tea bags.
What do you suggest I can put inside a DIY dashi pack?
Hi Sarah! Thank you very much for reading Nami’s post!
If you can get Dashi ingredients like Dried Bonito, Dried Sardine, Roasted Flying Fish, Dried Kelp (Kombu), you can grind them and packed in the packet.
We hope this helps!