Tonjiru (also known as butajiru) is a savory pork and vegetable miso soup that you can easily make at home. Packed with B vitamins, fiber, and minerals, this healthy soup is nourishing and soul-fulfilling. You’d love it on a cold-weather day!
If you ask me what is my favorite miso soup, I would immediately say Tonjiru (豚汁). This Pork and Vegetable Miso Soup is one of the true comfort foods that I crave when I travel. There’s nothing more soothing than a simple meal of Onigiri rice balls and Tonjiru.
You might have seen Tonjiru being featured on the popular Japanese TV drama called “Shinya Shokudo (深夜食堂)” or “Midnight Diner: Tokyo Stories” on Netflix. In the opening scene, the main character Master is seen to be making a big pot of hearty soup, where steam is wafting through the kitchen.
If you find yourself extra hungry after watching all the scrumptious meals prepared by the Master, it’s time to create them right in your own kitchen! Each of the dishes is doable and I have the recipes just for you (Season 1 recipes; Season 2 recipes)!
Table of Contents
What is Tonjiru?
Tonjiru (豚汁), literally meaning “pork (ton) soup (jiru)”, is basically miso soup featuring pork and root vegetables. Some people call it Butajiru (豚汁) too, just another way to read the same kanji character.
It may be a cold-weather staple, but I do enjoy the soup year-round. Not only is it delicious, but the soup also packs in a lot of protein, minerals, fiber, and B vitamins that are great for both body and soul. The kind of comfort food that will warm and restore you. So what’s not to love?
Ingredients You’ll Need
The Pork
The most commonly used pork for this soup is pork belly slices. They look like bacon because they are the same cut of meat but uncured. You can buy pork belly slices in Japanese or Korean grocery stores or big blocks of pork belly in Chinese grocery stores (read this tutorial on How to Slice Meat Thinly). Some American grocery stores like the meat sections at Whole Foods may also offer the same cuts if you ask.
The Vegetables
Besides pork, the characteristic of this soup is that it is loaded with hearty root vegetables such as gobo (burdock root), taro, daikon, and carrot. You can cut these vegetables into any shape and size you like. Just make sure to keep all the ingredients the same size so that they take about the same cooking time.
Each household makes slightly different Tonjiru with various ingredients and miso of their choice. Besides what I use in my recipe, I’ve seen:
- Bean sprout
- Cabbage/Napa cabbage
- Asian chives (Nira)
- Potato
- Shimeji mushroom
- Shiitake mushroom
The Soup Stock
The sauteed pork belly gives the soup a sweet-savory flavor so some people use only water and leave out dashi in their Tonjiru. However, I personally prefer dashi in the soup broth for more umami and depth.
Tips on Making Tonjiru
- Use at least 3 root vegetables – I highly recommend NOT skipping gobo, daikon, and carrot. These three vegetables add unique flavors, depth, and sweetness.
- Cut vegetables in the same size and similar shape – If you want chunkier texture in your soup, you can cut bigger size but make sure all the ingredients are similar in shape and size for even cooking time.
- Stir fry the meat and vegetables before adding soup stock – This helps to bring out flavors from the ingredients and add depth to the soup.
- Let the flavor soak in while cooling – If you have time, make this soup ahead of time. While you let the soup cool and wait for the meal, the flavor will improve.
- Add miso right before serving – Miso soup is the most fragrant and tasty when it’s added right before serving. And do not let the miso soup boil as it loses its wonderful flavor.
Pressure Cooker (Instant Pot) Tonjiru
No time to keep a close watch on the pot? Try making Tonjiru in your pressure cooker! Here’s my recipe using the Instant Pot.
What to Serve with Tonjiru
Nourishing and easily customizable, Tonjiru is unquestionably home cooking of the best kind. You can make a big pot and enjoy it for the next 5 days!
For a simple cozy dinner, I like to serve the soup to accompany the main dish like Japanese Salted Salmon along with steamed rice, pickles, and a few small sides.
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Tonjiru (Pork and Vegetable Miso Soup)
Video
Ingredients
For the Ingredients
- 9.6 oz sliced pork belly (at least 8 oz, 227 g of pork belly; I sometimes use a combination of pork belly and less-fatty pork loin; for vegetarian/vegan, skip the meat and add more tofu, mushrooms, or veggies)
- 3.5 oz gobo (burdock root) (½ length)
- 8 oz taro (satoimo) (3 pieces)
- 1 onion (6 oz, 170 g)
- 8.7 oz daikon radish (2 inches, 5 cm)
- 4.3 oz carrot (4 inches, 10 cm)
- ½ block konnyaku (konjac) (4.5 oz, 128 g)
- ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt (for cleaning the konnyaku)
- 1 Tokyo negi (naga negi; long green onion)
- 1 piece aburaage (deep-fried tofu pouch)
- 1 tsp ginger (grated, with juice)
For the Soup
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 6 cups dashi (Japanese soup stock) (use standard Awase Dashi, dashi packet or powder, or Vegan Dashi)
- 6 Tbsp miso (each miso brand/type tastes different, so adjust the amount to taste)
- 7 oz medium-firm tofu (momen dofu) (½ package; or use silken tofu)
For the Garnish
- 1 green onion/scallion
- shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice) (optional, for a spicy kick)
Instructions
- It‘s easier to cut the pork belly if it‘s slightly frozen, so put it in the freezer for 15 minutes before you cut it. Meanwhile, gather all the ingredients.
To Prepare the Ingredients
- Take out 9.6 oz sliced pork belly from the freezer and cut it into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces.
- Scrape the skin from 3.5 oz gobo (burdock root) with the back of your knife. The flavor of the gobo is right underneath the skin; therefore, you only need to scrape off the outer skin. Do not use a peeler.
- Make a cross incision on the end of the gobo about 1 inch (2.5 cm) deep. This helps make shaving the gobo easier. Rotate the root as you shave the end of the gobo, like how you would sharpen a pencil with a knife. Soak the shaved gobo in water to prevent discoloration.
- Discard the dirty water and rinse the gobo under running water.
- Cut off both ends of 8 oz taro (satoimo) and peel the sides with the knife (or peeler).
- Cut the taro into ⅓-inch (8 mm) slices and soak them in water to remove the sliminess.
- Cut 1 onion in half lengthwise and cut it into thin slices.
- Peel 8.7 oz daikon radish and cut it in half lengthwise.
- Cut the daikon halves in half lengthwise again (now they are quartered) and cut into ⅛-inch (3-mm) slices. If your daikon is skinny, cut it into thin half-moon-shaped slices.
- Peel and cut 4.3 oz carrot in half lengthwise, and then slice thinly.
- Cut ½ block konnyaku (konjac) into small and thin rectangular pieces.
- Sprinkle ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt on the konnyaku and rub it well with your hands. Let it stand for 5 minutes. Tip: The salt releases moisture along with the unwanted odor from the konnyaku.
- In the meantime, bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the konnyaku.
- Cook the konnyaku for 2–3 minutes, drain the water, and set aside. Tip: This helps to remove the unwanted odor.
- Slice 1 Tokyo negi (naga negi; long green onion) diagonally.
- Remove the excess oil from 1 piece aburaage (deep-fried tofu pouch) with a piece of paper towel.
- Cut the aburaage in half lengthwise and thinly slice it.
- Peel and grate the ginger (I use a ceramic grater) and measure 1 tsp ginger (grated, with juice).
- Cut 1 green onion/scallion into thin small rounds to use as garnish on top of the miso soup. Keep them in a bowl and set aside.
To Cook the Tonjiru
- Preheat a large pot (I use a Le Creuset Dutch oven) over medium heat. When hot, add 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil.
- Add the pork belly and stir-fry with a spatula.
- When the pork is no longer pink, add the onion.
- Stir-fry the onions. Then, add the daikon and carrot slices.
- When the ingredients are coated with oil, add the gobo and taro.
- Add the konnyaku, aburaage, negi, and 6 cups dashi (Japanese soup stock). There should be just enough dashi to cover the ingredients. If not, add more dashi or water.
- Stir to mix, cover with a lid, and bring it to boil.
- When boiling, lower the heat and skim off the scum and fat from the soup.
- Simmer, covered with the lid, until the root vegetables are tender, about 10–15 minutes.
- The Tonjiru is done cooking when a skewer inserted into a tough and thick vegetable pierces through. Turn off the heat. If you are preparing this dish ahead, stop here and let it cool completely before storing the pot in the refrigerator.
To Serve
- For the best flavor and aroma, add the miso right before serving, if possible. Dissolve 6 Tbsp miso into the soup using a strainer. (Tip: Always start adding a little less than the recipe calls for; each brand/type of miso has different saltiness.) If you don’t have a strainer, let the miso completely dissolve in the ladle first before releasing it to the soup. Taste the soup. If it's too salty, add dashi or water to dilute.
- If the soup needs more seasoning, add more miso (I added 1 Tbsp). When you are done adding the miso, add the grated ginger. Tip: When you add the tofu (always add tofu after the miso as it is delicate), make sure your miso soup has a slightly stronger taste because the moisture from the tofu will dilute the flavor.
- Tear 7 oz medium-firm tofu (momen dofu) into small pieces and add them to the soup. Alternatively, you can cut the tofu into cubes instead of tearing it. Tip: Tearing adds more surface area to the tofu and will help it absorb more miso flavor from the soup.
- When you are ready to serve, reheat the Tonjiru on medium-low heat and keep it at a low simmer. NEVER let the miso soup boil because miso will lose its flavor.
- Serve the Tonjiru in miso soup bowls, sprinkle with green onion, and serve immediately. Sprinkle in some shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice) at the table for an optional spicy kick.
To Store
- Let the Tonjiru cool completely before storing it in the refrigerator. Consume within 5 days.
Nutrition
Editor’s Note: The post was originally published in 2011. The post has been republished with new images and content on July 8, 2020.
I tried making Tonjiru before but it didn’t taste right. I never tried again — until recently. I used your recipe and it came out perfectly. I’m shin-nisei and was cooking for a Nihonjin and someone who grew up in Japan (father was Nihonjin). Everyone loved it. Thank you! 😊
Hi Komo! I first thought you didn’t like my tonjiru! Phew! I’m glad you enjoyed my recipe. Thank you for your feedback! I’m curious what was wrong in the previous Tonjiru recipe… no dashi or something? It’s fairly easy and simple to make Tonjiru… Hmmm…
This is a lovely recipe, which I’ve made a few times since we moved to Japan. It makes rather a large quantity (enough for 4 people as dinner on its own). I was wondering if you normally serve it as part of a larger spread with other dishes, or just on its own as a hearty soup?
Hi Nat! My mom always serve Tonjiru in a big donburi bowl (as a hearty dish) and serve grilled fish and small sides. If you are in Teishoku restaurant, they serve Tonjiru as a miso soup. So it’s really up to you! 🙂
Incredible. Best soup I’ve ever made. Wanted to replicate the pork miso soup that a restaurant nearby makes, and this was perfect. Thank you 😭
Hi Rachel! Thank you so much for your kind words and feedback. I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe! 🙂
I just finished a big bowl of Tonjiru and it was incredibly delicious! Wow!
As a big fan of “Midnight Diner” I watched the Master cooking his “Pork Miso Combo” countless times, eventually identifying the ingredients. I knew you would have a recipe for something similar. Tonjiru!
I love gobo and taro, and the konnyaku soaked up the flavours so nicely. Thank you Nami!
I’d like to make this for my sister, but she’s allergic to pork. Could you suggest a substitute meat that would maintain the integrity of this dish? Turkey thigh, maybe?
Hi Colleen! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this soup! Yeah you can use any other meat besides beef. Pork belly is fatty and oil makes this dish more delicious (a lot more flavorful). So the final dish may not be as rich and flavorful, but it will be still delicious. Hope she will enjoy it too!
[…] already shared a regular Tonjiru recipe that requires cooking on the stovetop, but today I’ll share the Instant Pot Tonjiru recipe. […]
[…] Tonjiru (Pork and Vegetable Miso Soup) […]
Tried this, it was so good. Always love your recipes, btw can you do a sukiyaki donburi recipe?
Hi Gary! Thank you so. much for trying this recipe! I’m glad you liked it! I make Sukiyaki Donburi with the leftover Sukiyaki. 😀
https://www.justonecookbook.com/sukiyaki/
Pretty much same cooking method, but you serve over rice. 🙂
[…] Tonjiru (Pork and Vegetable Miso Soup) […]
Thank you for the recipe! The only change I made was to cut the konnyaku using a shot glass. Creates uneven surface which absorbs the flavor more.
Hi Shinji! Thank you so much for trying this recipe! Yes, we can do the same using a spoon too (https://www.justonecookbook.com/japanese-beef-tendon-stew/), if anyone is curious. I hope you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂
[…] 6. Tonjiru 豚汁 […]
[…] Tonjiru (pork and vegetable miso soup) […]
For convenience sake, if i’m making this in a slow cooker, would the miso lose its flavor if i mix it from the very beginning?
Hi Jos! I suggest to add miso right before serving. 🙂
[…] eat gobo (ごぼう) or burdock root all year round. You can find it frequently appears in miso soup, Kinpira Gobo, and Gobo Salad. On Oshogatu, the New Year’s holiday celebration on January […]
[…] Tonjiru (a pork and root vegetable miso stew) […]
Hi Nami-san!
I just wanted to say thanks for all of these beautiful and delicious recipes. I made tonjiru this evening and it was delightful.
I used to live in Japan and was missing Japanese cooking – I came across your blog and have been working my way through your recipes. So far I’ve made your broiled salmon, ginger rice, pork rib and vegetable spring rolls, takikomi gohan, and this recipe for tonjiru. They’ve all come out wonderfully with your expert instructions, photos, and proper proportions for everything.
Thank you again for giving me a taste of Japan again through accessible recipes. Your blog is awesome!
Kindly,
Vicky
Hi Vicky! So happy to hear you tried this recipe along with other recipes from my site. I’m so delighted to hear you enjoyed them and I’m happy to hear my instructions were clear to guide you cook. Thank you so much for your kind feedback. 🙂 Hope you can find recipes that you enjoyed in Japan on my blog.