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 love this recipe as does my Japanese wife reminds her of her childhood it reminds her of her mum making this during a cold winter in Iwate.
Hi Alan, Aww… We are so glad to hear your wife reminds her of her mum’s yummy soup. Thank you very much for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback.
Truly delicious and versatile with whatever veggies I have in the fridge….though the best I’ve had is when I don’t skip out carrot and daikon. My kids loved it and is a one-pot type of dinner. Thank you!
Hi Julie, Thank you very much for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback! We are so happy to hear you enjoyed this soup with many vegetables! Way to go!
Nami san, thank you for the wonderful recipe. First of all, you made me try a new ingredient (gobo) to cook! (It’s exciting!) Secondly, you made my husband love miso! (I know, right?!). My husband is not a big fan of miso soup and when I wanted to recreate this recipe, I was sure he would complain about it. When I served this on the table, I did not say anything, and then I asked how it was. He liked it and then, I told him that it was miso. And he said: Dang! From now on, he needs to retract back his words on miso =) . Thank you again, Nami san! Although I grow up in Indonesia, I think I cook Japanese food more at home than Indonesian food. 🙂 And yours is always the website I am looking at for inspirations.
Hi Ailina, Thank you very much for trying this recipe and for sharing your story with us! We are so happy to hear you had tried a new ingredient (gobo), and you and your husband enjoyed Tonjiru! Now, wonder what else he may like! Here is the list of recipes that use miso. Enjoy! https://www.justonecookbook.com/search/?q=miso
Hi Nami, this looks delicious and I’d like to make it but there are a few obstacles. I cannot get gobo, daikon, budrock, konnyaku and aburaage. Slices of pork as I see in your pics aren’t available (they look like raw bacon to me), so, can I still make this soup? What are good substitutes for the pork belly (another part?) and the veggies? I have very thin konjac shirataki noodles, can I use some instead of the konnyaku? Thank you for sharing. I have already made at least a dozen of your recipes. I love them all. Su
ch amazing flavor. Tonight we had tonkatsu with Japanese rice, a side of pickles, tonkatsu sauce and a simple but great soup of dashi broth , mirin, sake, soy sauce with lots of mushrooms and scallions too. I added some somen noodles because I somehow have too many, and it was yummy.
Thank you for this wonderful blog and the clear step by step instructions. Thanks a lot!
Hi Nany, Thank you very much for trying many recipes from our website. Nami has a post where she explains how to slice meat thinly for delicious Japanese dishes, and we hope you can slice pork belly and less-fatty pork loin for the recipe.
https://www.justonecookbook.com/how-to-slice-meat/
As for the vegetable, as Nami mention in this post, we highly recommend NOT skipping gobo, daikon, and carrot. These three vegetables add unique flavors, depth, and sweetness to this soup. Having said that, you can try another vegetable that you can find in your area. Instead of Gobo and Daikon, use Shiitake and Winter melon, Zucchini, etc.
Konnyaku… We normally don’t add shirataki noodles in this type of dish, but if you like the texture, sure, you can add.😉
We hope this helps!
h=Hi Naomi, thank you for your reply. My question was what other part of pork can I use? I know about thin slicing but the problem is that I can’t get here this slab of pork, sliced or not.
I thought about the konjac noodles instead of the konnyaku since the konnyaku is made of the same konjac. Does it make sense? Do konjac noodles dissolve in long cooking?
Thanks 🙂
Hi Nany, I mentioned less-fatty pork loin in the comment, but you can not find it too? Then how about Pork collar or Boston butt? As for the Konjac question, Konjac noodles will not dissolve in long cooking just like Konjac, and you can use them for this soup if you like the noodle texture. We hope I answer your question.🙂
This was very tasty. I really like the pork and miso combination. Reminds me a little bit of the Korean Doenjang jjigae.
Thank’s a lot
Andreas
Hi Andreas!
We are so glad to hear you enjoyed this soup!
Thank you very much for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback.🙂
Hi Nami,
I love your recipes and blog so much! My dad is ethnically Japanese but his parents did not teach their children any Japanese culture so recently I have been trying hard to study Japanese culture, language and food! After watching Midnight Diner, I decided I wanted to make this but I work a lot so I was wanting to bring it with me for dinner to eat in my office. How would you suggest I add the miso in the make ahead directions if I am using a microwave and the soup is just in a glass tupperware?
Thank you for your work on this blog, I love it!
Hi Jill!
It is never too late to start learning something new! Good Luck with your study!
To bring the delicious dinner to your work, yes. You may bring the Miso separately and add it to the soup after you microwave it well.
Thank you for trying this recipe and for your kind feedback.🙂
I’d made it and my family loved it!! It’s very cold now here in Peru and this was a main dish everyone enjoyed a lot. My fathers in law and my husband are japanese. I’m sansei born in Peru. Thankfully we can find many japanese products here and I made Tonjiru with all the ingredients of the recipe. All of the recipes books that my mother in law has are in japanese, and it’s very difficult for me to read them because they are in hiragana and kanji. It was my way to find how to make them in a language I can understand. Thank you for sharing all your incredible recipes. You can make me share my love to my family through the meals I can cook for them. 🙂
Hi Mimi! I’m so glad your family enjoyed this recipe and thanks for using my recipes and having them being a part of your life! It meant a lot to me and I hope you enjoy discovering new recipes and sharing the joy and heritage with your family. Thank you very much for your kind feedback!
Can’t wait to try your recipe! Craving for it right now even though the weather is hot and sunny now in Singapore hehe.
Quick question, in the Midnight Diner video, he seems to have 2 types of miso. One is dark and one is light. I am not sure if I saw correctly and if it is indeed miso? My husband and me always wished they would feature this dish in one of their episodes.
Hi Min! A lot of households in Japan have two types of miso – shiro miso and aka miso so we can switch around to make different dishes with different miso AND not to get bored with miso soup everyday, we make our own Awase Miso with red and white miso (or sometimes white only, etc). Hope you enjoy this recipe!
I love this recipe. I do a simplified version – leaving out the taro and tofus, and replacing the konnyaku with shirataki noodles – for a surprisingly filling noodle soup lunch. I make this at least once a week and it keeps quite well in the fridge despite the use of pork.
Hi qlevi! I love that you make low-calorie noodle soup! It’s filling from all the ingredients and healthy… Me too, I can have tonjiru weekly! 🙂 Thanks for trying my recipe!
Hi Nami!
In my country you can only get smoked raw pork belly in thin slices (it looks kinda like this if it helps
), would it be okay to use it in Tonjiru or other soup/stew recipes or should I just stick to the normal, raw one and cut it myself?
Thank you for this recipe, I’ll definitely try to try to make it with root vegetables available in my country (and maybe mushrooms, I love Asian mushrooms).
Hi Ola! Thank you for sharing the product link – it’s helpful! So it’s kind of like bacon? Salted already? Ideally, if possible, I would use raw, uncured meat because we don’t want to introduce salt from the meat. 🙂
I tastes nothing like bacon (more like ham or sth), but now (I had no luck before in googling, murphy’s law is striking) I found it’s smoked but for a shorter time and probably salted already, so not feasible.
Anyway, I used raw meat and froze it to slice it, it turned out not super neat, but workable.
And I changed gobo, daikon and konjac to vegetables available in my country (you can get only pickled daikon here), like celery, parsley and added cabbage and it turned out okay! It’s definitely fulfilling and nutritious (I prefer the tofu-wakame version though, it’s tastier for me).
Hi Ola! Thank you so much for letting me know! I’m glad you figured out the best way to make your Tonjiru! Thanks for sharing your cooking experience with us! 🙂
Looks good. Can’t wait to try it!
Great recipe Nami! I threw in a couple of frozen udon noodles and it made a great udon noodle soup for dinner! My 3 year old also loved the taste of the hearty soup. Thanks!:)
Hi Clement! That sounds delicious! And your story actually reminded me of the time when my kids are small and I used leftover miso soup to make noodle soup. 😀
This was delicious! I added a potato and mushrooms, left out the konnyaku, taro, and burdock. Be careful not to overdo the meat (it could probably just cook as is while the soup is boiling and simmering) because mine came out a bit dry by the end. 5 Tbsp of miso was a bit strong for my taste so I added more hot water and returned to comfortably level of saltiness. Will definitely make again!
Hi Em! Thanks so much for trying this recipe and your feedback! Glad you adjusted the soup at the end! That’s what I would do as well when I added a bit too much miso. Thanks again!
Made this tonight, with the addition of fresh shiitake & wood ear mushrooms, & Shanghai bok choy (younger son loves greens). Satoimo & gobo were new vegetables for us to try; yes, the satoimo was a bit slimy & gobo does discolor really quickly, but your tips helped me deal with those. The soup turned out great & everyone loved it, so we’ll be making it from now on 🙂
After researching various tonjiru recipes including a few by professional chefs, I found yours to be by far the best-written with the clearest instructions. Thanks for all the time & work you put into Just One Cookbook.
Hi Trish! I’m so glad to hear everyone enjoyed it. Thank you for trying my recipes! I’m glad to hear my recipe was helpful. But my English is not perfect, so you will find a lot of English errors! 😀 THank you again!
That your instructions are so clear with a generous number of extremely helpful & well-taken photos precludes any small slips with English grammar 🙂 English is one of the most nonsensical & difficult languages to learn! I admire multi-lingual speakers, having never achieved that myself. Besides, you’re very responsive in answering questions to clear up whatever anyone might want to know – which is greatly appreciated.
Well wishes to you & your family.
Aww thank you so much for your kind and encouraging words! I’m happy to help, let me know if you have any question! I hope you and your family stay healthy at these difficult times!
Hi Nami,
What type of miso should be used in this recipe?
Thank you!
Hi Susan! Any miso works, and that’s the fun part. We always have different flavors when you try with different miso.
a minestrone of some kind, or tomato lentils with pork sausage