This vegetable soup isn’t just cozy and delicious—it also highlights the magic of shio koji. Lately, with the heat and humidity here in Tokyo, I’ve been craving something light yet nourishing, and this gentle soup has been just right for my tired body. It also happens to be perfect for using up leftover veggies that might otherwise go to waste.
Thanks to the powerful enzymes in shio koji, the vegetables (and any meat you add) break down beautifully, releasing natural sweetness and umami. The result is a simple, wholesome soup that’s incredibly satisfying—and good for you, too.
Vegetable Soup Using Shio Koji
This cozy vegetable soup uses the enzyme-rich magic of shio koji to turn leftover veggies into a light, nourishing, and deeply flavorful dish—perfect for hot, tired days.
Ingredients
- 594 g (3.3 cups) vegetables (Use any kinds you like. I used mushroom, eggplant, broccoli, cabbage, burdock, and carrot.)
- 140 g (4.9 oz) sausages or bacon (Optional)
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) garlic (Optional)
- 1 tbsp (1 tbsp) ginger (Optional)
- 6 tbsp (6.1 tbsp) shio koji
- 2 tbsp (2 tbsp) soup stock (Use any kinds you like. I used consomme granules and dashi powder. )
- 0.5 tbsp black pepper
- 800 ml (3.4 cups) water
directions
Preparation
- Chop up the vegetables, meat, garlic, and ginger into small pieces.
Cooking the Soup
- In a large pot, add water, soup stock, ginger and garlic, and all the vegetables and meat.Turn on the heat to medium and cover with a lid.
- After cooking for five minutes, give it a good stir and mix all the ingredients.Cover with the lid again and let it cook for about 10 more minutes or until the vegetables are translucent but not mushy.
- If you are in a hurry, you can cook it a bit more until the vegetables are soft and finish it up by seasoning it with shio koji and black pepper. The soup will come out delicious.But if you are making this ahead of time, you can follow the steps below to make use of the magical power of the enzymes in shio koji to make the soup extra delicious!
Resting the Soup – Let Shio Koji Do Its Magic!
- Stop the heat and cover it with the lid and let it cool down for about an hour or until the soup is below 60 °C (140 °F). This will prevent killing the enzymes in shio koji once we add it in.
- Once the soup is cooled enough, add some shio koji. We don't need to fully season yet, so go easy on the amount of shio koji you are adding.
- After stirring, cover it with the lid and let it sit for about an hour or longer, and let shio koji do its magic. The magical power of the enzymes in shio koji is that they will break down the vegetables and meat to create umami and sweetness from them. If you are going to let it sit for hours, keep it in the fridge so it doesn't go bad.
Finishing Up the Soup
- To finish up, you can add some water to make it as soupy as you like. Then add black pepper to taste and turn on the heat. Check the flavor, and see if it's seasoned enough. If not, add some more shio koji to your taste. Give it a final stir, and it's ready to serve!
Recipe Notes
- Feel free to adjust the ingredient amount to your taste.
- What Is Shio Koji? (The Complete Guide)
- How to Make Shio Koji (Recipe)
- Shio koji products: – If You Are Outside of Japan Shio koji by marukome 200g (7.05 ounce): https://geni.us/8vWX0vj Shio koji by marukome 500g (17.6 ounce): https://geni.us/tIoxH2b – If You Are in Japan Shio koji by marukome 500g (17.6 ounce) x 2: https://geni.us/Kbbw0C
- Dashi powder: – If You Are Outside of Japan: https://geni.us/LD7XA – If You Are in Japan: https://geni.us/AI3Btb These dashi powder products are not exactly the same as the one I used in the video but are similar.
- As an Amazon Associate, I earn a percentage of what you pay on qualifying purchases.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 252.8kcalCarbohydrates: 30.4gProtein: 9.2gFat: 11.4gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 0.3mgSodium: 1762.2mgPotassium: 564mgFiber: 6.3gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 860.1IUVitamin C: 67.7mgCalcium: 69.8mgIron: 1mg
Tokyo-based Japanese home cook and food writer, sharing easy, low-carb recipes featuring Japanese staples like shio koji. I also explore the city’s dining scene through honest restaurant reviews and food adventures. Learn more at sakurayubi.com/about.
