Tonjiru (Japanese Pork Soup)

Tonjiru is a simple Japanese soup/stew loaded with tender pork and vegetables in a savory miso broth. It's so easy and satisfying; it's a favorite in homes around Japan in winter.

Tonjiru (豚汁 - also read as butajiru), is a Japanese pork soup loaded with vegetables, which makes it a hearty meal that's popular in homes around Japan during the cooler months of the year.

Course Soups & Stews

Cuisine Japanese

Keyword comfort food, stew, winter

Level Beginner

Main Ingredient Pork

Diet Dairy-Free, Low Sugar, Low-Carb

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings servings

Calories 533kcal

Ingredients

90 grams burdock
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
260 grams pork jowl (or other marbled cut, thinly sliced)
150 grams daikon (peeled, quartered and sliced)
100 grams taro (peeled halved and sliced)
90 grams carrot (peeled halved and sliced)
90 grams shiitake (cleaned and sliced)
2 large scallions (stems and leaves chopped separately
2 tablespoons mirin
200 grams shirataki noodles (roughly chopped)
5 cups dashi
⅓ cup yellow miso
Shichimi togarashi (optional)

Grams + US Cups - Ounces + US Cups

Instructions

Prepare the burdock according to the directions above.
Heat a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until hot. Add the oil and then spread it out into an even layer. Let this brown undisturbed for a minute or two. Stir the pork to redistribute and brown the other side.
Add the daikon, taro, carrot, shiitake and scallion stems and stir-fry until fragrant. Deglaze the pot with the mirin.
Use a skimmer or spoon to skim off any foam that floats to the surface and repeat until there is no more foam coming up.
Turn down the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and then dissolve the miso into the soup. Simmer the pork soup uncovered until the vegetables and pork are tender (about 20-30 minutes).
Serve the Tonjiru garnished with scallion greens and shichimi togarashi.

Nutrition