Japanese New Year Soup (Ozoni): A Clear Broth Recipe

Japanese New Year soup, or ozoni, is a celebratory soup of mochi rice cakes in broth, often served with chicken and vegetables. This clear-broth version uses kombu and bonito dashi, soy sauce, and toasted mochi; ozoni varies widely by region and household, so this is one practical style rather than a single definitive formula.

Ingredients

6 cups (1.4 L) cold water
1 piece kombu, about 4 inches (10 cm) square and 5 g
1 cup (10 g) loosely packed bonito flakes, also called katsuobushi
8 oz (225 g) boneless, skinless chicken thigh, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
1 cup (100 g) daikon radish, peeled and cut into thin quarter-moons
1 medium carrot, about 3 oz (85 g), peeled and cut into thin rounds or half-moons
4 fresh shiitake mushrooms, about 3 oz (85 g), stems removed and caps sliced
1 tablespoon (15 ml) soy sauce
2 teaspoons (10 ml) mirin
½ teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste
4 pieces plain Japanese mochi rice cake, about 2 oz (56 g) each
1 cup (30 g) baby spinach, washed and thick stems removed
4 thin slices (about 2 oz / 56 g total) kamaboko fish cake, optional
4 small sprigs mitsuba Japanese parsley, optional, for garnish

Instructions

Prepare the ingredients. Cut the chicken and vegetables as directed, and keep the chicken separate from the vegetables and ready-to-eat garnishes. Wash the spinach and set out the mochi. Thin, even pieces of daikon and carrot soften quickly and are easier to eat in a spoonful of soup. If using frozen mochi, follow its package directions for thawing or cooking rather than leaving it out for a long time.
Make the dashi. Put the cold water and kombu in a medium pot. Warm over medium heat until the water is steaming and small bubbles begin to form at the edges, about 8 to 10 minutes; do not let the kombu boil vigorously. Remove the kombu, add the bonito flakes, and bring the liquid just to a gentle simmer. Turn off the heat and let the flakes settle for 3 minutes, then pour the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl. Avoid pressing the flakes, which can make the broth cloudy or bitter. Return the strained dashi to the pot.
Cook the vegetables and chicken. Add the daikon, carrot, shiitake, soy sauce, mirin, and salt to the dashi. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 4 minutes. Add the chicken pieces, keeping them submerged, and simmer for about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring once so the pieces cook evenly. Check the thickest chicken piece with a food thermometer; USDA FSIS lists 165°F (74°C) as the safe minimum internal temperature for poultry. If a piece has not reached that temperature, continue simmering and check again. Taste the broth and add a pinch more salt if needed.
Toast the mochi while the soup simmers. Heat a toaster oven to 425°F (220°C). Put the mochi on a foil-lined tray with space between pieces and toast for 5 to 7 minutes, turning once, until puffed and lightly browned. Watch closely near the end because mochi can go from toasted to scorched quickly. The pieces should be hot through and beginning to soften, but need not be submerged in the pot to cook.
Finish and serve. Stir the spinach into the simmering soup for about 30 seconds, just until wilted. Divide the toasted mochi among four bowls and add a slice of kamaboko to each, if using. Ladle the hot broth, chicken, and vegetables over the mochi, then garnish with mitsuba. Serve promptly, while the mochi is soft and the broth is hot.

Tips

Keep the dashi gentle. Boiling kombu hard can make the broth slick or strongly flavored, while boiling bonito flakes for a long time can produce a harsher taste. Remove the kombu as the water approaches a simmer and steep the flakes off the heat.
Use instant dashi if needed. If kombu and bonito flakes are difficult to find, prepare enough instant dashi granules for 6 cups (1.4 L) of broth according to the package. This is a useful shortcut, though the flavor may be saltier or more concentrated; taste before adding the recipe’s full amount of salt and soy sauce.
Look for plain mochi. Japanese grocery stores often sell individually wrapped, shelf-stable mochi in blocks. Fresh or frozen plain mochi also works. Do not substitute sweet dessert mochi with filling; its texture and flavor are not suited to this savory broth.
Handle mochi thoughtfully. Mochi is sticky and can be difficult to chew. Cut each piece into smaller bites before serving to anyone who may have trouble chewing, and encourage everyone to eat slowly. Toasted mochi softens further once it sits in hot broth.

Serving Suggestions

Serve ozoni as a first meal or part of a Japanese New Year spread. For a fuller table, pair it with rice, tamagoyaki, simmered vegetables, pickles, or small portions of other celebratory dishes. The soup is filling on its own because the mochi provides a substantial, chewy element, so a light side is often enough.

Bring the broth to the table in a pot or ladle it into individual bowls just before eating. Putting the mochi in the bowls first keeps it easy to portion and lets each person choose how much broth and garnish to take. Add mitsuba at the end for its fresh, gently herbal flavor. If you cannot find mitsuba, a little flat-leaf parsley is a practical garnish, though its flavor is different.

Because mochi becomes softer the longer it sits, serve the bowls soon after assembly. For a group, keep the soup hot in the pot and toast the mochi in batches, then assemble bowls as people are ready to eat.

Variations

Ozoni has many regional and household versions. In much of eastern Japan, a clear soy-seasoned broth with rectangular mochi is common; other versions use miso broth, round mochi, or different combinations of seafood and vegetables. This recipe uses a clear dashi base and chicken, but it is easy to adjust without treating one style as the only correct one.

For a miso variation, leave out the soy sauce or reduce it, then dissolve 2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45 g) of white or blended miso into a ladleful of hot broth off the heat and stir it back into the pot. Miso brands vary in saltiness, so taste before adding more salt. Do not boil the soup vigorously after adding miso, since a hard boil can dull its aroma.

For a seafood-style bowl, replace the chicken with cooked shrimp or a firm white fish. Cook seafood separately or add it near the end so it does not overcook; fish should reach 145°F (63°C), measured with a food thermometer. For a vegetarian version, omit chicken and bonito flakes and make kombu-and-shiitake broth instead. The result is lighter and less savory, so add a little extra shiitake or a small amount of vegetarian dashi powder if available. Check labels on dashi granules and kamaboko, since many contain fish.

Other suitable vegetable additions include small pieces of taro, leafy greens, or thinly sliced napa cabbage. If using a firm vegetable such as taro, cook it until tender before serving; cooking time depends on the size of the pieces. Keep the total amount moderate so the broth remains easy to ladle and the mochi stays central to the bowl.

Storage and Reheating

For best texture, store the broth and mochi separately. Remove any leftover mochi from the bowls, place it in an airtight container, and refrigerate it with the soup within 2 hours of serving. Refrigerate the broth, chicken, and vegetables in a covered container for 3 to 4 days. The mochi will firm up in the refrigerator and may become quite soft if stored in the soup.

Reheat only the amount of broth you plan to eat in a saucepan until it is steaming hot, stirring so the chicken and vegetables warm evenly. Check that leftovers reach 165°F (74°C), the USDA FSIS reheating temperature. Add fresh spinach during the last minute if you want it bright rather than fully wilted. Toast refrigerated mochi in a 425°F (220°C) toaster oven until hot and softened, then place it in the bowl and ladle over the reheated soup.

Freeze the broth and chicken without the mochi for up to 2 months for better quality. Thaw in the refrigerator, then reheat to 165°F (74°C); the vegetables may be softer after freezing. Toast fresh mochi when serving rather than freezing it in the broth.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does ozoni mean?
Ozoni is the Japanese name for a New Year soup made with mochi and broth. The ingredients and broth style differ by region and household, but mochi is a familiar feature of many versions. It is commonly eaten around the New Year in Japan.

Can I make the dashi ahead?
Yes. Make and strain the dashi up to 2 days ahead, cool it promptly, and refrigerate it in a covered container. When ready to cook, bring it back to a simmer and continue with the vegetables and chicken. Keep raw chicken separate until you are ready to cook it.

Can I use square or round mochi?
Yes. Either plain shape works; the shape often reflects regional or household preference. Toasting time can vary with thickness and whether the mochi is fresh, frozen, or shelf-stable, so use the package guidance when available and watch for puffing and light browning.

Why is my broth cloudy?
Cloudiness can come from boiling the kombu or bonito too vigorously, pressing the bonito flakes while straining, or stirring the finished soup hard. It does not necessarily mean the soup is spoiled. Use a gentle simmer and strain without squeezing for a clearer broth next time.

Can I make ozoni without bonito flakes?
Yes. For a vegetarian broth, steep kombu with a few dried shiitake mushrooms in the water, then remove the kombu and strain the liquid. The shiitake adds savory depth, but the flavor will differ from bonito dashi. Check that any optional broth seasoning is vegetarian if that matters for your meal.

What can I use instead of mitsuba?
Flat-leaf parsley is an easy-to-find garnish with a fresh, green flavor, though it is not identical to mitsuba. You can also omit the garnish; the soup remains flavorful from the dashi, soy, chicken, and vegetables.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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