This Japanese Clear Soup is exactly what you’ve been trying to recreate from your favorite hibachi restaurant – that light, savory broth they serve before your meal that somehow tastes incredibly complex despite looking so simple. The secret lies in the combination of caramelized aromatics, dual stock bases, and those signature crispy fried onions on top that make it instantly recognizable.
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What makes Japanese Clear soup the perfect recipe to make at home?
When you want a simple broth that doesn’t fall short in flavor, you can’t go wrong with Clear Japanese Soup. The fragrant aromatics provide a savory foundation for this clear broth, while the carrots add a subtle sweetness to temper the taste. Mixing chicken and beef stock with the mushrooms creates a complex umami base that is both light and satisfying. The sprinkling of sliced scallions helps to cut through the richness of the other ingredients and brings a touch of freshness to the soup, while the garnish of fried onions adds a bit of texture.
Enjoy this Japanese Clear Soup recipe as written for a light starter, or add a few simple ingredients, such as sauteed tofu, boiled udon noodles, or steamed gyoza, for a more filling version.
Clear broth ingredients and their roles in this recipe
For this Japanese-style clear broth soup, you’ll need:
- Soybean oil – sautes the aromatics and adds a subtle flavor without being overpowering.
- Garlic cloves – flavor the soybean oil to give it a mellow garlic note.
- White onion, large – forms the aromatic base of the soup, with a subtle sweetness.
- Carrot – provides the broth with an earthy sweetness without adding any additional sweeteners.
- Chicken stock made from chicken base – supplies a light, savory base with a hint of saltiness.
- Beef stock made from beef base – enriches the soup with a deeper flavor.
- Water – dilutes the broth, resulting in a cleaner and more subtle taste.
- Salt – enhances the flavor of the other ingredients.
- Scallions – finish the soup with a burst of freshness and color.
- White button mushrooms – tame the salty elements with some earthiness and contribute a touch of umami.
- French Fried Onions – add a little crunch and a burst of savory flavor.
How to make Clear Japanese Soup
To prepare the Clear Broth Soup:
- Place a heavy-bottomed 8-quart stockpot over medium heat. When the pot is warm, add the soybean oil.
- While the pot and oil are heating up, smash the garlic cloves using the flat of your chef’s knife. Peel and cut the onion into large chunks. Do the same to the carrot. Place all the prepared veggies to the side for later.
- Lightly brown the crushed garlic in the hot oil. Carefully adjust the temperature so the cloves do not burn. Remove the golden brown garlic and discard the cloves, or use them in another recipe.
- Brown the chunks of carrots and onions in the garlic-flavored soybean oil until well caramelized.
- Add the chicken stock and beef stock, then pour in the water. Cover the pot and simmer over low heat for 45 minutes.
- Strain out the mushy vegetables and discard them. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning by adding more salt, if necessary.
To finish this Japanese Clear Soup recipe:
- Ladle the soup into a serving bowl.
- Cut off the root end of the scallions and rinse them under running water. Dry well and cut the green part of the scallions into thin rounds. Float some of the cut scallions in the soup.
- Scrub the white button mushrooms clean and cut them into slices as thinly as possible. Add two or three slices to the soup.
- Finish by garnishing the top of the soup with a teaspoon of French-fried onions.
What to serve with this Japanese Clear Broth Soup
Besides adding more ingredients to the clear broth to turn it into a meal, it’s perfect for enjoying alongside lighter dishes. This broth is quite versatile, so it doesn’t matter if the recipes are Asian-inspired or not. Below are a few options you may want to try.
Crispy Japanese Chicken Katsu with Homemade Tonkatsu Sauce – Chicken Katsu is more than Japanese fried chicken. The Panko breadcrumbs guarantee an extra-crunchy coating and tender, juicy boneless chicken. But what makes this dish a true must-try recipe is the rich and tangy Tonkatsu sauce made from scratch.
Easy Whole Roasted Chicken with Lemon and Herbs – A simple roasted chicken can taste magical if you know all the secrets. But the secrets aren’t too mysterious: Buy a good whole chicken and follow this easy recipe for the juiciest meat and crispiest skin with minimal effort.
Shrimp Tempura – With its crunchy, lighter-than-air batter surrounding tender, perfectly cooked shrimp, the thought of making Shrimp Tempura at home can be intimidating. But don’t worry. If you can make fried chicken, you can master this classic Japanese dish. Serve with a side of tentsuyu dipping sauce for an authentic restaurant experience.
Storage and reheating instructions for Clear Japanese Soup
- Refrigerator: Store broth in airtight container for up to 3 days
- Freezer: Portion into individual servings or ice cube trays; freeze up to 3 months
- Pro tip: Cool to room temperature before storing to maintain clarity
Reheating:
- Warm gently in saucepan over medium-low heat
- Stir occasionally but don’t boil (this clouds the broth)
- Add fresh garnishes just before serving
More Japanese food recipes
Favorite broth-based soup recipes
Check out more of my easy Asian food recipes and the best soup recipes right here on CopyKat!
Japanese Clear Soup
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons soybean oil
- 6 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
- 1 large white onion
- 2 large carrots peeled and cut into large chunks
- 4 cups chicken stock made from chicken base
- 4 cups beef stock made from beef base
- 4 cups water
- 2 to 3 teaspoons salt
- 4 scallions green part only, sliced very thin
- 2 tablespoons French Fried Onions
- 8 ounces white button mushrooms washed, stems removed, and sliced paper-thin
Instructions
- In an 8-quart stockpot, add soybean oil, then add the six cloves of peeled and crushed garlic. Heat the garlic over medium heat until it browns, but do not allow it to burn. Remove garlic and discard it.
- While the garlic is browning, peel the onion and cut it into large pieces. After the garlic has been removed from the pan, sauté the onions and carrots until they have been caramelized on all sides. Then add the chicken stock, beef stock, and water. Simmer for about 45 minutes.
- Strain out the vegetables. Taste the broth and add salt, about 2 to 3 teaspoons of salt, until it tastes well seasoned.
- To serve in each bowl, place about a teaspoon of the French-fried onions, a teaspoon of thinly sliced green onion tops, and a tablespoon of paper-thin sliced white button mushroom slices. Ladle the broth into the bowl.
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