This is the easiest and best recipe for Vegan Dashi, a Japanese staple broth that adds umami and oomph to your favorite Asian recipes. Made without mushrooms instead of fish!

What is Dashi?

Dashi is a Japanese culinary staple. It’s also used as the base of many Korean and Asian soups. The traditional recipe for dashi contains fish in the form of bonito, or dried fish flakes. In Korean soup stocks, anchovies and dried fish (like pollock) are commonly used as well. These add natural umami and saltiness.

Dashi is used to add an extra something to recipes. Especially soups and sauces. It gives a dish body, flavour and is a great foundation to build on.

Ingredients for Vegan Mushroom Dashi

Instead of fish flakes, this vegan mushroom broth gets its umami flavor from a base of kelp and dried mushrooms. Both of these ingredients are naturally rich in umami. I also like to round out the flavour of the broth with:

• Carrots
• Radish (use daikon)
• Leek
• Onion

These veggies add a hint of sweetness and depth of flavour! And finally, you can finish off the dashi with a little soy sauce. On the other hand, you can add this seasoning later based on the recipe you’re using.

How to Make Vegan Dashi

The process of making fish-free dashi is super simple! All you need to do is:

1. soak some of the dry ingredients (save the soaking water)

2. simmer the remaining ingredients.

It’s amazing what flavor you can achieve with veg!

Recipes with Dashi

Here are some of my favorite recipes to put your dashi to use in the kitchen:

• Korean radish soup
• Korean rice cake soup
• Japanese hot pot
• Ochazuke
• Hijiki salad

More Japanese Recipes

• Nametake Recipe: Seasoned Japanese Mushrooms (vegan, gluten free)
• Vegan Japanese Hot Pot: Nabemono (gluten free)
• Obachan Mushroom Kamameshi Japanese Mixed Rice (vegan, gluten free, wfpb)

If you make this Vegan Dashi recipe, be sure to let me know what you think with a comment below!

Vegan Dashi (no fish, gluten free)

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• Author: Remy Park
• Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
• Yield: ~5 cups

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Description

Make easy vegan dashi without bonito flakes using dried mushrooms, fresh veggies and kombu for a healthy vegetarian stock for soups and more.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 5 dried shiitake mushrooms
• 2 inch piece of dried kombu or kelp
• 6 cups water
• stalk of 1 medium sized leek
• 5 green onions, stalks only
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1/2 yellow or white onion
• 1 cup radish, peeled and diced (optional)

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Instructions

1. Begin by adding water to a large pot. Toss in your shiitake mushrooms and kombu or kelp and let the dry ingredients re-hydrate and soak for at least an hour. Overnight is great, if you have the time!
2. Now we’re ready to incorporate our other ingredients. Add the leek, carrot, green onion, onion and radish if using and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook for 20-30 minutes.

@veggiekins

Vegan dashi for all of your cooking needs 😌🥣 #vegan #vegantiktok #veganrecipes #glutenfree #asianvegan #asianrecipe

♬ original sound - Remy Morimoto Park

• Prep Time: 1 hour
• Cook Time: 20 minutes