Japanese Enoki and Shiitake Mushroom Soup Recipe

By
Setsuko Yoshizuka
Setsuko Yoshizuka
Setsuko Yoshizuka is a freelance food writer and Japanese cookbook author.
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Updated on 01/23/23
Japanese Enoki and Shiitake Mushroom Soup Recipe

The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

Prep: 25 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 40 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Japanese enoki and shiitake mushroom soup is a beautiful and heart-warming dish that can easily and quickly be made to accompany a weeknight meal—or it can even be enjoyed as a light meal by itself. The addition of glass or cellophane noodles, known in Japanese as harusame, certainly adds volume to the otherwise thin soup, giving it a heartiness that is undeniably comforting. The soup cooks fairly quickly, making it a great addition to your busy weeknight meals. If you're looking for more filling options, try adding pressed extra-firm tofu into the soup to add protein and texture. A side of steamed vegetables makes this the perfect dinner for people who like to have smaller and lighter meals before bed.

The flavor profile of this Japanese mushroom soup can be summarized as simplicity at its best. Staple Japanese ingredients such as soy sauce and sake season the soup, but it is the flavors of the enoki mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms that give the soup its depth of flavor and richness. Green onion helps round out the umami profile of this delicious enoki and shiitake mushroom soup, perfect for a cold winter night.

As for the stock in this recipe, there is quite a bit of flexibility, so use the type of stock that best suits your palate and lifestyle. Chicken broth, vegetable broth, or even a Japanese dashi broth of konbu (kelp) or katsuo (bonito fish) may be used as the base for this soup. Store in the fridge for up to two days.

Ingredients

  • 4 shiitake mushrooms

  • 1 package enoki mushrooms

  • 2 ounces dried harusame noodles (cellophane noodles)

  • 3 cups warm water, to reconstitute the noodles

  • 1 teaspoon canola oil

  • 3 1/2 cups chicken broth, or vegetable broth

  • 1 green onion, sliced diagonally

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • 1 tablespoon sake

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Japanese Enoki and Shiitake Mushroom Soup Recipe ingredients

    The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

  2. Remove stems from shiitake and discard. Thinly slice the caps. Set aside.

    Mushrooms cut into pieces

    The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

  3. Cut off the dried, gritty bottom portion of the enoki mushroom and discard. Cut them into 2-inch pieces. Set aside.

    Enoki mushrooms cut into pieces

    The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

  4. Soak the dried noodles in warm water for about 5 minutes to reconstitute them.

    Rice noodles in a bowl of water

    The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

  5. Drain the noodles and cut them into 3-inch pieces.

    Rice noodles cut into three pieces

    The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

  6. In a large pot, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the enoki and shiitake mushrooms until tender.

    Mushrooms in a pot

    The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

  7. Add the chicken broth to the mushrooms and continue to cook until it begins to simmer.

    Soup in a pot

    The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

  8. To help clear up the soup, skim off any foam or impurities that might rise to the surface.

    Skim impurities from the pot of soup

    The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

  9. Add the noodles and green onion to the soup and simmer until thoroughly heated.

    Japanese Enoki and Shiitake Mushroom Soup cooking in a pot

    The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

  10. Season the soup with soy sauce, sake, and salt to taste. Serve hot.

    Japanese Enoki and Shiitake Mushroom Soup in a pot

    The Spruce / Stephanie Goldfinger

How to Properly Clean Mushrooms

Mushrooms have a very spongy texture, and they absorb water and moisture from the environment pretty quickly. Thus, running water on top of your mushrooms will dilute their fantastic flavor, and you'll end up with mushy mushrooms that lack their signature aroma and taste. To properly clean mushrooms, first shake them gently to remove any debris or excess dirt. Secondly, using a damp cloth or paper towel, clean each mushroom as best as you can before slicing. Buying organic mushrooms will also guarantee that any dirt left on the mushrooms is not harmful to consume.

What are the benefits of eating mushrooms?

Famous in vegan cuisine for their meaty texture and flavor, mushrooms are a fantastic ingredient to cook with. Delicious when sautéed, stewed, or even deep-fried, mushrooms add a lot of flavor to your preparations, besides bulk to stews and soups. Try swapping one-third of the meat you'd usually use in your recipes with sliced mushrooms. Use them on sandwiches, pizzas, wraps, or add them to sauces, gravy, or meats.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
52 Calories
2g Fat
6g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 52
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 2g 2%
Saturated Fat 0g 1%
Cholesterol 4mg 1%
Sodium 1521mg 66%
Total Carbohydrate 6g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 1mg 4%
Calcium 21mg 2%
Iron 0mg 3%
Potassium 148mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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