Shabu Shabu (Japanese Hot Pot with Thin-Sliced Beef in Kombu Broth)
Quick answer
- Total time
- 50 min
- Level
- Easy
- Servings
- 4 servings
- Ingredients
- 7
About this dish
Shabu-shabu is a Japanese hot pot built on simplicity: a pot of simmering kombu dashi, a plate of beef sliced so thin it is nearly translucent, and a selection of vegetables arranged on a separate platter.
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The name mimics the swishing sound made when a slice of beef is swept back and forth through the broth for just a few seconds until it turns from red to pale pink. Each piece is then dipped in either ponzu, a citrus-soy sauce, or a creamy sesame dipping sauce before eating. Napa cabbage, tofu, enoki mushrooms, shungiku greens, and rice cakes cook alongside the beef, each ingredient releasing its flavor into the broth and building complexity as the meal progresses. By the end, the enriched broth is used for a closing course of udon noodles or rice porridge, ensuring nothing is wasted.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Prep
Cut 250 g napa cabbage into large pieces, split and rinse 180 g bok choy at the base, then slice 120 g shiitake and 250 g tofu into bite-size pieces. Drain excess water so the broth stays clear.
- 2Control
Pour 1500 ml dashi broth into the pot and heat it over medium heat.
Once it reaches a full boil, lower the heat so only small steady bubbles rise, because a rolling boil makes the hot pot cloudy and harsh.
- 3Control
Add the napa cabbage, shiitake, and tofu first, then simmer for about 3 minutes.
When the cabbage stems look slightly translucent, add the bok choy and cook only until the leaves soften but the stems still hold shape.
- 4Finish
Separate the 500 g thin-sliced beef on a plate so the slices do not clump.
Add each piece only when the broth is gently simmering, since high heat or crowded meat can make the beef tighten and turn tough.
- 5Prep
Hold one beef slice with chopsticks and swish it through the broth for 5 to 10 seconds.
As soon as the red color disappears and the surface turns pale brown, lift it out immediately before the texture firms too much.
- 6Heat
Dip the cooked beef and vegetables in the 4 tablespoons ponzu.
Skim foam from the broth as you eat and adjust the heat to maintain small steady bubbles.
Practical Cooking Checks
The cues that matter most while cooking.
- Key technique
- Shabu Shabu involves swishing thinly sliced beef in a simmering kombu dashi for a few seconds.
- Finish cue
- When the cabbage stems look slightly translucent, add the bok choy and cook only until the leaves soften but the stems still hold shape.
- Avoid this
- Overcooking makes the beef tough, so cook briefly.
Cooking decision evidence
Calculated Charim data and applicable official food safety guidance.
This recipe
50min, 7 ingredients
Category median
40min, 8 ingredients
Based on 232 recipes
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