Odashi Yakko (Cold Tofu Chazuke) おだしやっこ

Odashi Yakko, or cold tofu chazuke, is a simple Japanese dish made with chilled silken tofu, savory toppings, and a light pour of umami-rich dashi mixed with soy milk. Served cold, it’s refreshing, satisfying, and comes together in just .minutes — perfect for warm days or when you’re craving something quick and easy

This has been my go-to dish all summer. With Tokyo’s heat hitting record highs, I’ve been avoiding the stove and turning to no-cook recipes whenever possible. I’ve found myself eating some variation of this chilled tofu dish almost every day—it’s refreshing, satisfying, and endlessly adaptable. The base only requires 3 to 5 simple ingredients, making it incredibly easy to prepare and customize. What I love most is how easily it transforms into a full meal simply by adding leftover rice, noodles, proteins, or vegetables.

What is Odashi Yakko?

Odashi Yakko combines elements of two classic Japanese dishes: hiyayakko (cold tofu with toppings) and ochazuke (rice with hot tea or broth). Instead of rice, this variation uses yose tofu (寄せ豆腐) — a fresh, custard-like tofu — served in a chilled dashi broth enriched with soy milk for a delicate creaminess.

The dish is finished with toppings such as furikake, arare (crispy rice crackers), and nori to add texture and extra umami.

This recipe was inspired by Sagamiya’s seasonal Odashi Yakko in Japan, where hand-formed soy milk tofu is paired with different dashi bases like salmon, kombu, or bonito. It’s a light yet flavorful dish that works equally well as a starter, side, or main.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• No cooking required – Ideal for hot summer days or quick meals.
• Ready in 5 minutes – Minimal prep makes it weeknight-friendly.
• Flexible serving style – Enjoy as a side or make it a complete meal with protein add-ins.
• Easily customizable – Change toppings or dashi flavor based on your preferences.
• Cooling and light – Perfect for warm weather dining.
• Plant-based protein source – Satisfying without the need for meat.

Ingredients and Substitutions

You only need a few ingredients to make odashi yakko. Feel free to swap based on availability:

• Yose tofu – Yose tofu (寄せ豆腐) is a freshly made, delicate tofu that hasn’t been pressed or cut into blocks, resulting in a soft, custard-like texture. It’s often served chilled or warm in its making container, highlighting the pure, fresh flavor of soybeans. Soft or silken tofu can also be used.
• Unsweetened soy milk – Adds a rich, nutty flavor and creaminess. Preferably one where the only ingredient is soy beans.
• Ochazuke packet – Dashichazuke (dashi added) or ochazuke seasoning + your favorite dashi granules.
• Shirodashi or mentsuyu – For the furikake version.
• Furikake – Any blend works, but wasabi, nori, or sesame-based ones are especially nice.
• Arare (ochazuke rice crackers) or agedama (tempura bits) – For crunch.
• Optional add-ins: salmon flakes, white fish, thinly sliced pork, mentaiko, natto, soft-boiled egg, green onion, umeboshi, wakame, shiso, corn, or even cooked rice.

How to Make Odashi Yakko

This dish comes together in just a few simple steps:

1. Chill your bowl in the fridge for 30 minutes to keep the dish cool.
2. Mix soy milk and dashi seasoning (if using ochazuke without dashi) until smooth to create a light broth.
3. Drain the tofu and use a large spoon to scoop it into the chilled bowl.
4. Pour the soy milk over the tofu, partially submerging it.
5. Add toppings like furikake, arare, and optional garnishes for flavor and texture.
6. Serve immediately for the best refreshing taste and texture.

VIDEO: Watch How to Make It

Variations

Nozawana Natto

• Nozawanna has a savory and slightly sour flavour that pairs deliciously with natto’s nutty and slightly biter flavour. This version uses dashi granules and regular ochazuke.
• Recipe: 1/2 tsp dashi granules, 1/3-1/2 cup soy milk, 1 pack (150-200 g) yose or silken tofu, 1 packet Nozawana ochazuke and 1 packet of natto.

Sudachi Pork

• Citrusy sudachi brightens the richness of thinly sliced pork.
• Recipe: 1/2 tsp dashi granules, 1/3-1/2 cup soy milk, 1 pack (150-200 g) yose or silken tofu, 1 packet sudashi ochazuke and 100 g thinly sliced pork shoulder.

Nori Mentaiko Shiso

• Briny mentaiko, fresh shiso, and nori dashi for a bold, aromatic combination.
• Recipe: 1 pack (150-200 g) yose or silken tofu, 1 packet nori dashi chazuke, 1/3-1/2 cup soy milk, 1 (30 g) mentaiko and 3-4 shiso leaves

Salmon

• A classic and simple taste. Adding fresh salmon or salmon flakes adds more texture and heartiness.
• Recipe: 1 pack (150-200 g) yose or silken tofu, 1 packet shake dashi chazuke, 1/3-1/2 cup soy milk, 1 (70 g) shiozake or 1/4 cup salmon flakes

Wasabi

• Great for adults! It has a spicy kick but mellowed out from the cold soy milk. This version is like a DIY version since it uses furikake, shirodashi and arare (or agedama).
• Recipe: 1 pack (150-200 g) yose or silken tofu, 2 tbsp shirodashi or mentsuyu, 1 1/2 tbsp wasabi furikake, 1 tbsp ochazuke arare (or agedama).

Recipe FAQ

More Japanese Summer Recipes

• Hiyayakko (Cold Tofu)
• Hiyashi Chuka (Cold Ramen)
• Zaru Soba (Cold Buckwheat Noodles)
• Sunomono (Japanese Cucumber Salad)
• Cold Tanuki Udon

Enjoy! If you make this Odashi Yakko recipe, I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a comment and rating below, and if you share it on social media, tag me on Instagram @Okonomikitchen. I can’t wait to see your creations!

Odashi Yakko

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 5 reviews

• Author: Lisa Kitahara
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 1 Serving
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

Odashi Yakko, or cold tofu chazuke, is a simple Japanese dish made with chilled silken tofu, savory toppings, and a light pour of umami-rich dashi mixed with soy milk. Served cold, it’s refreshing, satisfying, and comes together in just .minutes — perfect for warm days or when you’re craving something quick and easy

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Ingredients

Units USM

Ochazuke Version

• 1 package (300 g) yose-tofu or silken tofu, drained (net 200 g)
• 1/2 cup (100 ml) unsweetened soy milk
• 1 packet of dashi ochazuke (or 1 packet ochazuke + 1 tsp dashi granules of choice)

Furikake Version

• 1 package (300 g) yose-tofu or silken tofu, drained (net 200 g)
• 1/2 cup (100 ml) unsweetened soy milk
• 2 tbsp shirodashi or mentsuyu (or 1 tsp dashi granules)
• 1–2 tbsp furikake
• 1 tbsp ochazuke arare (or agedama)

Optional Add-ins:

• salmon flakes
• white fish, cooked
• thinly sliced pork, cooked
• mentaiko (cod roe)
• natto
• egg (onsen tamago, ajitsuke tamago, kinshi tamago, soy marinated egg yolk or raw egg yolk)
• agedama (tempura scraps)
• green onion
• umeboshi (pickled plums)
• wakame (seaweed)
• shiso
• grated ginger
• corn
• cooked rice

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Instructions

Ochazuke Version

1. Place bowl in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
2. Scoop the tofu into the chilled bowl.
3. Add soy milk and ochazuke packet.
4. Top with extra add-ins if desired and enjoy!

Mentsuyu Version

1. Place bowl in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
2. Scoop the tofu into the chilled bowl.
3. Add mentsuyu and soy milk. Add the ochazuke arare and furikake.
4. Top with extra add-ins if desired and enjoy!

• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Category: Main dish
• Method: No cook
• Cuisine: Japanaese

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 170
• Sugar: 2 g
• Sodium: 680 mg
• Fat: 8 g
• Saturated Fat: 1.1 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 6.9 g
• Trans Fat: 0
• Carbohydrates: 9 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 14 g
• Cholesterol: 0