Zosui is a nourishing Japanese rice soup cooked in dashi broth with vegetables and tofu. Ready in under 20 minutes, this tonyuu zosui is hearty, satisfying and the perfect comfort meal for the cooler season. (Vegan + Gluten Free)
Say hellooooo to this cold weather essential soup that will warm you right up and keep you feelin' well & cozy.
Zosui, or Japanese rice soup is something my mom would make for my sisters and I anytime we were sick or feeling unwell. I kid you not, our colds and fevers never lasts for more than a day or two after having copious amounts of this.
What is Zosui (雑炊)?
Zōsui (雑炊) is a rice soup made from pre-cooked rice and a soup base flavoured with dashi and soy sauce. This dish is often made after hot pot (nabe) with the left over soup. Made with easy to digest ingredients, it's known as a healing or recovery soup which is ideal for when feeling sick or to cure hangovers.
Whats the difference between Zosui and Ojiya?
I think, Ojiya (rice based soup) is more well known outside of Japan. It's known as the Japanese version of congee or jook where the rice is cooked in broth and almost resembles a thick soup. While both zosui and ojiya both simmer rice in dashi broth, there are subtle differences between the two:
Zosui (雑炊)
- Dashi broth is flavoured only with soy sauce.
- Day old or frozen rice is rinsed first to remove excess starch.
- Cooked for a short period of time to prevent the rice from losing its shape.
Ojiya (おじや)
- Dashi broth is seasoned with soy sauce or miso paste. The flavour is much lighter and always uses water or a clear broth.
- Rice is not rinsed since we want that thick-porridge consistency.
- Cooked for a longer period of time purposely so the rice is softer and the grains of rice isn't visible.
Ingredients & Variations
Zosui is comprised of four components:
- Dashi broth: You can use leftover hot pot broth, homemade dashi (recipe coming soon), dashi packets or dashi granules. All these options are quick and easy to make. Be sure to sure to use kombu or shiitake dashi to keep it vegan. I used soy milk for a creamier zosui but you can also use water for a lighter broth.
- Cooked rice: I like to use short grain Japanese rice but medium grain can also be used. You can use frozen rice, rice cooked from the night before or fresh rice.
- Vegetables: Shiitake mushrooms and green onions are typically added for flavour. Plus, any vegetables you have on hand.
- Protein: Any protein of your choice! Typically ground meats, fish and egg is used but to keep it vegan use tofu or natto. There are so many varieties of tofu so you can switch it up, too! Soft tofu, aburaage, smoked tofu... etc. Here, I'm using yuba which is dried bean curd and it kind of mimics cooked eggs.
This rice porridge is super customizable and a great way to use left over vegetables at the end of the week!
How to Make Zosui
This Japanese Rice Soup is incredibly easy to make and takes less than 15 minutes from start to finish:
- Dashi broth: Add soy milk (or water), kombu dashi and soy sauce to a pot and stir until simmering.
- Cook: Add the rice, mushrooms, yuba, green onions and spinach. Stir everything until well combined. Turn off the heat, cover and let it sit for 5-10 minutes to let the rice soak up the broth.
- Serve: Transfer to a donabe bowl (clay pot with a lid) and serve with kimchi, green onions, sesame seeds, sesame oil and any other toppings you like.
This Japanese rice soup isn't just tummy-warming and big on flavour, but it's also packed with nutrition which is perfect for the colder season. It's a great healthy meal for when you're feeling under the weather, recovering from a cold or for when you just want something quick and easy yet still delicious and hearty. I hope you try and love this cozy-wondersoup as much as we do! ♡
More delicious Japanese rice recipes:
If you recreate this Japanese Soy Milk Rice Soup recipe let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and rating below or by tagging me on Instagram @Okonomikitchen, I love seeing all of your tasty recreations!
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Tonyuu Zosui (Soy Milk Rice Soup)
Japanese Soy Milk Rice Soup — a nourishing tummy warming soup made with rice, dashi broth, vegetables and tofu! Easy, healthy and ready in under 20 minutes. (Vegan)
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: entree
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: vegan, gluten free, japanese
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups unsweetened soy milk (625ml)
- 2 tsp kombu dashi granules (8g)
- 2 ½ tbsp soy sauce (38g // tamari for gluten free)
- 1 cup cooked Japanese short grain rice (200g)
- 2 dried shiitake mushrooms, rehydrated (44g rehydrated)
- 2 sheets of yuba, rehydrated (30g rehydrated)
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 2 cups spinach (35g)
Instructions
- Over medium heat, add the soy milk, kombu dashi and soy sauce to a small pot and stir to combine. Once the broth starts to boil, reduce the heat to simmer. Add the rice, mushrooms, yuba, green onions and spinach. Stir everything to combine.
- Turn off the heat, cover the pot with the lid and let it rest for 5 minutes to let it thicken. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Nutritional Information Disclaimer: Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated on an online tool (Cronometer).
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 312
- Sugar: 2.7g
- Sodium: 1167mg
- Fat: 7.1g
- Saturated Fat: 1.4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4.9g
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 43.7g
- Fiber: 6.6g
- Protein: 21.1g
- Cholesterol: 0
SAVE IT FOR LATER! ↓
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Ailsa Lian says
Zosui was one of my favourite winter meals in Miyazaki but I had no idea how to make it myself. Thanks for the great recipe! I made a few changes based on what I had on hand... oat instead of soy milk, kale instead of spinach, soft tofu instead of yuba. I'll definitely be making this again as it's starting to get colder.
★★★★★
Bethany says
This is my new favorite soup! It’s so simple to make but tastes so creamy and amazing! I’ve made it twice within the last week already and definitely plan to make it again in the future! My whole family loved it, even those who aren’t the biggest fans of vegan food. So delicious!!
★★★★★
Nina says
This soup was so creamy and delicious! I had it with a side of steamed veggies with miso sauce and it was perfect for a light and healthy dinner !
★★★★★
Lisa Kitahara says
Hi Nina, I'm so glad you tried and enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Anrai says
This recipe is incredible! We’ve made it twice now and will most likely make it again. For a recipe so simple (refined and easy to follow) the flavour is so rich and complex. I also really like how customizable it can be, at home we make marinated tofu on the side and have it with a variety of greens! Lisa is also super approachable and obviously very passionate about what she does and it really shows in her food.
★★★★★
Katie says
Second recipe by OkonomiKitchen! Love that I had all the ingredients in stock, perfect for being snowed in. I used traditional dashi (sitting in pantry from past okonomiyaki recipe), rehydrated shitake + soaking water, a can of regular coconut milk, pinch of miso paste in addition to soy sauce, frozen green beans and broccoli shoots, green onions, chili oil, and TVP for added protein! All ingredients from pantry or freezer! So glad I found her insta -> blog with recipes that just "fit" my typical ingredients
★★★★★
Su-Yi says
Lovely delicious and heartwarming recipe! The soy milk broth was very creamy but not cloying and as Lisa mentioned, super customisable with whatever leftover veggies you have in the fridge ! I used a combination of carrots , sweet potatoes and tofu skin rolls - so good! Will try given it a whirl with some fish next time! Thanks so much for sharing your recipe, Lisa!
★★★★★
Cecile Kiddo says
This is the perfect meal for winter/upset tummy. It’s delicious, filling but still light and easy to digest... and so easy to customize with whatever veggies needs to be use. I made it few times already, always makes a big batch so there’s some for the next day!
★★★★★
Anne Lise Lise Tan says
I absolutely LOVE this recipe so much!! rice soup is something I loved eating as a kid and this recipe just elevates it with so much flavour, umami and creaminess!! highly recommend to try it 😀
★★★★★
Arya says
Tried this out last night and I already know it's going to be a staple dinner for me from now on! So creamy and comforting - packs a real umami punch. I haven't had yuba in years but am glad this recipe made me stock up on some. It's so versatile!
★★★★★
Marissa says
I just tried this today, and it is so good!!! I used frozen peas and frozen spinach, and used tofu instead of yuba. I'm going to try yuba next time around. Thank you Lisa, your recipes are so inspiring and delicious! 🙂
★★★★★
Ashley says
First time making and eating zosui! This was so delicious, creamy and easy to make! I used a combination of shimeji and maitake mushrooms, and replaced the yuba with fried tofu that I had. I highly recommend this recipe!
★★★★★
Zen-Zi says
This was incredibly comforting and tastes a bit like a luxurious porridge! It's a very forgiving recipe and easy to customize. Only thing to note is to bring it to only a gentle simmer to prevent the soy milk from curdling. I made mine with plenty of fresh mushrooms, aburaage, salmon, and topped with scallions, sesame seeds, and sesame oil. This also works with brown rice, which makes it very nutty and even more filling. Absolutely delightful recipe that I'll be making on repeat!
★★★★★
sp says
Hi Lisa,
I don’t have kombu dashingranules…but I do have lots of dried kombu “bark”. Can I substitute and how do I do so? Thx!
Izumi says
This tonyu zosui keeps my body warm in winter time! The recipe is very simple but taste just perfect! Remind of me so much of Japan. Thank you Lisa san!
★★★★★
Caro says
Loved this recipe! It only took me 20 minutes to make and the warm soup is perfect for the winter time. I tried the recipe with both oat milk and regular milk, and they both taste amazing:)
Xuan says
This was incredible! Soo warm and comforting in this cold winter weather, yet so simple as well. The addition of yuba skin was so clever too! Made this with five grain rice and it worked as well. Will definitely be making this again!
★★★★★
Maxence L. says
The texture is very pleasant - sooo creamy and comforting!
I didn't have access to dashi granules, so I used miso instead and it was really tasty.
★★★★★
Caro says
Love this recipe for the winter, it warms me up and only takes around 20 minutes to make! It's definitely been a go-to easy meal for me recently. I tried the recipe with some extra cheese in it and it just adds to the creaminess!
★★★★★
Tam says
I was looking for a new soup recipe and stumbled upon this on Okonomikitchen's IG. I'm so glad I did because this tastes so FREAKIN' GOOD! I did substitute soy milk with oat milk, and it's still drool worthy. I love that it is simple but packs a ton of flavor. It's easy to add more veggies if one wants to without majorly affecting the flavor. Make this soup everyone!!!
★★★★★
Gabriele says
My new go-to recipe!! It’s so delicious and so easy, ready in 20 minutes and it warms up my heart! Perfect sunday comfort food, but I honestly enjoy it also on a week night haha! Plus: it’s filling and nutritionally very well-balanced, so it really hits all the marks!
★★★★★
Marie says
I have tried this recipe at home and it was simply delicious ! I replaced the white rice with a brown one, the soup was creamy and had a lot of umami with the shiitake mushrooms 😍 I will not forget this comforting taste and will do it again for sure !
★★★★★
Ailsa says
Second time making this recipe and it did not disappoint! Hearty and warming, great winter recipe for using up cooked rice and any vegetables on hand. Super yum!
★★★★★
Wanda says
This is so easy to make and amazingly delicious!
My non-vegetarian boyfriend was also blown away by the robust flavors!
He said it's exactly like the ramen broth he's had in Okinawa😋
I'll definitely be making more of these, and excited to try out more of Lisa's recipes 😍
★★★★★
Skye says
Absolutely loved this recipe! I didn’t have soy milk so I made it with almond this time around and it was still tasty ( a bit more watery than I anticipated) so I’ll be trying it again with soy to see if there are differences in consistency! Perfect for chilly days!
★★★★★
Devon says
This is such a comforting and forgiving recipe! I’m going to be craving this all next winter, I already know. We used a liquid dashi from kombu and dried shiitakes. For our ad ins we opted for enoki, yuba, bok choy, scallions, shiitake, and puff tofu with some chili crisp + kimchi on the side 🙂 you could really use any veggies that sound good or that you have in your fridge. This soup is SO good as cold leftovers too and super tasty with a bit of peanut sauce. We doubled the recipe just to have leftovers!
★★★★★
Bridget says
I can never use a full carton of soy milk, so I always plan to make this soup whenever I have it on hand. For a quick meal, this is seriously so good with such a rich flavor profile! I don't have dashi granules, so I often just use a strip of kombu instead and add in a couple of extra dried shiitake mushrooms. I haven't found a bad combination yet of vegetables to use, it's been good every time I make it!
★★★★★
Abi says
Such a warm and comforting meal, perfect for rainy days! An easy recipe and a great way to use up bits of veggies leftover in the fridge
★★★★★
Dillan says
So delicious! Added natto instead of yuba and it was *chefs kiss*
Definitely making again!
★★★★★