Mitarashi dango is one of Japan’s most irresistible treats, made with soft chewy rice dumplings coated in a glossy sweet-savory glaze. Each bite features a rich soy and sugar sauce with a subtle charred aroma that is both comforting and addictive.
Once you try it, you’ll see why this simple snack has been a favorite for generations! My easy version uses tofu for an extra soft bouncy texture that comes together with just a few ingredients.
And if you love dango, be sure to check out my hanami dango and shiratama dango recipes!
Tofu MITARASHI Dango
Recipe Snapshot
- What is it? A traditional, chewy rice dumpling served on a skewer and coated with a shiny salty-sweet soy flavored glaze.
- Flavor profile: Sweet, soy, charred.
- Why you’ll love this recipe: You can get that satisfying mochi-like chew and irresistible sweet soy flavor with minimal time and ingredients. The dough is easy to work with, great for beginners!
- Must-haves: Glutinous rice flour, silken tofu and bamboo skewers.
- Skill Level: Easy
- Freezer Friendly: Yes!
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What is Mitarashi Dango?
Dango is a type of Japanese rice dumpling made from glutinous rice flour. Just like many Japanese desserts and snacks, they are mildly sweet and boast a satisfying chewy texture.
Mitarashi dango (みたらし団子) is one of the most popular kinds of dango, famous for its sweet and glossy soy-based sauce (mitarashi tare). They are usually served on bamboo skewers with 3, 4 or 5 dumplings, and often lightly charred over coals before being brushed with the sauce. You can find them at festivals and food stalls during outdoor events, or even in supermarkets and convenience stores.
History and Origin
Mitarashi dango is a traditional Japanese snack that dates back hundreds of years and there are various stories about its name and origin. The first mitarashi dango is believed to have appeared in Kyoto and was made as an offering to the Shimogamo Shrine during the Aoi Matsuri and Mitarashi festivals, two famous events held in Kyoto city every year.
At the entrance of Shimogamo Shrine lies the Mitarashi Pond, where people say that an Emperor from the late Kamakura period was scooping water. As he did, one bubble floated to the surface, and then four more bubbles joined it in a line. Some believe this inspired the traditional mitarashi dango to be made with 5 dumplings.
Others say that each dumpling represents different parts of the human body: the head, arms, and legs. The dango would be taken to the shrine; then you would pray and go home, dip them in soy sauce, and roast them over a fire before eating. This practice was believed to ward off evil. At this point, dango would have been considered a savory snack.
Around the Taisho Era (1912-1926), the owner of “Kamo Mitarashi Tea Room” developed a sweet sauce made with sugar and soy sauce that helped shape the sweet mitarashi dango as we know it today.
Mitarashi Dango Ingredients
- Glutinous rice flour – a type of flour made from sweet rice known as “mochigome” in Japanese. For best results, I recommend using shiratamako (coarse type) for the best, soft and chewy texture. Mochiko (fine type) also works, but the texture is a bit firmer. Mochiko is cheaper and more accessible so feel free to use it.
- Silken tofu – Dango is traditionally made with water, however, using silken tofu not only improves the texture but also gives the plain dango a subtle earthy flavor.
Note: When making dango, it’s important to use “glutinous rice flour,” specifically made with sweet (sticky) rice “mochigome.” Other rice flours will not work and this ingredient cannot be substituted. Wheat flour also doesn’t work for making dango.
Mitarashi is characterized by its unique sweet soy sauce glaze. For my recipe you will need:
- Soy sauce – the base flavor of the sauce adds saltiness and umami. I use Japanese “koikuchi shoyu” (dark soy sauce).
- Mirin – a sweet and mild rice-based liquor seasoning that adds depth to Japanese cooking. I always recommend using “hon mirin” over “mirin-style condiments.”
- Sugar – I use regular light brown sugar for sweetness and depth, but white sugar also works.
- Potato starch – to thicken the sauce and make it glossy.
Substitutions
- Soy sauce: Make this recipe gluten free by switching out regular soy sauce for tamari.
- Mirin: If you can’t use mirin, add extra sugar and water to the sauce.
- Potato starch: Corn starch or tapioca starch also work fine for thickening the mitarashi sauce.
Dangoko (だんご粉) is made with a blend of mochiko and joshinko (glutinous rice flour and rice flour). The ratio of mochiko to joshinko varies depending on the brand, resulting in slightly different textures. Dangoko usually features instructions on how to make dango using their product on the back, so I recommend following those instructions rather than using it to make this recipe.
How to Make My Tofu Mitarashi Dango
Before you start:
- Fill a pot with water and bring it to a rolling boil.
- Soak the skewers in a glass of warm water. This makes it easier to slide the dumplings on later.
i. While you wait for the water to boil, prepare the dango dough. Pour the glutinous rice flour into a bowl and whisk to break it up and aerate it a little.
ii. Crush the tofu and sprinkle it into the bowl.
iii. Mix until the texture resembles scrambled eggs.
i. Press the mixture together with your hands to form a ball, then knead it into a smooth and uniform dough. You can knead it in the bowl.
ii. If you find the dough is cracking or crumbling, add a little extra tofu or cold water, 1/2 tsp at a time. If it’s too wet or sticky, add more glutinous rice flour. (If you don’t have enough glutinous rice flour, you can save it with a small amount of potato starch or tapioca starch.)
iii. Knead until the dough has the texture of play dough. In Japanese, we say the texture of an “earlobe” so it should be soft and pliable.
i. Divide into 15g (1/2 oz) pieces. I used a digital scale for accuracy, but if you don’t have one, you can eyeball it. This recipe makes enough dango for 5 skewers, so divide the dough into 15 pieces for 3 per skewer.
Alternatively, you can make them smaller with 4 or 5 per skewer.
ii. Place them spaced apart in a single layer on a plate. To prevent sticking, line the plate with a piece of parchment paper or a sprinkle of potato starch.
i. Once the water reaches a rolling boil, drop the dango into the pot and gently roll them to stop them from sticking to the bottom. While they cook, prepare a bowl of ice water.
ii. Check on them around the 5 minute mark, and once they start to float, set a timer for 2 minutes.
Use a mesh spoon to scoop the dumplings out of the pot and place them straight into the bowl of ice water. This will halt the cooking process and stop them from becoming mushy. Leave to cool for a few minutes.
Push the dango onto the bamboo skewers. Mitarashi dango typically have 3, 4 or 5 dango.
Traditionally, dango would be roasted over coals.
If you have a gas burner, you can hold them over the open flame until lightly charred. A kitchen torch is also idea for this.
Alternatively, you can toast them in a dry frying pan until lightly golden. If they stick to the pan, use a spatula to gently unstick them.
i. Add the light brown sugar, mirin and soy sauce to a saucepan. In a separate bowl, mix water and cornstarch to make a slurry, and set it by the stove for later.
ii. Heat the pan over medium-low heat and stir continuously until the sugar has fully dissolved. Bring it to a gentle boil and let it bubble for 1-2 minutes to burn off some of the alcohol in the mirin.
iii. Pour the slurry into the pan and continue to mix over the heat until slightly thickened and glossy. Be careful not to cook down too much, as it will continue to thicken when it cools.
The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Pour the sauce over the dango and enjoy!
Essential Tips & Tricks
- Knead the dough until soft like an earlobe. If it feels dry or crumbly, sprinkle with water or add a little more tofu and knead again. I sometimes spritz my hands with a spray water bottle to add moisture without overdoing it.
- Be careful not to cook the mitarashi sauce for too long, take it off the heat when it’s slightly thinner than you want it to be (it will thicken more as it cools). If you accidentally make it too thick, you can fix it with a splash of hot water.
- Eat the same day, or freeze for up to one month. If freezing, wrap with parchment to stop them from sticking together, and store them in an airtight container or sealable freezer bag to protect them from freezer burn.
With these simple tips in mind, you’re set for success every time you make my tofu hanami dango recipe.
How to Store
Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container and consume the same day.
Refrigeration: Not recommended. Since dango are made from rice (flour), refrigerating will dry them out and make them hard.
Freezer: If you don’t plan to eat them same day, wrap each dango with a piece of parchment paper to stop them from sticking together, then place in a sealable freezer bag or lidded Tupperware. Freeze for up to 1 month and thaw at room temperature. You can also thaw them in the microwave, but let them cool before eating.
Mitarashi Dango FAQ
Glutinous rice flour (shiratamako or mochiko) can sometimes be found in well-stocked Asian supermarkets or Japanese specialty food stores (although it is not guaranteed). Since they are dry shelf stable ingredients, it is safe to buy them online too.
This recipe only works with silken tofu, which has a high water content. Firmer kinds of tofu are too crumbly and dry to work into the dough. If you can’t get silken tofu, I recommend sticking to the more traditional method of using water instead.
No, you can’t use wheat flour to make dango.
Unfortunately regular rice flour doesn’t work in this recipe.
More Dango & Wagashi Recipes
- Hanami Dango
- Shiratama Dango
- Kansai Style Sakura Mochi (Cherry Blossom Rice Cakes)
- Easy Strawberry Mochi (Ichigo Daifuku)
If you enjoyed these recipes, be sure to check out my Japanese Dessert Roundup Post for even more delicious sweet treat ideas to try!
Did You Try This Recipe?
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Easy Tofu Mitarashi Dango (Japanese Rice Dumplings with Sweet Soy Glaze)
Equipment
- 3-5 Bamboo Skewers
- Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowls
- Mesh spoon
Ingredients
Dango
- 100 g glutinous rice flour shiratamako or mochiko
- 125 g silken tofu + 1-2 tsp extra if dough seems dry
Sauce
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 2 tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
- 1 tbsp cold water
- ¼ tsp cornstarch
My recommended brands of ingredients and seasonings can be found in my Japanese pantry guide.
Can’t find certain Japanese ingredients? See my substitution guide here.
Instructions
Dango
- Place the bamboo skewers in a glass of cold water to soak and start boiling a pot of water.
- Pour 100 g glutinous rice flour into a large mixing bowl and whisk to aerate, then crumble 125 g silken tofu into the bowl and mix with a spatula or wooden spoon until the texture resembles scrambled eggs.
- Press the mixture together with your hands to form a dough. Knead until it's smooth and has the texture of an earlobe.
- Divide the dough into 15g (½ oz) pieces, there should be 3 for each skewer. Roll into balls and place on a plate. Tip: Space them apart in a single layer so that they don't stick together. Line your plate with baking parchment or a thin sprinkling of starch for easy removal.
- When the pot of water is at a rolling boil, gently drop the dango into the water and nudge with chopsticks or a spoon to make sure they don't stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Once they're all floating (about 5-7 minutes) set a timer for 2 minutes. Prepare a bowl of ice water and set it by the stove.
- After 2 minutes are up, use a mesh spoon to scoop them out of the pot and straight into the bowl of ice water. Leave to cool for a few minutes.
- Once they're cool enough to touch, push three dango onto each soaked bamboo skewer.
- Char the dango using your preferred method.Gas stove/kitchen torch: hold the dango over the flame until lightly charred.Frying pan method: Heat up a pan on medium. Add the dango to the dry pan, brown on each side, turning occasionally.
Mitarashi Sauce
- Add 2 tbsp light brown sugar, 2 tbsp mirin, and 2 tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu) to a cold pan. In a small glass bowl, mix 1 tbsp cold water and ¼ tsp cornstarch to make a slurry.
- Heat the pan on low or medium low, and mix continuously until the sugar has dissolved.
- Let the sauce bubble for about 1 minute, then mix the slurry and pour it into the pan. Mix thoroughly.
- Continue to stir over the heat until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Drizzle the sauce over the dango and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- The sauce will get thicken when it cools down. Be careful not to cook for too long and thin it out with a splash of water if needed. For best results, pour it over the dango while still warm.
- Best eaten the same day.
- To store, freeze them (with or without the sauce) for about one month. Defrost at room temperature for 30 mins to 1 hour.
- For quick thawing, microwave in 20-30 second increments until soft. Avoid microwaving too long as this can make them hard.
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