What is Shabu Shabu?
Shabu shabu is a type of Japanese hot pot dish where thin slices of beef (or other meat) and a variety of vegetables are simmered in a kelp (kombu) broth on a tabletop pot, and served with either a sour ponzu soy sauce or a creamy and fragrant sesame dipping sauce.
Shabu shabu is a sociable dish and there’s nothing quite like gathering around a steaming hot pot with family and friends in the winter. It can be enjoyed in a variety of places, too, ranging from upscale shabu-shabu restaurants like “Kisoji (木曽路)” to relatively affordable all-you-can-eat options like “Shabu-Shabu On-Yasai (しゃぶしゃぶ温野菜).”
How I Developed This Recipe
Even many Japanese people living in Japan think it’s too much of a hassle to have authentic shabu-shabu at home. They tend to think of it as something you only eat in a restaurant.
It is, however, possible to prepare delicious shabu-shabu at home, although it may take a little time. To put this recipe together, I went to a top-end shabu-shabu restaurant to learn how to make it and how to taste it.
I’m really pleased with the result, especially the dipping sauce. Give it a try in winter!
Base Broth
What exactly is shabu-shabu broth? Is it just water? Some people may have such questions. As it turns out, the most common broth used for shabu-shabu is kombu dashi.
Kombu dashi is made by soaking kombu (a type of edible dried kelp) in water. It has a mild flavor with subtle hints of umami, but that’s it. Shabu Shabu broth is not seasoned any further than that, and there are no saltiness or bold flavors. This is why shabu-shabu is typically served with strongly flavored sauces such as sesame sauce or ponzu for dipping.
In my recipe, I add a small amount of yuzu peel and the kombu dashi, giving the broth a zesty touch. The ingredients I use for my shabu shabu broth are as follows:
- Dried kombu
- Sake
- Water
- Yuzu peel (you could also use lemon, lime, or orange peel instead)
The next section will explain popular meat/protein options for Japanese shabu shabu.
Protein Options
Shabu-shabu is a dish that exhibits strong regional differences even within Japan. According to a survey conducted by J Town Net in 2020, beef took the majority of the votes with 56.2% (564 votes), while pork made up 43.8% (440 votes).
I was quite surprised to see that pork accounted for 43.8% because, in my hometown of Aichi Prefecture, beef is almost always the norm when it comes to shabu-shabu. Even as a Japanese person, I found it fascinating to learn about the regional differences in the preferred meat for shabu-shabu.
In this section, I will explain 5 popular protein options for shabu shabu in Japan.
Beef
As mentioned earlier, beef is the primary meat used in Japanese shabu-shabu. High-end shabu-shabu restaurants always offer beef as an option. The standard portion of shabu-shabu meat is said to be 200-300 grams for adult males, 150-200 grams for females, and 100-150 grams for elementary and middle school students and the elderly. There are five preferred cuts of beef for shabu-shabu.
- Chuck eye roll – Relatively low in fat and well balanced with lean meat. It is characterized by its moderate tenderness and light flavor.
- Rib eye roll – This part is a popular option for high-end shabu-shabu due to its large amount of marbling, which make it very tender. It has a unique melt-in-your-mouth quality and sweetness, and its rich flavor spreads in your mouth. It is known for its luxurious taste and texture.
- Sirloin – Many people may think of sirloin for steak, but in fact, thinly sliced sirloin served in shabu-shabu can also be an excellent option.
- Round – Another preferred part of beef for shabu-shabu is the round or bottom round, which is a lean, meaty, low-calorie serving. It is refreshing, easy to eat, and relatively inexpensive, making it a popular choice for shabu-shabu at home.
- Tongue – Although not as well known as the four types above, it is a hidden part of the beef tongue that is preferred by fans of chewy textures with a strong, meaty taste. It is rich in protein and iron and has less fat than the other parts.
Pork
Next, I will introduce the second most popular meat for shabu-shabu, pork. As with beef shabu-shabu, thinly sliced meat is used. The three most highly recommended cuts are as follows:
- Loin – The meat is mainly lean but also contains a layer of fat, and it has a fine and soft texture. It is very easy to eat and can be considered the “basic pork shabu-shabu” meat choice.
- Shoulder – This meat offers a good balance of moderately firm lean meat and fatty marbling, allowing for a combination of umami from the firm lean meat and sweetness from the fatty meat. It is recommended for those who want to fully enjoy the unique taste of pork.
- Belly – This is the go-to option for those who crave shabu-shabu with fatty pork. Its sweet and succulent texture pairs wonderfully with vegetables, making it an excellent choice for those who want a healthy balance.
Lamb
Although not as well-known as beef and pork, shabu-shabu with lamb is a popular dish in Hokkaido (they call it lamb-shabu), where the local cuisine features lamb dishes such as jingisukan. You might be surprised to learn that lamb can be a delicious option for shabu-shabu, and it’s worth trying if you have the chance!
By far, the most common part used for lamb shabu shabu is the thinly sliced shoulder.
Yellowtail (buri)
The most popular fish for shabu-shabu is yellowtail. Especially cold yellowtail (kan-buri), which is in season in winter, has a lot of fatty flesh and makes a good broth. Buri shabu shabu is usually eaten with ponzu.
Because it is quickly dipped into the pot and eaten, choosing a fresh yellowtail that can be eaten as sashimi is important. The belly meat, which is especially fatty, makes for an even better-tasting buri shabu. The best thickness for buri shabu is considered to be about 4 mm.
Crab
Crab, which is considered a very high quality food in Japan, is sometimes used as an ingredient in shabu-shabu as “kani-shabu”. However, not just any crab can be used, but mainly snow crab and king crab.
Others
Other ingredients that can be used for shabu-shabu include:
- Sea bream (sashimi)
- Tuna (sashimi)
- Sea eel (sashimi)
- Squid (sashimi)
- Shrimp/prawn
- Scallops
In the next section, I will explore the classic shabu shabu dipping sauces.
Dipping Sauces
The two basic types of dipping sauces for shabu-shabu are creamy sesame sauce and zesty ponzu sauce, which is citrus-based. Rather than choosing one over the other, the basic rule is to use and enjoy both.
The Japanese way of enjoying shabu-shabu is to use these two sauces as a base and then add additional ingredients to alter the flavor as you go.
Sesame sauce
Sesame dipping sauce (known in Japanese as goma dare) is such an important element of shabu-shabu that the dish would not be complete without it. It has a creamy and sweet taste that perfectly complements the meat and vegetables.
While you can use store-bought sesame sauce, making it at home is very easy and highly recommended.
The ingredients I use for my sesame sauce recipe are as follows:
- Sesame paste
- Soy sauce
- Rice vinegar
- Miso paste (awase)
- Sugar
- Salt
Ponzu sauce
Strictly speaking, “ponzu” refers to citrus juices such as lemon, lime, daidai, yuzu, sudachi, kabosu, etc., to which vinegar is added for flavor and preservation. However, “ponzu soy sauce,” a mixture of ponzu and soy sauce, is also commonly referred to as “ponzu” for short. When used for shabu-shabu, “ponzu” usually refers to “ponzu soy sauce.”
You can buy store-bought, but I recommend making your own ponzu sauce, as it is actually quite easy. I actually have my own homemade ponzu sauce recipe here, so if you’re interested, feel free to check it out!
Additional ingredients and condiments to add to sauces
As I’ve explained so far, while sesame sauce and ponzu sauce serve as the basic dipping sauces for shabu-shabu, you can also experiment with additional ingredients to alter their flavor and create a variety of unique taste experiences.
Here are some common condiments and toppings that can be added to enhance the flavor of your shabu-shabu dipping sauces:
- Chopped garlic chive: for sesame sauce
- Garlic paste: for sesame sauce
- Chili oil: for sesame sauce
- Momiji oroshi (grated daikon with chili): for ponzu
- Chopped green onion: for ponzu
In the next section, I will explain how to finish shabu shabu with noodles.
Noodle Options
Like other nabe (hotpot) dishes in Japan, shabu shabu typically has a finishing course called “shime” (締め) at the end of the meal. Instead of adding rice to the broth to make zosui (a type of rice porridge), noodles are commonly added instead.
However, the shabu-shabu broth is not salted at all, so after cooking the noodles in the broth, divide them among the serving bowls and season them with salt and pepper to your liking.
Below are three popular noodle dishes that can be used to finish a shabu-shabu meal.
Udon
The most popular way to finish a shabu-shabu meal is with udon noodles. As mentioned earlier, the shabu-shabu broth is not salted, so season it with salt and pepper after dividing it into bowls.
You can also use other ingredients, such as chicken stock, to add saltiness and depth. Since the broth is simple, you can adjust the flavor to your taste.
Soba
If you prefer soba over udon, I recommend finishing your shabu-shabu meal with soba noodles. When using soba, it’s important to remove any scum from the broth thoroughly.
I recommend adjusting the flavor by adding mentsuyu or soy sauce and mirin directly into the broth, but as mentioned earlier in the udon section, seasoning the broth with salt and pepper after serving is also an option.
Kishimen (flat udon)
Kishimen is a type of udon that is a specialty of Aichi Prefecture, where I live. It is characterized by its thin and flat shape, which sets it apart from regular udon.
In the Tokai region, shabu-shabu is sometimes finished with kishimen. If you want to experience the Aichi Prefecture style, I highly recommend giving it a try.
Equipment/Pot Guide
There are many different types of shabu-shabu pots, but the chimney-shaped pot is the most iconic due to its unique shape, which is believed to help maintain an even temperature.
The greater surface area the broth has in contact with the pot, the less the temperature will drop when meat and vegetables are added one at a time, allowing the temperature to be maintained. In addition, the steam is concentrated in the center hole, preventing your hand from getting too hot while dipping the meat.
However, there are various types of shabu-shabu pots, including those with partitions, round pots, square pots, and pots with a wide opening in relation to the bottom.
Of course, you can use an authentic chimney-type, but basically, any pot can be used for home use. There is no need to buy a chimney-type pot just for the occasional shabu-shabu. It doesn’t matter if it’s an earthenware pot, an iron pot, a copper pot, or an aluminum pot. In fact, the pot I used in this article is a shabu-shabu pot, but it’s a cheap aluminum one. So, there’s no problem.
Speaking of other equipment, when dipping meat into boiling water, it’s handy to have long chopsticks (saibashi), so your hand doesn’t get too hot.
Visual Walkthrough & Tips
Here are my step-by-step instructions for how to make Authentic Shabu Shabu at home. For ingredient quantities and simplified instructions, scroll down for the Printable Recipe Card below.
1. How to Prepare
The first step is to soak the kombu in the water to make kombu dashi. You can soak it for as little as 30 minutes or as long as 24 hours, depending on how strong you want the dashi to be. If you have time, this can be prepared the night before.
Since shabu shabu is cooked at the table, the ingredients should be washed, cut and arranged on plates or trays in advance. In my recipe, I use chives, beansprouts, shungiku (chrysanthemum greens), enoki mushrooms, napa cabbage, shimeji mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, and carrots. Carrots take longer to cook and should be thinly sliced to reduce the cooking time. Everything else can be cut into bite-sized pieces or left whole.
I also use vermicelli noodles in the recipe. If you wish to use them too, choose a type with little to no cooking time. You want to be able to cook them quickly by swishing them in the bubbling broth and then take them straight back out without letting go. (Once you drop them in the broth, they will become lost and difficult to take out.)
Cut the firm tofu into cubes, toast your mochi (if using), and precook the noodles of your choice (udon, soba, or kishimen).
Take the meat out of the fridge about 20 minutes before cooking to bring it to room temperature. This will help keep the meat tender and prevent too much shrinking when it’s cooked.
Since the meat used for shabu shabu is cut extremely thin, I recommend buying it from your local Japanese supermarket or butcher rather than trying to cut it yourself at home.
To make the sesame sauce, mix sesame paste, soy sauce, miso paste, rice vinegar, salt and sugar in a bowl until smooth. You can use store bought ponzu sauce, but if you’re interested in making your own, check out my ponzu sauce recipe here.
Divide the sauce so that each person has 2 of their own individual bowls for dipping, one with sesame sauce and one with ponzu sauce.
Okay, they’re not technically toppings, but these additional ingredients can be used to change the flavor of the sauces either to your personal preference or throughout the course of the meal to make it more interesting.
Grated garlic, chives, and chili oil can be added to the sesame sauce, whereas momiji oroshi (top right) and chopped spring onion are usually added to the ponzu. If you can’t find momiji oroshi (grated daikon mixed with chili) you could also substitute for regular grated daikon radish instead.
At high-end restaurants, each customer will have their own array of tiny bowls filled with these toppings. However, to avoid washing many dishes at home, it’s fine to divide them into larger communal bowls and allow your guests to help themselves.
Once the kombu has rehydrated and soaked for at least 30 minutes, add the sake and yuzu peel, then place the pot on the stove. Bring the broth to almost boiling and then remove the kombu. (You can discard or use it to make this kombu tsukudani onigiri!)
There are a few reasons to add sake to shabu shabu broth. Firstly, it adds a little more depth and umami, and secondly, it helps tenderize the meat even further. That said, it’s not essential and if you can’t use sake for any reason then it’s okay to omit.
Allow the broth to boil for a few minutes, then set the heat to medium. Remove the yuzu peel and then you’re ready to start cooking!
Jump to Full Recipe Measurements2. How to Cook & Eat
Shabu shabu is the type of dish where you’re essentially eating and cooking at the same time. Here I am going to explain the proper steps to cooking authentic shabu shabu at home and how to eat it along the way!
Start by allowing each person to cook a piece of beef by swishing it back and forth in the bubbling broth. It will cook in seconds and should still be a little pink, so be careful not to leave it in there for too long! Once you pull it out, dip it in either sesame or ponzu sauce and enjoy.
This first step not only allows you to appreciate the high-quality beef on its own but also adds a little fat and meaty essence to the broth.
Next, add the carrot, mushrooms, napa cabbage, and tofu.
You can continue to enjoy the meat while the vegetables are cooking.
Try to space out eating the meat; otherwise, it will run out before the vegetables have finished cooking!
As the vegetables soften to your preference, take them out and enjoy with your choice of sauce.
Once there starts to become more space in the pot, add the beansprouts, chives and shungiku.
Simmer for a few minutes, and then eat up the vegetables until there’s nothing left in the pot.
Dipping the ingredients in the sauces throughout the course will cause them to become watered down. Ponzu sauce can be topped up, but sesame sauce should be replaced with a fresh bowl if it’s too watery. (Don’t forget to try adding different flavors to the sauces as you go!)
Give each person a portion of vermicelli noodles and swish them in the broth.
Since these noodles are clear, be careful not to drop them; otherwise, they will become lost in the broth. Once they’re cooked, take them out and dip them in your choice of sauce.
Before the final course, scoop out any scum or lost ingredients using a mesh spoon.
Next, divide the broth into serving bowls. Since the broth is still very mild in taste, season it generously with salt and pepper to your taste. (Drink a bit on its own to test.) Alternatively, you could add soy sauce instead.
Finally, add the cooked noodles and mochi to the pot to warm them through.
Divide the mochi and noodles between each serving bowl.
Garnish with chopped spring onion, and enjoy this final course!
Jump to Full Recipe Measurements
I hope you enjoy this Shabu Shabu recipe! If you try it out, I’d really appreciate it if you could spare a moment to let me know what you thought by giving a review and star rating in the comments below. It’s also helpful to share any adjustments you made to the recipe with our other readers. Thank you!
More Japanese Hotpot Recipes
Japanese Shabu Shabu with homemade sauce
Ingredients
Shabu shabu broth
- 10 g dried kelp (kombu) (kombu)
- 1 liter water
- 50 ml sake
- yuzu peel optional
Shabu shabu ingredients
- 400 g thinly sliced wagyu beef
- 200g g napa cabbage (hakusai) roughly cut
- 100 g chrysanthemum greens (crown daisy/shungiku/tong ho) (shungiku)
- 50 g carrot peeled and thinly sliced
- 100 g enoki mushrooms roots removed
- 100 g firm tofu cubed
- 2-3 fresh shiitake mushroom stems trimmed
- 50 g vermicelli noodles with short cooking time
- 200 g cooked udon noodles optional
- 2 toasted rice cakes (kirimochi) optional
Ponzu sauce and additions
- ponzu sauce for dipping, see my ponzu recipe here
- finely chopped green onions (momiji oroshi) optional
- grated daikon radish (daikon oroshi) optional
- spicy grated daikon radish (momiji oroshi) optional
Homemade sesame shabu shabu sauce
- 2 tbsp sesame paste (neri goma)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- ½ tbsp yellow miso paste (awase miso) awase/mixed miso
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- garlic chive(s) optional
- chili oil (rayu) optional
- grated garlic optional
Instructions
Preparation
- Soak 10 g dried kelp (kombu) in 1 liter water in a pot for at least 30 minutes or until rehydrated. (You can soak it longer if you prefer, some people soak it overnight.)
- While the kombu is soaking, prepare the meat, vegetables and tofu according to the instructions on the ingredient list. Arrange them on a plate or tray and place them near the stove. Take the beef out of the refrigerator 20 minutes before cooking.
- Make the sesame sauce by mixing 2 tbsp sesame paste, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp rice vinegar, ½ tbsp yellow miso paste (awase miso), 2 tbsp sugar and 1 pinch salt in a small bowl until smooth. Divide between individual serving bowls.
- In small bowls, prepare garlic chive(s), chili oil (rayu) and grated garlic (to add to the sesame sauce) and finely chopped green onions and grated daikon radish or spicy grated daikon radish (for the ponzu sauce). Lay them out on the table.
- Once the kombu is rehydrated, add 50 ml sake and yuzu peel to the broth and place the pot on the stove. Heat until almost boiling, then remove the kombu. Allow the broth to bubble for a few minutes and then remove the yuzu peel before you start to cook.
Cooking and eating
- Course 1: Tasting the BeefEach guest should take one piece of beef and swish it in the broth until cooked to their preferred done-ness (slightly pink is recommended for shabu shabu beef). Once cooked, dip in your choice of sauce and enjoy the beef on its own.
- Course 2: Vegetables & TofuAdd the carrot, napa cabbage, mushrooms and tofu. Each guest can cook more beef and help themselves while the vegetables and tofu are cooking. (Tip: try and space out cooking the beef so that you can enjoy it throughout the duration of the meal.) Be sure to try different ingredients and sauce combinations.
- Once more space becomes available in the pot, add the beansprouts, shungiku and chives. Eat up until there are no more ingredients left in the pot.
- Course 3: Glass/rice noodlesGive each guest a small portion of glass/rice noodles. Swish them in the broth until cooked and enjoy with your choice of dipping sauce.
- Course 4: Finishing noodlesScoop out any scum that's formed on top of the broth and remove leftover broken ingredients using a mesh spoon. Divide the broth into individual serving bowls and season generously with salt and pepper to taste. Add cooked udon/kishimen noodles (and mochi) to the leftover broth and warm through. Once hot, divide between the individual bowls of broth and top with chopped spring onions.
- Enjoy!
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