Shabu Shabu is one of the most popular types of Japanese hot pot. It’s a fun, interactive meal to enjoy with family and friends by cooking different ingredients in one pot with delicious dipping sauces!
Shabu Shabu is a specific type of nabe, or Japanese hot pot (you can find my recipe for general nabe, here). The name comes from the sound the ingredients make when you “swish swish” them around inside the broth. It’s quick and easy to make, healthy, and comforting so it’s a great dish to make on cold nights after a long day.
How to enjoy Shabu Shabu
Typically, Shabu Shabu is a communal meal. A portable stove is placed in the middle of the table with a donabe (traditional Japanese earthenware pot), a metal shabu shabu pot, or regular pot is placed on top. Various ingredients are placed around the pot so everyone can put the ingredients they want into the pot and cook at their own pace. It is also typically served with various dipping sauces, and everyone has their own. I love having multiple small bowls of various sauces so I can change up the flavor during the meal!
I usually use a donabe and have some lined below in the “Shop this post” section below as well as on my Tools page.
The broth
Shabu Shabu broth is traditionally and almost always a kombu dashi broth. This is just made from kombu (kelp) in water. It’s easy, healthy, and has a light flavor. However, you can still find other types of broth used for Shabu Shabu sometimes.
The ingredients
Typically the ingredients include thinly sliced meat and assorted vegetables. You can easily make this dish vegetarian by omitting the meat. For the one I made today, here is what I included:
- Thinly sliced pork
- Mizuna (Japanese mustard greens)
- Napa cabbage
- Green onions
- Enoki mushrooms
Some other popular ingredients you can use are:
- Shiitake mushrooms
- Tofu
- Carrots
- Udon
- Spinach
- Beef
For the meat, make sure it sliced thin enough to be able to be cooked by the broth very quickly.
The sauce
The most common dipping sauces that are paired with Shabu Shabu are ponzu and sesame. I like mixing spices like togarashi or chili oil with my sauces and recently, tried Nikumanya’s new Umamix Sauce which is super flavorful and a little spicy.
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Shabu Shabu / しゃぶしゃぶ
Ingredients
- water
- 1/2 – 1 lb thinly sliced pork
- 1 bunch mizuna
- 1/2 napa cabbage
- 1 bunch green onions
- 1 pack enoki mushrooms
- 1 piece kombu about a 5" x 5" size
- sauce for dipping
Instructions
- Wipe down kombu with a damp paper towel to clean.
- In the donabe or pot, place the cleaned kombu and fill with water until about 70% full. Let rest for 30 minutes.
- Prep the veggies: cut mizuna, napa cabbage, enoki mushrooms, and green onions into 3" sections.
- Get set up: Set up the veggies onto a plate, put meat onto a plate, and pour sauces into small plates/bowls. Turn on a tabletop stove and put the donabe with the water and kombu on top. Right as the water hits boiling, remove the kombu immediately.
- Place some veggies into the pot to cook. Pick up a piece of meat and swish it around in the broth until cooked.
- Enjoy ingredients as they get cooked by dipping it into the sauces.
Notes
Shop this post:
Nikumanya’s Umamix Sauce
Kombu (Kelp) / コンブ
Tabletop Induction Cooktop
Tabletop Gas Stove
Donabe – Kinto
Donabe
Ponzu / ポン酢
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