Nabe (Yosenabe/Japanese Hot Pot)

5 from 4 votes
Recipe IndexJump to Recipe

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read myย privacy policy.

Nabe or nabemono is Japanese hot pot. This is a classic Yosenabe recipe made of chicken, seafood, tofu, vegetables in dashi broth.

Nabe in a nabe pot, ready to serve.
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email below & we’ll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Nabe Hot Pot

There are many types of hot pot in Asia, each with unique flavors and ingredients. In Japan, we have nabe, a mix of meats and vegetables, and shabu shabu, where thin meat slices are quickly cooked in a tasty broth. In China and Southeast Asia, we have Chinese hot pot, known for its different broths and dipping sauces.

Nabe or Nabemono is a type Japanese hot pot. It’s a winter stew with a variety of ingredients with dashi and cooked inside a clay donabe, or nabe pot.

There is another version of Nabe called Chanko Nabe, which is a similar hotpot made famous by Japanese sumo wrestlers.


Yosenabe

Nabe hot pot with tofu, chicken, fish, shrimp and vegetables.

The nabe I made is called Yosenabe or “Anything Goes” Hot Pot according to “Japanese Hot Pots: Comforting One Pot Meals” by Tadashi Ono and Harris Salat.

Yosenabe is one of the most popular hot pots in Japan. Chicken is a must in yosenabe with a variety of other ingredients.


Nabe Recipe Ingredients

Yosenabe in a nabe pot, with chicken, tofu and dashi stock.
  • Kombu and dry bonito flakes for dashi
  • Usukushi shoyu (Japanese light soy sauce)
  • Chicken
  • Shiitake mushroom
  • Shrimp
  • Scallop
  • Fish fillets
  • Clams
  • Tofu
  • Napa cabbage
  • Tokyo negi (Japanese long onion)
  • Harusame (Japanese cellophane noodles)

You can buy kombu and dry bonito flakes in Japanese or Asian food stores or online.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.


How To Make Nabe

Homemade nabe is easy but it does take a bit of time to prepare and assemble the ingredients.

The first step is to make dashi. I have a detailed step-by-step recipe.

Next, you have to cut and slice some of the ingredients, for example: chicken, tofu and vegetables. Finally, assemble all the ingredients in the pot.

Heat up the pot on a single burner and the stew will be ready for the entire family.


Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add miso to yosenabe?

Yes, you can certainly add miso paste to the dashi broth in Yosenabe.

How many calories per serving?

This recipe is only 367 calories per serving.

Nabe hot pot or yosenabe in a Japanese clay nabe pot.

What To Serve With Japanese Hot Pot

For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.

I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on FacebookPinterest, and Instagram for new updates.


Other Recipes You Might Like

Freshly baked cod fillet with seasonings crust on a plate, garnished with lemon slices and herbs.
5 Secrets to 20-Minute Dinners
FREE EMAIL BONUS: How would it feel to have dinner DONE in 20 minutes? I’ll show you how!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
5 from 4 votes

Nabe (Yosenabe/Japanese Hot Pot)

Nabe or nabemono is Japanese hot pot. This is a classic Yosenabe recipe made of chicken, seafood, tofu, vegetables in dashi broth.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 People
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email below & we’ll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Ingredients  

Dashi:

  • 8 cups water
  • 2 pieces kombu, 6 x 6-inch (15cm x 15cm)
  • 1 1/2 oz (45g) dried shaved bonito

Yosenabe

  • 4 cups dashi
  • 1/4 cup mirin
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 chicken leg and thigh, boned, skinned, and cut into bite-size pieces
  • 1/2 lb (250g) napa cabbage, sliced
  • 1 oz (30g) harusame or cellophane noodles, soaked in water for 15 minutes
  • 1/2 package firm tofu, cut into 4 pieces
  • 4 clams
  • 4 head-on shrimp
  • 4 large scallops
  • 1/2 lb (250g) red snapper or sea bass fillet, cut into 1-inch (2.5cm) slices
  • 1 negi, sliced on an angle into 2-inch (5cm) pieces
  • 1 bunch spinach, rinsed and cut into 2-inch (5cm) bundle
  • 3 oz (90g) fresh shiitake mushrooms or enoki mushrooms or oyster mushrooms
  • 1/2 medium carrot, peeled and cut into 2-inch (5cm) pieces, then thinly sliced lengthwise

Instructions 

Dashi:

  • Add the water and the kombu to a stock pot and let it steep for 30 minutes.
  • Place the stockpot over medium heat and bring it to a boil. Remove the kombu and add the bonito and stir it once to mix in. As soon as the liquid boils again, decrease the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove any scum that appears on the surface.
  • Turn off the heat and let the liquid steep for 15 minutes. Strain it through a fine sieve or cheesecloth. Don't squeeze the bonito flakes because it would make the dashi cloudy. Discard the bonito flakes after use.

Yosenabe:

  • Prepare the broth by combining the dashi, mirin, and soy sauce. Set aside.
  • Place the cabbage on the bottom of the nabe pot. On top of the cabbage, add the harusame, tofu, clams, shrimp, scallops, red snapper, chicken, negi, spinach, mushrooms, and carrot, arranging each ingredient in a neat order. Pour the broth over, cover the hot pot and bring it to boil over high heat until cooked.
    Japanese nabe ingredients
  • Transfer the hot pot to the dining table and serve immediately.
    Japanese hot pot

Nutrition

Serving: 4g, Calories: 367kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 42g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 77mg, Sodium: 2871mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 10g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Please rate and comment below!

About Rasa Malaysia

Bee is a recipe developer and best-selling cookbook author, sharing easy, quick, and delicious Asian and American recipes since 2006. With a strong following of almost 2 million fans online, her expertise has been featured in major publications, TV and radio programs, and live cooking demos throughout the United States and Asia.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating





14 Comments

  1. Che Khor says:

    5 stars
    very easy and delicious

  2. Fran Norris says:

    I actually have a Donabe pot, but have never used it. How do I cure it, or get it ready before I cook in it? This Yosenabe recipe looks wonderful, I would like to try and make it in my Donabe pot.
    Thanks for your help.

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Hi Fran there is nothing you need to do. Just use it as indicted in the recipe. :)

    2. miko says:

      I seasoned my pot by cooking a few batches of rice porridge in it before using it for nabe. I make rice porridge in it every now and then to keep it in good shape. Make sure you donโ€™t scorch the bottom with too high of heat.

  3. July says:

    5 stars
    I love Nabe. This Yosenabe is loaded with so many ingredients, I bet itโ€™s very yummy! Going to try one of the winter night!

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Thanks July, yes please try the nabe recipe soon!

  4. Kelly says:

    If I canโ€™t get bonito, dashi stock (csn get mirin & miso paste only) do you have other options for making the hot pot broth/stock ?

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      You can get instant dashi stock. Just add water to dilute.

  5. Joan says:

    Are you aware there is an ad for an extreme right wing politician running for for office in Ohio on your site? Gibbons for Ohio. I would complain.

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Hi Joan, so sorry I have no idea. I will tell my ad network.

  6. Elisa Callander says:

    5 stars
    I made Nabe tonight for dinner, absolutely delicious, lovely flavours. I will be definitely making this again. A super easy dish to make and healthy ?

    1. Rasa Malaysia says:

      Thanks for trying my nabe recipe!

  7. Karen says:

    Omg…I can finally have one of my favorites recipe make at home! thanks to this recipe…Omg I can wait to introduce it to the family and to my daughters am a lover of Asian food. Thank you for the recipe.

  8. RustyMermaid says:

    I often purchase Asian ingredients at vitacost.com. They have Eden Foods products including kombu and bonito flakes. I always buy enough to receive free shipping.