Japanese enoki and shiitake mushroom soup is a beautiful and heart-warming dish that can be easily and quickly made to accompany a weeknight meal, or it can even be enjoyed as a meal in itself. The addition of glass or cellophane noodles, known in Japanese as harusame, certainly adds volume to the otherwise meatless soup, giving it a heartiness that is undeniably comforting.

The flavor profile of this Japanese mushroom soup is simplicity at its best. Staple Japanese ingredients such as soy sauce and sake primarily season this soup, but it is the flavors of the enoki mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms which give the soup its depth of flavor and richness. Another ingredient, Welsh onions, helps to round out the umami profile of this delicious enoki and shiitake mushroom soup.

As for the stock that is called for in this recipe, there is quite a bit of flexibility with regards to the type of stock which best suites your palate and lifestyle. Either chicken broth, vegetable broth, or even a Japanese dashi broth of konbu (kelp) or katsuo (bonito fish) may be used as the basis of this mushroom soup. Try experimenting to discover which you prefer best. 

Article Edited by Judy Ung

See Also

Japanese Soup

Japanese Meatball Soup