Dashi is a key part of Japanese cooking—and getting to know it can really level up your skills in the kitchen.
In this post, I’ll break down everything you need to know: the different types, how to use them, easy swaps, and more.
Ready to get into the world of dashi? Let’s get started!
💡New to Japanese cooking? You might want to check out our step-by-step guide to Japanese cooking to kick off your journey!
Jump to:
- ✏️What is Dashi? What is Dashi Made Of?
- 🍜What Does Dashi Taste Like? What is Umami?
- 🏺Different Types of Dashi
- 🥢How to Choose the Right Dashi for Your Dish
- 🍳4 Different Ways to Make Dashi
- ⚖️What is The Dashi to Water Ratio?
- 💡Why a Stronger Dashi Isn’t Always Better
- 🔎Dashi vs. Other Ingredients: What Are the Differences?
- 🔄What are Substitutes for Dashi?
- 🗄️How Should You Store Dashi? Can You Freeze Dashi?
- 🛒Where to Buy Dashi?
- 🍳How to Use Dashi in Cooking
- ❓Frequently Asked Questions
✏️What is Dashi? What is Dashi Made Of?
Dashi is a Japanese stock that extracts deep, savory flavors (umami) from various ingredients, and it’s commonly used as a base in Japanese dishes.
Think of it like soup stock or bouillon in Western cooking, but dashi is lighter and clearer—it’s all about letting the main flavors of the dish shine.
The main ingredients used to make dashi are:
- Kombu (kelp)
- Katsuobushi (bonito flakes)
- Niboshi (dried anchovies)
- Shiitake mushrooms
But, you can get creative and use any ingredients with umami, like tomato juice or soy milk, even though they’re not traditional dashi staples.
🍜What Does Dashi Taste Like? What is Umami?
Dashi has a rich, complex umami flavor that’s still clear and light.
Umami is one of the five basic tastes (like salty or sweet), but it’s all about that deep, savory deliciousness that makes food so satisfying. The magic behind umami comes from compounds like glutamic acid, inosinic acid, and guanylic acid.
Here are some common umami-packed ingredients you might already know:
- Kombu (kelp)
- Cheese
- Tomatoes
- Miso
- Soy sauce
- Meat
- Shiitake mushrooms
- Chocolate
It’s what gives your food that irresistible depth!
🏺Different Types of Dashi
Types of Dashi by Ingredients
Classic Awase Dashi (Kombu and Katsuo Dashi)
The most common dashi in Japanese cooking is Awase Dashi, made by combining kombu and bonito flakes for a well-balanced umami flavor—perfect for most dishes!
- Ingredients: Kombu + Bonito
- Flavor: Balanced umami, mild richness
- Best For: Most dishes, like miso soup, tamagoyaki, and nikujaga
🍳Recipe: coming soon!
Katsuo Dashi (Bonito Flake Dashi)
Katsuo Dashi is made with katsuobushi, which is dried, shaved bonito, giving it a rich aroma, elegant taste, and strong umami.
- Ingredients: Bonito flakes
- Flavor: Rich, elegant umami
- Best For: Clear soups (suimono), chawanmushi, and simmered dishes
🍳Recipe: coming soon!
Kombu Dashi
Kombu Dashi is a lighter, plant-based option that won’t overpower other ingredients, making it perfect for dishes with animal-based ingredients or naturally umami-rich components.
- Ingredients: Kombu
- Flavor: Subtle, clean umami
- Best For: Miso soup, light simmered dishes like Furofuki Daikon
🍳Recipe: coming soon!
Iriko Dashi (Niboshi Dashi)
Iriko Dashi, made from dried anchovies or sardines, has a strong umami and distinct fish-forward flavor, making it ideal for dishes with milder umami ingredients.
- Ingredients: Niboshi (dried anchovies)
- Flavor: Bold, slightly fishy
- Best For: Udon, ramen, miso soup, and simmered root vegetables
🍳Recipe: coming soon!
Shiitake Dashi
Shiitake Dashi is a mild, plant-based option with subtle umami—perfect when you want something light but still flavorful.
- Ingredients: Dried shiitake mushrooms
- Flavor: Mild, earthy umami
- Best For: Soumen, simmered dishes
🍳Recipe: coming soon!
Vegan Dashi (Shiitake Kombu Dashi, Shojin Dashi)
Vegan Dashi has a deeper, more complex umami than other plant-based options, thanks to the combo of ingredients like kombu and dried shiitake.
- Ingredients: Kombu + Shiitake
- Flavor: Deep, complex umami than other plant-based dashi
- Best For: Vegan dishes
🍳Recipe: coming soon!
Types of Dashi by Number of Brews
When it comes to dashi made with kombu (kelp) and/or katsuobushi (bonito), there are two main types, and they’re based on how many times you use the ingredients to make it.
Ichiban Dashi (First Brew)
Ichiban Dashi is the first brew and has the best flavor, aroma, and clarity—perfect for dishes that really let the dashi shine without a lot of added seasoning.
- Flavor: Best flavors, aroma, and clear color
- Best For: Dishes that don’t use strong seasonings like suimono or chawanmushi
Niban Dashi (Second Brew)
Niban Dashi is the second brew made from the same ingredients used for Ichiban Dashi. It’s not quite as refined, but still full of umami and great for dishes with bold seasonings.
- Flavor: Still umami-rich but not as sophisticated as ichiban dashi
- Best For: Dishes with stronger seasonings, like miso soup or nabe
🥢How to Choose the Right Dashi for Your Dish
Here's a quick guide to help you choose the right dashi:
- Need a plant-based dashi?
- ✔ Yes → Go for Kombu Dashi, Shiitake Dashi, or Vegan Dashi.
- ❌ No → Move on to the next question.
- Does your dish highlight the flavors of dashi without adding lots of seasonings?
- ✔ Yes → Choose Ichiban Dashi (First Brew) for the freshest, most delicate flavor.
- ❌ No → Go for Niban Dashi (Second Brew) for a more robust flavor.
- Does your dish already have umami-rich ingredients or will you add umami-rich seasonings (like miso or soy sauce)?
- ✔ Yes → Kombu Dashi or Niban Dashi will give a milder umami boost.
- ⚖ Balanced flavor? → Try Awase Dashi for a nice balance of flavors.
- ❌ No → Go for Katsuo Dashi or Iriko Dashi for a stronger umami punch.
- Want a stronger fish-forward flavor?
- ✔ Yes → Iriko Dashi will give you that bold, fishy taste.
- ❌ No → Stick with Awase Dashi for a more balanced flavor.
This should help you pick the best dashi for your dish!
🍳4 Different Ways to Make Dashi
Dashi is full of umami and flavor, and the best part? It doesn’t take as long to make as Western broths! Depending on how much time you’ve got, here are four ways to make it, from the most time-consuming to the quickest:
- Homemade (Cold Brew): Takes a little longer but gives you a super clean, rich flavor.
- Homemade (Classic): The classic method where you heat kombu and bonito flakes. It's quicker than cold brew but still has that authentic taste.
- Dashi Bags: Just like tea bags, these make things super easy. Drop them in hot water and you're good to go.
- Dashi Powder/Granules: The fastest option! Just dissolve in water and you're ready to cook.
Homemade (cold brew)
If you’ve got time to plan ahead, cold brew dashi is one of the easiest methods—you just soak the ingredients overnight, and the next day you’ve got delicious dashi! It takes a little longer, but it’s hands-off, so you don’t have to worry about it.
- Time Required: 8–12 hours (overnight)
- Ease of Use: Easiest (just soak and wait)
- Best For: People who want a high-quality dashi without much work
- Notes: No heat required
✏️Recipe: [How to Make Dashi from Scratch with the Cold Brew Method] (coming soon!)
Homemade (classic)
If you’ve got 10–30 minutes, this is the classic way to make fresh dashi from scratch. You’ll be cooking a little, but the result is totally worth it!
- Time Required: 10–30 minutes
- Ease of Use: Moderate (requires some cooking)
- Best For: Anyone who wants authentic, high-quality dashi
- Notes: The classic way to make dashi
✏️Recipes: (coming soon!)
- Awase Dashi (kombu + bonito)
- Katsuo Dashi (bonito flakes)
- Kombu Dashi (kombu)
- Iriko Dashi (dried anchovies)
- Shiitake Dashi (dried shiitake)
- Vegan Dashi (kombu + shiitake)
Dashi Bags
If you’re in a rush but still want good flavor, dashi bags are a great option. Just pop a bag in hot water, and you’ve got dashi in no time! Be sure to choose high-quality, additive-free bags for the best taste. My go-to is Kayanoya Dashi!
- Time Required: 5–10 minutes
- Ease of Use: Very easy
- Best For: Busy cooks who want a quick and flavorful option
- Notes: Go for high-quality, additive-free bags
✏️Recipe: [How to Make Dashi with Dashi Bags] (coming soon!)
Dashi Powder/Granules
When you need dashi in a pinch, dashi powder or granules are the quickest way to go. Just dissolve it in water, and you're done! While it’s convenient, the flavor might not be as authentic as homemade dashi.
- Time Required: 1–2 minutes
- Ease of Use: Easiest (just dissolve in water)
- Best For: Quick meals, beginners, or when fresh dashi isn’t available
- Notes: Best for convenience but less authentic in taste
✏️Recipe: [How to Make Dashi with Dashi Powder/Granules] (coming soon!)
⚖️What is The Dashi to Water Ratio?
* Note: The amount of dashi bags and dashi granules may vary by brand, so always check the package for the correct ratio.
- Awase Dashi (kombu + bonito)
- Water: 1000ml (4 cups)
- Ingredients:
- 0.35 oz (10g) kombu
- 0.75 oz (20g) bonito flakes (about 2 cups loosely packed)
- Katsuo Dashi (bonito flakes)
- Water: 1000ml (4 cups)
- Ingredients:
- 1 oz (30g) bonito flakes (about 3 cups loosely packed)
- Kombu Dashi (kombu)
- Water: 1000ml (4 cups)
- Ingredients:
- 0.35–0.7 oz (10–20g) kombu
- Iriko Dashi (dried anchovies)
- Water: 1000ml (4 cups)
- Ingredients:
- 0.75 oz (20g) dried anchovies (about ¼ cup)
- Shiitake Dashi (dried shiitake)
- Water: 1000ml (4 cups)
- Ingredients:
- 1 oz (30g) dried shiitake (about 6–8 mushrooms)
- Vegan Dashi (kombu + shiitake)
- Water: 1000ml (4 cups)
- Ingredients:
- 0.35 oz (10g) kombu
- 3–4 dried shiitake mushrooms
- Dashi Bags (Kayanoya Dashi*)
- Water: 1000ml (4 cups)
- Ingredients:
- 3 bags for a stronger dashi
- 2 bags for a lighter dashi
- Dashi Granules (Hondashi*)
- Water: 1000ml (4 cups)
- Ingredients:
- About 2 ¼ teaspoons
💡Why a Stronger Dashi Isn’t Always Better
There’s a common myth out there: that the stronger the dashi, the better your dish will taste. Or that you have to use dashi in every Japanese recipe. But that’s not really how it works!
Think of it like tea—you wouldn’t just keep piling in tea leaves hoping for better flavor, right? Same goes for dashi. Using too many ingredients can actually overpower the dish and drown out the natural flavors of everything else.
Dashi is meant to play a supporting role (unless you’re making something like suimono, where it is the star). A good dashi should be light, smooth, and clean—no strong smell, no aftertaste lingering on your tongue. It should bring everything together without stealing the show.
Oh, and one more thing: a darker color doesn’t mean it’s stronger or better. It’s all about balance!
🔎Dashi vs. Other Ingredients: What Are the Differences?
Miso
Miso is a thick, fermented soybean paste that adds a salty, savory depth to dishes. It’s not the same as dashi—but the two work together beautifully. Miso brings the umami punch, while dashi ties all the flavors together.
💡Learn more: Detailed Guide to Miso
Hondashi
Hondashi is a super convenient instant dashi powder made by Ajinomoto. It’s a popular shortcut when you need dashi fast—just dissolve it in water and you’re good to go.
Shiro Dashi
Shiro dashi is a light-colored seasoning made with dashi, light soy sauce (usukuchi shoyu), mirin, and a little sugar. It’s perfect for dishes where you want the flavors of dashi but don’t want to darken the color—like clear soups or delicate simmered veggies.
Just a heads-up: it adds some saltiness and sweetness too, so it’s not always a 1:1 swap for plain dashi.
Bonito
Bonito is a type of fish, kind of like a cousin to mackerel and tuna. You’ll see it most often as bonito flakes (aka katsuobushi), which are dried, shaved pieces of bonito used to make dashi—or sprinkled on top of dishes like okonomiyaki or tofu for extra flavor.
🔄What are Substitutes for Dashi?
No dashi? No problem—there are a few handy substitutes you can use when you're in a pinch:
- Mentsuyu: A noodle soup base that usually has dashi, soy sauce, mirin, and more mixed in. Just keep in mind it’s pretty salty and flavorful on its own.
- Shiro dashi: A lighter, dashi-based seasoning that works great for soups or simmered dishes.
- Dashi bags or powder: If you’ve got these on hand, they’re quick and easy dashi backups.
- Kombu tea: Yep, the drink! It can actually double as a light dashi substitute in a pinch.
You can also lean on umami-rich ingredients like:
- Tomatoes
- A little bit of dark chocolate (seriously!)
- Meat or cured products (like bacon or ham)
They won’t taste exactly like dashi, but they can help bring that savory depth to your dish when you're improvising.
🗄️How Should You Store Dashi? Can You Freeze Dashi?
- Homemade dashi: It’s best to use it as soon as possible for the best flavor and aroma, but you can store it in an airtight container for up to 2–3 days in the fridge or about three weeks in the freezer.
- Dashi bags: Store in a cool, dark place for up to one year
- Dashi powder/granules: Store in a cool, dark place. Check the product label for the best-by date
🛒Where to Buy Dashi?
You can easily find dashi ingredients at Asian grocery stores or even on Amazon.
Dashi powder and granules are pretty common and can usually be found in the Asian aisle at regular grocery stores or at Asian markets. But if you're looking for top-notch dashi bags, I highly recommend checking them out online—Kayanoya Dashi is a great option!
💡Learn more: Best Places to Buy Japanese Ingredients Online (coming soon!)
🍳How to Use Dashi in Cooking
Dashi is super versatile! You can use it as a base for soups or tsuyu (the dipping sauce for noodles), or to bring a boost of umami to simmered dishes like nimono.
It’s kind of like using broth or bouillon—you can even use it in non-Japanese recipes for a savory twist.
Some of the Best Dishes to Use Dashi In
- Dashimaki tamago (Japanese rolled omelet with dashi)
- Miso soup
- Oyakodon (chicken and egg rice bowl)
- Osumashi (Japanese clear soup)
- Chawanmushi (savory egg custard)
- Dashi shoyu (soy sauce infused with dashi)
Do You Need Dashi for All Japanese Dishes?
Not necessarily! While dashi is a great way to add umami, you can still make delicious Japanese dishes without it. If your ingredients are already rich in umami—or you’re cooking in a way that draws those flavors out—you might not need dashi at all.
❓Frequently Asked Questions
If your dashi powder is expired, it’s best to skip it—there’s a chance it could develop mold or the flavor might be off. Better to be safe and stick with a fresh one!
You don’t have to toss them! You can use the leftover dashi ingredients to make furikake (a tasty rice topping) or kombu no tsukudani (simmered kombu). You can even mince them up and mix with a little ponzu—perfect over rice or as a savory seasoning.
Yes and no!
Iriko dashi is made from dried anchovies, so in that sense, it is a type of fish stock. But dashi isn’t only made with fish—there are versions made with kombu (kelp), katsuobushi (bonito flakes), and even plant-based ingredients like shiitake mushrooms.
If your dashi tastes bitter, it’s usually because of one (or more) of these things:
- Simmering the ingredients too long
- Using too much kombu or bonito
- Heating the water too much (aim for 75–80°C / 167–176°F)
- Squeezing the ingredients at the end
Unfortunately, once it turns bitter, there’s no real way to fix it—but don’t toss it! You can still use it in stronger-flavored dishes like simmered meals or miso soup where the bitterness won’t be as noticeable.
That’s a wrap on this dashi guide—I hope it was helpful!
If you’ve got any questions or something wasn’t clear, feel free to drop a comment below. I’m always happy to update the guide and make it even more useful.
Have fun experimenting with dashi and enjoy cooking Japanese food at home! 🙂
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