I’ll happily call it soup season any time of the year, but it feels especially right when the days get colder. This Daikon Napa Cabbage Soup with Shiitake is everything I crave on a chilly day! Light, nourishing, and full of umami from fresh shiitake mushrooms, it’s the kind of soup that warms you from the inside out. The Napa cabbage and daikon simmer into tender sweetness, and if you’d like, a few cubes of tofu make it even heartier. Simple ingredients, clean flavors – isn’t that the best?
Before you start cooking, here’s a quick little guide to help you get the most out of your daikon. From how to pick the freshest ones to why peeling matters, these simple tips make a big difference in how your soup tastes.
How to pick daikon?
When selecting daikon, look for one that is firm and fresh. Avoid those with many eyes on them because they tend to be more fibrous. Smaller daikons tend to be sweeter and milder, while larger ones can have a stronger flavor. For soups, I prefer medium-sized ones — they become tender and slightly sweet when simmered in broth.
How does daikon taste like?
Raw daikon tastes mild and refreshing with a light peppery note — like a gentler version of a regular radish. But when cooked, it transforms completely! Daikon becomes soft, juicy, and subtly sweet, soaking up the flavor of whatever it’s cooked in. In this recipe, the daikon adds a natural sweetness that perfectly balances the earthy flavor of the shiitake
How to peel daikon?
Daikon has thick skin and can impart a slight bitterness when cooked. This means peeling the first layer of the skin is not enough. I usually peel the daikon until I see the veins of the vegetable. It usually takes removing at least two layers, possibly three when using a vegetable peeler. Peeling it thoroughly will ensure your soup has a clean, delicate flavor without that unwanted sharpness.
Now that your daikon is prepped, let’s get cooking!
Daikon Napa Cabbage Soup with Shiitake
Ingredients
- 2 ginger slices
- 2 tsp oil
- ½ lb daikon peeled and cut into batons
- 10 black peppercorns
- 5 cups beef, chicken, or mushroom broth
- 1 cup sake
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- ½ lb Napa cabbage sliced widthwise
- ¾ cup sliced fresh shiitake or white shimeji (beech mushrooms)
- ½ cup diced firm tofu
- Sea salt
- Toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Sauté the ginger slices with oil for a minute. Add the daikon and black peppercorns and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the beef stock, sake, mirin, and soy sauce. Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce the heat to keep the pot at a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes or until the daikon starts softening.
- Add the Napa cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, and tofu and bring to a boil. Simmer at medium heat until the Napa cabbage is cooked, about 10 minutes.
- Season with sea salt to taste. Remove from the heat.
- Drizzle the soup with toasted sesame oil and serve.
Video
Notes
This recipe was first published in Sandi Lee’s cookbook Keep Stirring.