8 Popular Shabu Soup Guide: How to Choose the Best

Selecting the right soup base for your next shabu meal is essential for enhancing the flavors of meats, vegetables, and other ingredients. There are numerous styles available ranging from light and subtle to rich and fiery.

Clear soup is a traditional base made by simmering vegetable broth, kombu, bonito flakes, or bones until naturally sweet. Its primary advantage is that it does not overpower the ingredients, making it ideal for seniors, children, and those who prefer light flavors paired with beef, pork loin, shrimp, and udon.

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Meanwhile, the black soup base combines dashi stock with soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. It provides a sweet and savory profile with a distinct soy aroma without being excessively greasy, allowing diners to enjoy the broth without heavy dipping sauces.

For those seeking bold flavors, jaew hon incorporates Thai herbs such as lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves with roasted rice and chili flakes. Alternatively, mala soup offers intense heat and a tongue-numbing sensation from Sichuan peppercorns and dried chilies.