Japanese Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Tonjiru (Pork and Vegetable Miso Soup)
A hearty, warming miso soup loaded with pork belly and root vegetables that eats like a meal in a bowl.
Contains common allergens
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Good to know
- One-pot
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: one-pot dinners
Instructions
5 steps- 1
Heat 1 tbsp sesame oil in a pot over medium heat and stir-fry the pork belly for 3 minutes until it loses its raw color and renders some fat.
- 2
Add the daikon, carrot, burdock, and potato and saute for 2 minutes to coat them in the pork fat and aroma.
- 3
Pour in the dashi, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer and skim the surface, cooking for 12 to 15 minutes until the root vegetables are fork-tender.
- 4
Add the tofu cubes and simmer 2 minutes more, then turn off the heat so the broth stops boiling.
- 5
Ladle a little hot broth into a small bowl, whisk the miso into it until smooth, then stir it back into the pot and serve immediately without re-boiling, garnished with sliced scallion.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
61/100
Works for many families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving455
Calories
40 g
Protein
31 g
Carbs
18 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Tonjiru is a hearty miso soup loaded with pork and root vegetables, a substantial cousin of everyday miso soup eaten as a warming meal in itself. The pork fat and earthy vegetables make it rich and filling, especially in cold weather.
Listahan note
This version stir-fries the pork in sesame oil before the broth for depth, and follows the cardinal miso rule of adding the paste off the heat.
Technique cues
- Stir-fry the pork in sesame oil first; that rendered, aromatic fat is the backbone of tonjiru's richness.
- Add the miso off the heat and do not re-boil; boiling after the miso dulls its aroma.
- Cut the root vegetables thin so they turn tender in the simmer without a long cook.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Slice the roots thin while the pork browns; everything simmers together in one pot.
- Make-ahead
- Make the soup base ahead and add miso only when reheating to serve, since reheated miso loses aroma.
- Leftover move
- Add udon or rice to leftover tonjiru for a heartier next-day meal.
- Cleanup rhythm
- One pot; rinse it before the miso dries on the sides.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
Pork belly
The richness
Purpose: Its fat flavors the whole soup and makes tonjiru a meal rather than a starter.
Handling: Stir-fry in sesame oil until it loses its raw color.
Adaptation: Pork shoulder or thinly sliced pork works; leaner cuts give a lighter soup.
Daikon, carrot, burdock
The earthy vegetables
Purpose: These roots give tonjiru its hearty, slightly sweet, earthy body.
Handling: Slice thin and saute in the pork fat before the broth.
Adaptation: Use what you have, such as turnip or potato; burdock adds the most distinctive earthy note.
Dashi
The broth base
Purpose: It provides the savory foundation that the miso seasons.
Handling: Pour in after the vegetables are coated in fat and simmer until tender.
Adaptation: Kombu-shiitake dashi keeps it fish-free.
Tofu
Soft protein
Purpose: Cubed tofu rounds out the soup and soaks up the broth.
Handling: Add near the end to warm through.
Adaptation: Fried tofu or more vegetables work.
Miso paste
Seasoning and soul
Purpose: Miso ties the rich soup together with salt and fermented depth.
Handling: Whisk into a little hot broth, then stir back in off the heat.
Adaptation: Blend white and red miso for balance; choose a gluten-free miso as needed.
Technique notes
- Add the miso off the heat and do not boil afterward; this single rule keeps the soup fragrant.
- Skim the surface after the pork goes in for a cleaner-tasting broth.
- Taste before adding all the miso, since brands vary widely in salt.
Ingredient swaps
- Fish-free, vegetarian direction
- Use a kombu-shiitake dashi and skip the pork, adding more vegetables and tofu.
- Gluten-free direction
- Use a gluten-free miso, since some misos contain barley or wheat.
- Lighter direction
- Use lean pork or less of it and load up on the root vegetables.
Serve alongside
- Steamed rice
- Grilled fish
- Japanese pickles
- Onigiri
- Green tea
- Barley tea
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate up to 3 days; the flavor deepens, though add fresh miso if it tastes flat after reheating.
- Reheat gently to a bare simmer; avoid a hard boil to protect the miso.
- Freeze the pork-and-vegetable base up to 1 month; add miso and tofu after reheating.
Equipment
- Soup pot
- Ladle
- Skimmer
- Small bowl for dissolving miso
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