Japanese Mille Feuille Nabe with Homemade Hot Pot Broth

A simple yet visually stunning dish, you can make this type of Japanese hot pot in no time!

Introducing the Mille Feuille Nabe recipe – a delicious and hearty Japanese hot pot that is perfect for those who crave something healthy, filling, and flavorful.

Me and Elijah have been doing a bunch of boring admin stuff for the blog lately. But it’s important and necessary work, and we’re excited to be making progress on projects!

With our crazy schedules, we’re sticking to tasty yet good-for-you one-pot meals that don’t take long or cost too much. And let me tell ya, this one hits all the right notes!

MIlle Feuille Nabe is a type of Japanese hot pot dish made of layers thinly sliced meat and vegetables such as pork or beef, cabbage, and mushrooms all cooked in a savory dashi broth.

In this blog post, we’ll show you how easy it is to make this delicious soup recipe at home.

We’ll also offer different options for broth and suggestions to make this recipe vegan or vegetarian, so anyone can enjoy it!

Let’s get started!

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Table of Contents

What does “Mille Feuille” Nabe Mean?

The term “Mille Feuille” means “a thousand leaves” in French, while the word “Nabe” means “hot pot” in Japanese. These two words together form the name of this dish, which is inspired by its beautiful layered appearance.

In case you were wondering, the pronunciation of “Mille Feuille” is [meel-foe-yuh.]

What does Mille Feuille Nabe Taste Like?

Mille Feuille Nabe is a flavorful and heartwarming dish that tastes savory, rich, and umami. At the same time, it feels light and healthy due to the abundance of fresh vegetables and thin slices of meat.

The broth adds an additional layer of depth to the dish with its complex umami flavor.

The most satisfying part is breaking apart the tender layers of meat and vegetables with your chopsticks and savoring each flavorful bite!

Types of Broth to Use for Mille Feuille Nabe

Nabe is a whole family of hot pot dishes enjoyed during winter months in Japan. This means that there are many types of broth as well!

Typically the broth for Mille Feuille Nabe is a delicious and savory dashi-based broth.

It is light and flavorful, which allows the flavors of the meats and vegetables to shine through. Light broths can also be enjoyed alongside more concentrated dipping sauces.

The homemade broths we will feature in this recipe are made of a mixture of dashi and warishita (a sauce made of soy sauce, mirin, and sake.)

These broths are often used for sukiyaki (another type of hot pot) but works perfectly with Mille Feuille Nabe too!

Let us share with you three different variations of broth to try with our Mille Feuille Nabe recipe:

1. Bonito Nabe Broth – This type of broth is made of soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar. It is then diluted with katsuo dashi (bonito soup stock) to create a sweet, savory, and slightly smoky fish flavor that pairs well with various kinds of meats and vegetables.

2. Kombu Nabe Broth – This type of broth is made similar to the bonito nabe broth, but instead of katsuo dashi, it is made using kombu dashi (dried kelp broth). Kombu is rich in umami, giving the broth a deep savory flavor that complements the lightness of Mille Feuille Nabe’s ingredients. It doesn’t have the smoky fish flavor that bonito nabe broth has, making it an excellent choice for those who prefer a milder tasting broth.

3. Store-Bought Tsuyu – This third variation is a convenient option for those who may not have the time or resources to make their own broth from scratch. Tsuyu is a condiment/soup stock made of soy sauce, mirin, sake, and dashi. It comes as ready-to-serve soup stock, or in concentrated forms that can be diluted with water to create a delicious and easy-to-make broth. In addition, there is a variety of tsuyu made from different types of dashi such as bonito, kombu, shiitake mushroom, seafood, etc. With all these different broth variations to choose from, you are sure to find something that suits your taste buds!

Here is the tsuyu that we keep in our kitchen! It is a concentrated tsuyu that we can dilute with water to create the perfect broth for our Mille Feuille Nabe. The dilution ratios depend on the brand, so it is best to refer to the instructions on the packaging.

Mille Feuille Nabe Recipe for Vegan or Vegetarian Diets

For a vegan or vegetarian-friendly version of Mille Feuille Nabe, you can substitute the meat with tofu, oyster mushroom, tempeh, or other plant-based protein alternatives. Slice them into thin pieces and layer them in the same manner as you would with the meat.

As for the broth, you can use homemade nabe broth or tsuyu made from mushroom or kombu dashi (or a combination of both) to keep it plant-based. The broth will help add depth and umami to the dish, making it just as flavorful and satisfying as its meat-based counterpart.

We also recommend using high quality soy sauce to enhance the overall flavor of your Mille Feuille Nabe. They will add even more umami and complex flavors to the broth, elevating the taste of the dish!

How to Serve and Eat Mille Feuille Nabe

Nabe is a communal meal, so it is best served in a pot or clay pot (donabe), on a portable gas/electric stove, and placed in the center of the dining table. We used our Our Place Mini Pot (good for two people) and this portable electric stove.

Each person has their own small soup bowl, a side of rice, and dipping sauces.

We recommend serving mille feuille nabe with condiments such as ponzu, soy sauce, chili pepper, sesame sauce, and green onion.

When nearing the end of the meal, it is common to add in noodles or rice to soak up all of the delicious broth. Don’t forget to enjoy the remaining broth as soup or use it as a seasoning for your other meals!

How to Store Mille Feuille Nabe Leftovers

When we make a large batch of Mille Feuille Nabe, we usually have leftovers.

If you have extra fresh ingredients, we recommend assembling the layers of cabbage and meat, then storing them in an airtight container. You can save any extra or leftover broth in a separate container. These fresh leftovers should be refrigerated and consumed within a few days.

If you have leftover Mille Feuille Nabe that has already been cooked, we suggest transferring it into another container and refrigerating promptly.

Leftover, fully-cooked Mille Feuille Nabe can last up to three days in the refrigerator.

Alternatively, you can freeze the leftovers in a freezer-safe container for up to a month. To thaw, simply transfer the frozen Mille Feuille Nabe to the refrigerator and let it thaw overnight.

Ingredients

Mille Feuille Nabe

• 1 lb shabu pork or beef or thinly sliced protein of choice. See Note 1.
• 1 lb napa cabbage
• 200 g mushrooms enoki, beech, shiitake, etc.
• homemade nabe broth or store-bought tsuyu

Note 1. For a vegan or vegetarian-friendly version of Mille Feuille Nabe, you can substitute the meat with tofu, oyster mushroom, tempeh, or other plant-based protein alternatives. Slice them into thin pieces and layer them in the same manner as you would with the meat. As for the broth, you can use homemade nabe broth or tsuyu made from mushroom or kombu dashi (or a combination of both) to keep it plant-based. We also recommend using high quality soy sauce to enhance the overall flavor of your Mille Feuille Nabe. They will add even more umami and complex flavors to the broth, elevating the taste of the dish!

Homemade Nabe Broth (See Note 2.)

• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup mirin
• ¼ cup sake
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 4 cups dashi recipes included for either katsuo dashi or kombu dashi; more as needed for diluting

Note 2. Don’t have time to make homemade nabe broth? Try store-bought tsuyu! They are offered in straight or concentrated versions as well as different flavors. You can find them at Asian markets such as Mitsuwa, Marukai, Weee! Asian Grocery App, etc.

Kombu Dashi (Kelp)

• 30 g kombu
• 4 cups water

Katsuo Dashi (Bonito)

• 2 tsp hondashi
• 4 cups water

Dipping Sauces

• soy sauce
• sesame sauce
• ponzu
• shichimi togarashi Japanese chili pepper

Recipe

Make Dashi

1. For kombu dashi: Use an electric kettle to make hot water. Clean kombu with a damp cloth. Steep kombu in hot water for 30 min-overnight.

2. For katsuo dashi: Use an electric kettle to make hot water. Mix hondashi in hot water until dissolved. This dashi is ready to use immediately.

Prepare Mille Feuille Nabe Ingredients

1. Cut the napa cabbage lengthwise into thirds or quarters.

2. Tuck slices of shabu meat between the cabbage leaves.

3. Chop the cabbage/shabu pieces into 2-3″ wide pieces.

4. Arrange the pieces in the donabe or pot, leaving space in the center. Fill the center space with mushrooms.

Make Homemade Nabe Broth

1. Combine soy sauce, sake, mirin, and sugar. Mix and then add to the pot.

2. Dilute the pot with homemade dashi until the ingredients are submerged.

Cook and Serve

1. Cook hot pot style on the table using a portable stove. Serve with rice or noodles with dipping sauces.

Final Thoughts

For the savory and comforting sensation of a hot pot meal, Mille Feuille Nabe is definitely worth trying. Fill your belly with warm and delicious layers of cabbage, protein, mushrooms, and broth while bonding over a communal pot!

We hope you enjoy this recipe! Share your creations on Instagram and tag us @itsforkandspoon!

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References & Further Reading

https://japanswitch.com/ultimate-guide-to-japanese-nabe/#:~:text=Japanese nabe is typically cooked,successively added to the pot

https://fitfoodiefinds.com/how-to-freeze-soup/