This translation was prepared with AI assistance and reviewed by the editorial team.
Hakata zoni is Fukuoka’s New Year soup made with grilled flying-fish dashi, yellowtail, katsuo-na greens, round mochi and vegetables. It is a cultural recipe rather than a fixed restaurant dish, and each household changes the ingredients and seasoning.
The recipe below is designed for four people and separates the mochi, fish, greens and clear broth so the soup stays clean. Start the dashi and dried shiitake the previous day for an easier New Year’s morning.
Recipe at a glance
Allow about 15 minutes the previous day plus soaking, then about 45 minutes on the day.
| Serves | 4 |
|---|---|
| Dashi | Grilled ago flying fish, kombu and bonito flakes |
| Main ingredients | Yellowtail, katsuo-na, round mochi, taro, carrot, daikon, shiitake and kamaboko |
| Flavour | Clear, aromatic, lightly seasoned soy broth |
| Important safety | Cook fish fully and supervise mochi carefully, especially for children and older adults |
Ingredients for four
Prepare 4–8 small round mochi, 160–200 g yellowtail, about 100 g katsuo-na, four small taro, carrot, daikon, four dried shiitake, eight slices of kamaboko and a little yuzu peel. For the broth, soak three grilled ago and a 10 cm piece of kombu in 1 litre of water, then add about 7 g bonito flakes and season lightly with salt, sake and soy sauce.
Preparation the day before
- Soak grilled ago and kombu in water in the refrigerator.
- Soak dried shiitake separately in the refrigerator.
- Parboil taro, carrot and daikon.
- Blanch katsuo-na, squeeze gently and cut into 3–4 cm lengths.
- Check the yellowtail carefully for bones before portioning.
Cooking order
Heat the dashi slowly and remove kombu before boiling. Add bonito flakes, turn off the heat and strain. Salt the yellowtail briefly, rinse with hot water and cook it fully in the broth or separately. Warm the vegetables and greens without overcooking them.
Boil or grill mochi separately. Place mochi and arranged ingredients in warm bowls, then pour over hot clear broth. Adding mochi directly to the main pot makes the soup cloudy and increases sticking.
Substitutions outside Japan
Use komatsuna if katsuo-na is unavailable, an ago-containing dashi pack if whole grilled flying fish cannot be found, and square mochi if round mochi is unavailable. Chicken can make a pleasant soup, but it becomes an adaptation rather than traditional Hakata zoni.
Read dashi-pack labels because many contain fish, wheat, soy or added salt. Kamaboko can also contain egg or other allergens.
Food and mochi safety
Keep the broth refrigerated and reheat it thoroughly. Cool large pots quickly to reduce the risk from Clostridium perfringens. Cut mochi into manageable pieces, eat slowly and never leave young children or people with swallowing difficulty unattended.
The Ministry of Agriculture page documents the dish’s ingredients, history and serving tradition.
Cook more Hakata food
These translated recipes use ingredients that can be found in Japan or abroad.
