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Home ยป Pantry

From Soy Sauce to Miso Paste: Essential Japanese Pantry Items You Need

Simple pantry items are the secret behind the deliciousness of Japanese cuisine. This treasure trove of umami-rich sauces, seasonings, and condiments add depth and complexity to every dish. From soy sauce to miso, the Japanese pantry is filled with essentials that can transform ordinary meals into extraordinary ones. Explore all you need to know about these must-have Japanese pantry items that will elevate your cooking game to the next level!

Pantry Basics

a pile of homemade Japanese curry roux pieces on a plate

Japanese Curry Roux

4.97 from 51 votes
a stack of gyoza wrappers on a bamboo tray

Homemade Japanese Gyoza Wrappers

4.69 from 32 votes
homemade miso paste in a clear container with a small wooden spoon

How to Make Miso

4.45 from 70 votes
Japanese mayo in a small glass jar with wooden spoon

Japanese Mayo

4.91 from 20 votes
Furikake is in a bowl with a small ceramic spoon

The Ultimate Guide To Furikake Rice Seasoning

5 from 12 votes
3 portions of Udon noodles on a bamboo tray

Udon Noodles

5 from 33 votes
kinako roasted soybean flour served on a small round plate with a little wooden spoon

Complete Guide to Japanese Food Substitutions

Stocking many Japanese ingredients in your pantry is not always an easy task to do. I get it because I receive lots of questions about substitutes for sake rice wine, mirin, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and potato starch substitute etc. So read on to discover all sorts of Japanese food substitutions in this post!

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Dashi 101

Ichiban Dashi and Niban dashi in two different bottles

Awase Dashi

5 from 2 votes
katsuo dashi in a jar and kezuribushi bonito flake in background

Katsuo Dashi (Bonito Dashi)

5 from 4 votes
kombu dashi in a large jar with a lid and kombu kelp on a bamboo tray in background

Kombu Dashi (Kelp Dashi)

4.93 from 13 votes
anchovy stock niboshi dashi in a jug with dried anchovy on a bamboo tray in background

Niboshi Dashi (Anchovy Stock)

5 from 2 votes
Shiitake dashi stock in a storing jar with a lid on

Shiitake Dashi

5 from 3 votes
Two awase dashi in jars, and niboshi and shiitake mushrooms in small bowls and dashi pack in backgound

How To Make Dashi Stock

4.89 from 17 votes

Sauces & Condiments

6 different bottles of Japanese shoyu

Complete Guide to Soy Sauce

Soy sauce is a staple in Japanese cuisine and an essential ingredient in any Japanese pantry. With its deep…
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three hon mirin bottles of different brand on kitchen bench

The Complete Guide to Mirin

Mirin is an indispensable condiment in Japanese cooking. The mellow sweetness of mirin is different from that of sugar,…
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a bottle of mirin, 4 bottles of different types of soy sauce, a carton of sake, and a packet of salt
Trending

Essential Japanese Seasonings & Condiments

Japanese cuisine has only 5 essential Japanese seasonings and condiments. Japanese dishes generally use a mix of these. These bring out the natural flavour and create a sophisticated taste in the ingredients.

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ponzu sauce in sterilized mason jar with lemon in background

Authentic Ponzu Sauce

12 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
Furikake is in a bowl with a small ceramic spoon

The Ultimate Guide To Furikake Rice Seasoning

15 minutes mins

Latest in Pantry

three homemade aburaage stack up on a bmaboo tray with a pair of chopsticks

Homemade Aburaage (Fried Tofu Pouches)

12 hours hrs 25 minutes mins
Kaeshi Japanese sauce base in a storing glass jar.

Kaeshi Recipe – Japanese Sauce Base

15 minutes mins
kinako roasted soybean flour served on a small round plate with a little wooden spoon

Kinako (Soybean Flour)

15 minutes mins
kombu dashi in a large jar with a lid and kombu kelp on a bamboo tray in background

Kombu Dashi (Kelp Dashi)

8 hours hrs 35 minutes mins
ponzu sauce in sterilized mason jar with lemon in background

Authentic Ponzu Sauce

12 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
3 portions of Udon noodles on a bamboo tray

Udon Noodles

3 hours hrs 35 minutes mins
Japanese apple jam preserved in a jar with a ceramic spoon and an apple in background

Japanese Apple Jam

2 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
Furikake is in a bowl with a small ceramic spoon

The Ultimate Guide To Furikake Rice Seasoning

15 minutes mins
three hon mirin bottles of different brand on kitchen bench

The Complete Guide to Mirin

6 different bottles of Japanese shoyu

Complete Guide to Soy Sauce

Pickled umeboshi plums in a glass preserve jar

Umeboshi

24 days d 10 minutes mins
Japanese mayo in a small glass jar with wooden spoon

Japanese Mayo

15 minutes mins
a stack of gyoza wrappers on a bamboo tray

Homemade Japanese Gyoza Wrappers

50 minutes mins
various Japanese condiments on kitchen bench

Japanese Food Substitutions

4 different types of powdered dashi

Dashi Granules & Dashi Pack

Two awase dashi in jars, and niboshi and shiitake mushrooms in small bowls and dashi pack in backgound

How To Make Dashi Stock

8 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
Ichiban Dashi and Niban dashi in two different bottles

Awase Dashi

8 hours hrs 25 minutes mins
Shiitake dashi stock in a storing jar with a lid on

Shiitake Dashi

8 hours hrs 5 minutes mins
anchovy stock niboshi dashi in a jug with dried anchovy on a bamboo tray in background

Niboshi Dashi (Anchovy Stock)

8 hours hrs 35 minutes mins
katsuo dashi in a jar and kezuribushi bonito flake in background

Katsuo Dashi (Bonito Dashi)

20 minutes mins
Umeboshi made from Rhubarb in a small bowl and in a jar in background

Umeboshi Rhubarb

35 minutes mins
Japanese hot cake mix in a jar with cute label on with a ribbon wrapped

Japanese Hot Cake Mix

10 minutes mins
homemade panko in a shallow bowl with a wooden table spoon

Homemade Panko Bread Crumbs

3 days d 5 minutes mins
homemade miso paste in a clear container with a small wooden spoon

How to Make Miso

18 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
a pile of homemade Japanese curry roux pieces on a plate

Japanese Curry Roux

35 minutes mins
a bottle of mirin, 4 bottles of different types of soy sauce, a carton of sake, and a packet of salt

5 Essential Japanese Seasonings & Condiments

pickled ginger in preserving jar with a pair of chopsticks

Gari (Japanese Pickled Ginger Recipe)

15 minutes mins
various Japanese condiments bottles and a small bowl of yakisoba sauce

Homemade Yakisoba Sauce (Japanese Stir-fry Noodle Sauce)

5 minutes mins

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Chopstick Chronicles

New to Japanese Cooking? No Problem!

Chopstick Chronicles is the ideal destination for anyone looking to cook and bake authentic Japanese food at home. The website was founded by Shihoko Ura in 2015 as a resource for sharing her familyโ€™s recipes to make Japanese cooking accessible to all.
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