Oden is a beloved Japanese street food that's relatively simple to make at home.


Oden Recipe: How to Make Japanese Oden Hot Pot

Oden is a type of nabemono, or one-pot dish, that’s traditionally cooked in a donabe (clay pot) and features Japanese fish cakes, [konnyaku](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/konnyaku-recipe), tofu, and vegetables in a savory broth. Oden is a popular street food in Japan—particularly in the winter—and a common side dish at udon restaurants. In convenience stores and street carts all over Japan, you'll find individual oden ingredients simmering in separate metal containers so diners can specify their favorite combinations. It's also a popular hot pot dish to prepare communally at home.

Oden may have been derived from another Japanese dish: misodengaku, or tofu grilled on a skewer and served in a miso sauce. During the eighteenth century, misodengaku was served over rice along with konnyaku and vegetables. It is likely that oden soup, which features similar ingredients simmered in dashi stock, was developed from this dish.
A well-stocked Japanese grocery store should have everything you need to make oden—sometimes packaged together in an oden kit.

1. __Dashi broth__: Dashi is a Japanese soup stock made by steeping umami-rich ingredients like kombu (kelp) and bonito flakes in warm or cold water.
2. __Konnyaku__: This jelly-like Japanese food made from the konjac plant is often cut into large, triangular pieces. You may also find shirataki (noodles made from konnyaku), served in a bundle.
3. __Chikuwa__: Chikuwa are [tubular fish cakes](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chikuwa-recipe) resembling bamboo stalks.
4. __Hanpen__: Hanpen is a soft, white fish cake made from fish paste, dashi, and Japanese mountain yam.
5. __Satsuma-age__: This deep-fried fish cake has a golden color.
6. __Kinchaku__: Kinchaku is a deep-fried tofu pouch filled with molten-hot mochi. It resembles a drawstring purse. 
7. __Ganmodoki__: Ganmodoki is a round tofu dumpling filled with vegetables like burdock root or carrot.
8. __Atsuage and aburaage__: These are two different kinds of deep-fried tofu. Atsuage is thick and usually served as a triangular wedge. [Aburaage](https://www.masterclass.com/articles/aburaage-recipe) is more porous inside and typically served as a square or stuffed with another ingredient.
9. __Karashi__: Karashi is a Japanese hot mustard seed condiment typically served with oden.

Oden is a beloved Japanese street food that's relatively simple to make at home.


Oden is a type of nabemono, or one-pot dish, that’s traditionally cooked in a donabe (clay pot) and features Japanese fish cakes, <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/konnyaku-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/konnyaku-recipe","linkCopy":"konnyaku","category":null}'>konnyaku</a>, tofu, and vegetables in a savory broth. Oden is a popular street food in Japan—particularly in the winter—and a common side dish at udon restaurants. In convenience stores and street carts all over Japan, you&#39;ll find individual oden ingredients simmering in separate metal containers so diners can specify their favorite combinations. It&#39;s also a popular hot pot dish to prepare communally at home.

What Is Oden?

Oden may have been derived from another Japanese dish: misodengaku, or tofu grilled on a skewer and served in a miso sauce. During the eighteenth century, misodengaku was served over rice along with konnyaku and vegetables. It is likely that oden soup, which features similar ingredients simmered in dashi stock, was developed from this dish.

A Brief History of Oden

A well-stocked Japanese grocery store should have everything you need to make oden—sometimes packaged together in an oden kit.<ol class="mc-m-4"><li class="mc-my-4"> 1. Dashi broth: Dashi is a Japanese soup stock made by steeping umami-rich ingredients like kombu (kelp) and bonito flakes in warm or cold water. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 2. Konnyaku: This jelly-like Japanese food made from the konjac plant is often cut into large, triangular pieces. You may also find shirataki (noodles made from konnyaku), served in a bundle. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 3. Chikuwa: Chikuwa are <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chikuwa-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/chikuwa-recipe","linkCopy":"tubular fish cakes","category":null}'>tubular fish cakes</a> resembling bamboo stalks. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 4. Hanpen: Hanpen is a soft, white fish cake made from fish paste, dashi, and Japanese mountain yam. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 5. Satsuma-age: This deep-fried fish cake has a golden color. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 6. Kinchaku: Kinchaku is a deep-fried tofu pouch filled with molten-hot mochi. It resembles a drawstring purse. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 7. Ganmodoki: Ganmodoki is a round tofu dumpling filled with vegetables like burdock root or carrot. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 8. Atsuage and aburaage: These are two different kinds of deep-fried tofu. Atsuage is thick and usually served as a triangular wedge. <a href='https://www.masterclass.com/articles/aburaage-recipe' target='_self' class='mc-text--link' data-mc-segment-trigger='true' data-mc-segment-event-type='Article Page Click' data-event-obj='{"textTag":"p","href":"https://www.masterclass.com/articles/aburaage-recipe","linkCopy":"Aburaage","category":null}'>Aburaage</a> is more porous inside and typically served as a square or stuffed with another ingredient. </li><li class="mc-my-4"> 9. Karashi: Karashi is a Japanese hot mustard seed condiment typically served with oden. </li></ol>

9 Essential Oden Ingredients

 Classic Japanese Oden Recipe

Oden is a beloved Japanese street food that&#39;s relatively simple to make at home.