Sumashijiru (Clear Soup) with Spinach and Onion
すまし汁（ほうれん草・玉ねぎ） · Sumashijiru
By Aoi, licensed nutritionist · From a Japanese preschool lunch menu
Sumashijiru is a clear Japanese soup built on dashi and seasoned with just a little soy sauce and salt, so the flavor of the vegetables comes through. This version pairs sweet, softly simmered onion with tender spinach, and its gentle taste makes it an easy soup for even small children to enjoy alongside rice. The spinach is boiled separately and added just before serving so it keeps its bright color and does not overcook in the pot.
Wheat-free, but uses soy sauce (made with wheat). Japanese school-lunch allergy menus usually allow it, so check with your doctor. How to read the labels
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Ingredients
Amounts for 1 child (1 serving). An adult counts as 2 servings.
One serving here is 1.5× the portion served to a child in a Japanese preschool, sized for Western appetites. An adult counts as two servings. Tap an ingredient to check it off.
Ingredients
- 18 gspinach
- 15 gonion
Seasonings
- 150 gdashi stockJapanese soup stock, usually made from kombu (dried kelp) and/or bonito flakes; the base of most Japanese soups and simmered dishes. Substitute: Instant dashi granules dissolved in water, or a mild unsalted chicken or vegetable stock.
- 0.8 gsoy sauce
- 0.2 gsalt
About the Japanese ingredients in this recipe
- dashi stock (だし汁)
- Japanese soup stock, usually made from kombu (dried kelp) and/or bonito flakes; the base of most Japanese soups and simmered dishes. Substitute: Instant dashi granules dissolved in water, or a mild unsalted chicken or vegetable stock.
Directions
- 1
Cut the spinach into 2 cm lengths and boil it.
- 2
Cut the onion into thin slices, then cut the slices in half lengthwise.
- 3
Put the dashi stock and the onion from step 2 in a pot and simmer.
- 4
Add the seasonings and simmer briefly, then add the spinach from step 1 just before serving.
Nutrition
| Per | 1 serving | 1 adult serving | Your total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 10.5 kcal | 21 kcal | 10.5 kcal |
| Protein | 1 g | 2.1 g | 1 g |
| Fat | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 2.3 g | 4.5 g | 2.3 g |
| Fiber | 0.8 g | 1.5 g | 0.8 g |
| Salt equivalent | 0.5 g | 0.9 g | 0.5 g |
| Calcium | 16.5 mg | 33 mg | 16.5 mg |
| Iron | 0.3 mg | 0.6 mg | 0.3 mg |
| Potassium | 244.5 mg | 489 mg | 244.5 mg |
| Energy | Protein | Fat | Carbs | Fiber | Salt equiv. | Calcium | Iron | Potassium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 serving | 10.5 kcal | 1 g | 0 g | 2.3 g | 0.8 g | 0.5 g | 16.5 mg | 0.3 mg | 244.5 mg |
| 1 adult serving | 21 kcal | 2.1 g | 0 g | 4.5 g | 1.5 g | 0.9 g | 33 mg | 0.6 mg | 489 mg |
Values are per serving (1.5× the Japanese preschool portion); an adult serving is double. They were calculated by a licensed Japanese nutritionist using the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan. "Salt equivalent" is sodium × 2.54, the standard Japanese measure. Allergen flags cover egg, milk and wheat only and come from the nutritionist's records. Soy sauce and miso are made with wheat but are usually allowed on Japanese wheat-free school menus, so check with your doctor.
