A thousand layers of warmth and coziness in a pot of mille-feuille nabe. This Japanese hot pot features napa cabbage and pork belly in dashi broth for a quick, easy dinner.
A thousand layers of warmth and coziness in a pot of mille-feuille nabe. This Japanese hot pot features napa cabbage and pork belly in dashi broth for a quick, easy dinner.
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Mille-feuille nabe is one of my favorite Japanese hot pots for the cooler months. It’s a delicately light and savory soup made by layering napa cabbage leaves with thin slices of pork belly and a warming dashi broth. I love this recipe because it looks like a showstopper, but is surprisingly so simple to make.
I like to serve each bowl with a side of ponzu sauce, green onions, and shichimi togarashi for a little heat. The best part is that it comes together in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for your busy weeknights.
Mille-feuille nabe is a Japanese hot pot soup made by layering thinly sliced pork belly and napa cabbage, then arranging the layers in a pot or “nabe” and simmering in a light, savory dashi broth. “Mille-feuille” means “thousand layers” in French, which refers to the layers of pork and cabbage.
Ingredients
You can find all the ingredients for my mille-feuille nabe recipe at your local Japanese grocery store. Full measurements and links to everything I used are in the recipe card below.
Napa Cabbage: for this recipe, I used an entire head of cabbage. I packed the pot with as much cabbage as I could to release its natural sweet juices.
Pork Belly: I find thinly sliced pork belly at my local Asian grocery store in the protein aisle. They are labeled for shabu shabu or they sometimes come frozen as well.
Shimeji Mushrooms: are not traditional but I like them as a garnish because they add extra umami.
Ginger: I like adding ginger because it adds a comforting warmth to the broth.
Dashi: I used dashi powder to create my dashi broth. It is the easiest and quickest method to make dashi all you need is hot water.
Sake, Mirin, Soy Sauce: this combination seasons the dashi with savory, sweet, and aromatic notes without overpowering the dashi.
Salt: Napa cabbage releases a lot of natural sweetness as it cooks so the salt keeps the broth balanced.
Variations and Customizations
Make it vegan: you can easily make this recipe vegan by swapping with vegan dashi or vegetable broth and use thinly sliced vegetables or tofu instead of pork belly.
Add more vegetables: For a heartier and veggie-forward soup, add carrots, daikon, bok choy or more mushrooms.
How to Make
Here are my step-by-step instructions with photos for how to make this mille-feuille nabe recipe.
In a mixing bowl, mix the dashi with the broth ingredients.
Slice the cabbage into quarters.
Layer the pork belly slices in between the cabbage. Then slice the layers into even 2 inch pieces.
Pack the pot tightly with the pork belly and cabbage. Make sure the thicker cabbage pieces are on the exterior of the pot to hold its shape. The cut side should face up so you can see the layers.
Place the mushrooms in the center. Place the ginger slices in between the layers. Then add the soup broth.
Bring to a boil over medium high heat covered. Simmer for 15 minutes or until cooked through and tender.
Serve with ponzu sauce.
What I Learned Testing This Recipe
Slide the pork belly between the leaves instead of stacking them. I saw a lot of versions on TikTok where each cabbage leaf is separated before layering it with pork. However, I found it much easier to slide the pork belly between the intact cabbage leaves before removing the core. This keeps everything together and makes it much easier to slice the 2 inch sections without the leaves sliding around.
Pack the outside first. The easiest way to pack the pot is by placing the thicker firmer cabbage leaves on the exterior of the pot. It holds the shape the best.
Pack tightly. The cabbage will release moisture as it cooks and will wilt. To ensure the layers stay in place like my photos, tightly pack the pot.
Keep the salt. The salt level may seem high in this recipe, but since cabbage releases liquid when cooked, it dilutes and sweetens the broth. The 1/2 teaspoon of salt properly balances the natural sweetness.
Ponzu sauce is a must. The soup by itself is delicious and cozy but it is simple. I love adding ponzu because its acidity and citrus flavor cuts through the richness of the pork belly.
Storage Instructions
You can store any leftover mille-feuille nabe, cooled to room temperature, in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat: Simmer in a saucepan over medium heat until warm, or microwave covered in 30-second intervals, stirring in between.
Freeze: Freeze the soup in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating and serving.
How to Serve
Mille-feuille nabe pairs well with a bowl of steamed white rice and a side of ponzu dipping sauce for a comforting dinner.
I like my dashi a little punchier, so my ideal ratio for dashi broth using dashi powder is 1 teaspoon of dashi powder to 1 cup of boiling water. If you’d like a lighter broth, you can use 1/2 teaspoon for 1 cup of water instead.
What size pot should I use?
For this recipe, I used a 4.5-quart Le Creuset pot, and it serves around 4. However, you can also make this recipe in smaller pots for single servings. You will only need enough dashi broth to cover the top of the cabbage.
Can I use beef instead?
Yes! I also love using beef instead of pork belly. When I use beef, I’ve noticed more scum rises to the top. So be sure to skim the scum with a fine mesh sieve.
What can I use instead of dashi?
If you do not have dashi, I recommend using low- to no-sodium chicken broth. I always have a can of chicken broth in my pantry, and it is just as comforting when I’m in a pinch.
Mille-feuille nabe is an incredibly easy Japanese hotpot that intricately layers Napa cabbage with thin slices of pork belly and is simmered in a savory dashi broth.
Ingredients
Servings: 4servings
1headNapa cabbagequartered and cleaned
1 ½lbpork bellythinly sliced or beef
1packShimeji mushroomsends removed and cleaned
3slicesgingerpeeled and thinly sliced from a 1-inch knob
Create the broth. In a mixing bowl, combine the dashi, sake, mirin, soy sauce, and salt, and mix until combined.
Prep the cabbage. Cut the napa cabbage lengthwise into quarters. Carefully wash between the leaves.
Add the pork belly. Layer the pork belly between each of the leaves. Then slice the bottom core, and slice each wedge into 4 even pieces about 2 1/2 inches long. Try to keep the layers of cabbage stacked.
Prepare the pot with the cabbage. Pack the pot with each piece, working from the outer edges towards the center. Use the bottom thicker pieces for the outer edge of the pot to hold its shape. The cut side should be facing up so you can see all the layers. Be sure to tightly pack the pot.
Finish the pot. Place the shimeji mushrooms in the center. Place the thinly sliced ginger pieces between the layers. Pour the soup broth over the cabbage.
Cook. Heat the pot, covered, over medium-high heat until it boils. Once it reaches a boil, skim the scum off the surface. Then reduce to medium-low heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the pork belly is cooked through and the cabbage is tender.
Notes
If using dashi powder, use 1 teaspoon of dashi powder per 1 cup of boiling water.
See the What I Learned Testing This Recipe section for more guidance.
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