Ochazuke means "tea poured over" in Japanese, and that's exactly what it is: a bowl of rice with savory toppings, finished with hot green tea. It's a quick, comforting late-night snack or a light meal for a tired evening.
Restaurant ochazuke often comes with salmon or fish-based stock, but the tea version is easy to keep vegan. The toppings do the work: sour umeboshi plum, toasted sesame, crisp nori and Japanese pickles.
The original Princess Tofu blog published a Japanese tea soup recipe back in 2013, and food sites still link to it. This is our own fully vegan version, written from scratch.
Ingredient notes and swaps
- Rice: day-old rice warmed through works well.
- Tea: genmaicha adds a toasted rice flavor; hojicha is roasty and low in caffeine.
Tips for success
- Brew green tea at about 80°C; boiling water makes it bitter.
- Pour the tea at the table so the toppings stay crisp.
Variations
- Savory broth: use kombu dashi instead of tea.
- Heartier: add cubes of crispy baked tofu or blanched greens.
Recipe
Ochazuke (Japanese Green Tea Rice Soup)
Prep5 min
Cook5 min
Total10 min
MakesServes 2
Ingredients
- 300 g (2 cups) cooked Japanese short-grain rice, warm
- 400 ml (1⅔ cups) hot green tea, such as sencha, genmaicha or hojicha
- 1 tsp soy sauce, or a pinch of salt
- 1 umeboshi plum, torn (optional)
- 1 sheet nori, cut into thin strips
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 spring onion, thinly sliced
- Japanese pickles, such as takuan
- Rice crackers (arare) and a little wasabi (optional)
Method
- Divide the warm rice between two bowls.
- Arrange the umeboshi, pickles, spring onion and sesame on top.
- Stir the soy sauce into the hot tea and pour it around the rice.
- Top with nori strips and rice crackers, add a dab of wasabi if you like, and eat straight away.
Notes
Savorier version: use half tea and half kombu dashi.
Leftovers: day-old rice is perfect, warmed through first.
FAQ
When do people eat ochazuke?
Often late at night, after drinks, or as a quick way to use up leftover rice.
What pickles go with ochazuke?
Takuan (pickled daikon), umeboshi and pickled ginger are classic.
What tea is best for ochazuke?
Sencha, genmaicha (green tea with toasted rice) or hojicha (roasted green tea). Brew it at about 80°C so it isn't bitter.
Is ochazuke usually vegan?
Often not: it's commonly topped with salmon or made with fish-based dashi. With kombu dashi or plain tea and plant toppings, it's easy to make vegan.
What is umeboshi?
Japanese salted pickled plums. They're very sour and salty, so a little goes a long way.