Inari age is a staple in Japanese home cooking — thin, fried tofu pouches simmered in a sweet and savory broth made with soy sauce, sugar, and dashi. Once prepared, they’re incredibly versatile: commonly used to make inari sushi, served on top of rice bowls or udon, or added to bento boxes. They’re simple to make and a great ingredient to have on hand if you’re cooking more plant-based Japanese food at home.
In this recipe, you’ll learn how to make inari age from scratch with just a few ingredients and a straightforward method. It’s a foundational recipe if you’re exploring vegan Japanese cooking, and once you’ve got it down, you can use it in lots of tasty dishes - like this vegan udon noodle soup.
Ingredients
Prep time 10 mins | Cooking time 20 mins | Serves 2
- 2 aburaage (fried tofu sheets)
- ⅓ cup vegan dashi
- 2 ½ teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoon soy sauce
You have a couple of options for the vegan dashi. You can make your own - follow my vegan dashi recipe here if you’re not sure how. Alternatively, you can substitute a home made dashi with ⅓ cup water plus 1 teaspoon kombu dashi powder.
Instructions
1. Boil half a kettle of water and pour it over the aburaage sheets. Dunk them gently for a minute to remove excess oil.
2. Drain and rinse the aburaage under cold water, then carefully squeeze out the moisture without tearing them.
3. Add vegan dashi, sugar, and soy sauce to a medium saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
4. Add the prepared aburaage to the saucepan and simmer gently for 10–15 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed.
5. Allow the inari age to cool before cutting them into your desired shapes for sushi or other meals.
Hint: To help the inari age cook evenly and soak up more flavor, place a drop lid or small heatproof plate on top while it simmers.
Substitutions
- Dashi - A quick shortcut, or just an easy alternative to homemade dashi, is to stir 1 teaspoon kombu dashi powder into ⅓ cup of water.
- Gluten free - Use tamari instead of soy sauce for a gluten-free version.
- Low sugar - Swap sugar for maple syrup or coconut sugar as a natural sweetener alternative.
Variations
- Classic sushi pockets (inari sushi) - Fill the prepared inari age with seasoned sushi rice. Add toppings like sesame seeds, seaweed, or pickled ginger.
- Noodle topping - Slice the inari age into strips and use it to top ramen or udon for some extra rich, sweet flavor.
- Add to soups - Dice the inari age into small cubes and stir them into miso soup or vegetable broth for added texture, richness, and umami.
Storage
Store leftover inari age (after cooling) in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. They can also be frozen for up to a month - just thaw them in the fridge before use and reheat gently.
Top Tip
Although you’ll need to bring the dashi to a gentle simmer, avoid boiling it over high heat - it can reduce the broth’s subtle sweetness, affect how the aburaage absorbs the dashi, and overall spoil the final taste and texture of the inari age.
FAQ
Yes, aburaage sheets themselves are vegan. Just double-check your dashi and soy sauce to ensure they’re vegan-friendly too.
A drop lid, or "otoshibuta" in Japanese, is a small lid placed directly on the food as it simmers. It helps ensure even cooking by keeping liquid in contact with the surface of the food. If you don’t have one, a small plate works just as well.
Absolutely! Inari age tastes even better when it's had time to soak in the broth. Prepare it a day in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
Related
Looking for more vegan Japanese recipes? Try these:
Pairing
These are some dishes to serve with inari age:
- Your Guide to Essential Ingredients for Vegan Japanese Cuisine
- Sushi Mushrooms
- Sushi Rice Recipe (with or without a rice cooker)
- Easy Pickled Carrots
Inari Age
Ingredients
- 2 aburaage fried tofu sheets
- ⅓ cup vegan dashi
- 2 ½ teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoon soy sauce
Instructions
- Boil half a kettle of water and pour it over the aburaage sheets. Dunk them gently for a minute to remove excess oil.
- Drain and rinse the aburaage under cold water, then carefully squeeze out the moisture without tearing them.
- Add vegan dashi, sugar, and soy sauce to a medium saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Add the prepared aburaage to the saucepan and simmer gently for 10–15 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed.
- Allow the inari age to cool before cutting them into your desired shapes for sushi or other meals.
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