Chawanmushi (Savory Egg Custard)Recipe
Chawanmushi (茶碗蒸し) is a classic Japanese hot appetizer. It’s a savory egg custard, not sweet at all. You’ll often find it at sushi restaurants or more traditional Japanese restaurants in Japan. Chawanmushi is easier to make than you might think, and when done right, it is silky smooth, delicately flavored, and wonderfully comforting when served hot.
What’s Chawanmushi?
The name Chawanmushi comes from two Japanese words: “chawan,” meaning a tea cup or rice bowl, and “mushi,” meaning steamed. As the name suggests, it is a gently steamed dish served in a cup. The flavor of Chawanmushi comes mainly from good dashi, soy sauce, and mirin. Although it is a savory dish, its silky texture is similar to Purin, a Japanese-style egg flan.
Chawanmushi is relatively simple to make, which is why it’s also a home-cooked dish. When eaten at home, it’s usually served as a side dish rather than an appetizer. Still, Chawanmushi can add a special touch to an otherwise simple meal.
Traditionally, Ginnan (ginkgo nuts) and Yurine (lily bulb) are added in Japan, but they can be difficult to find even in Japanese markets in the U.S. We usually omit them, but if you happen to find them, go for it—they make the dish more authentic. Other ingredients such as shiitake mushrooms, shrimp, and chicken add depth and rich flavor to the custard. In some parts of Japan, udon noodles are added to the custard, and that variation is called Odamaki-mushi.
If you have small cups with lids, they’re perfect for making Chawanmushi. If not, don’t worry—ramekins or small bowls work just fine. Simply cover them with aluminum foil while steaming. Be careful not to overcook, as oversteaming can cause small holes to form in the custard. Start checking for doneness after about 7 to 8 minutes.
Chawanmushi may look elegant and refined, but it’s a surprisingly approachable dish that can be enjoyed both at home and in restaurants. With its delicate flavor, silky texture, and endless variations, it’s a comforting reminder that simple ingredients, treated with care, can create something truly special.
Tips and substitutions for Chawanmushi
- Traditional Chawanmushi cups with lids are ideal, but they’re not essential. You can use any small ceramic dish, such as ramekins or small bowls, and simply cover them with aluminum foil while steaming. Ideally, the dish should be about 3 inches (7–8 cm) deep. If you use a shallower dish, you’ll need to shorten the cooking time.
- Cooking time varies depending on the size and depth of the dish. Although Chawanmushi is simple to make, it can easily be undercooked or overcooked, which affects its silky texture. The custard should be just set—smooth and tender, without lots of tiny holes. To check for doneness, insert a wooden skewer into the center halfway through cooking. If clear broth comes out, it’s ready.
- Vegetables and proteins are very flexible. Choose ingredients with plenty of umami to deepen the flavor, but avoid anything with an overpowering taste. Mild, neutral-flavored white fish works well, as do mushrooms such as Shimeji.
- For a finishing touch, Mitsuba leaves or Yuzu peel add a fresh, herbal aroma. If they’re hard to find, feel free to skip them. For a hint of green, snow peas or finely chopped green onions work beautifully as well.
More recipes like Chawanmushi
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Instructions
- Preseason chicken and shrimps. In a small bowl, mix chicken pieces with 1/2 tsp soy sauce and 1/2 tsp Sake. In another bowl, mix shrimp and 1/2 tsp soy sauce and 1/2 tsp Sake. Let them sit for a couple of minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix eggs, Dashi, salt, 1 tsp soy sauce, and Mirin together. Strain the egg mixture through a sieve. Let as much egg as you can go through the sieve.
- Place 1/4 amount of chicken, shrimp, and shiitake mushrooms in each of 4 small cups (such as ramekins), then pour egg mixture over them to fill 3/4 of a cup. Cover with aluminum foil and put the covered cups into a steamer.
- Steam at medium heat for 10-15 minutes. Check with a wooden skewer to see if it’s done. If clear broth comes out when poked, take the cups out from the steamer.
- Sprinkle Mitsuba leaves and cover again for 2-3 minutes.
“OMG!” My Bachan use to make this, when I was a little girl. I remember her making these and putting them in a big roaster pan with hot water and steaming them on the stove.
Kiyomi san,
Bachan’s recipe is the best, but this might be next to the best.
My mom made me an Americanized version of this when I was young and I still eat this as comfort food. She moved to the US in 1952 and it was difficult getting Japanese ingredients in the US at that time. Thank you for this wonderful blog.
Flora,
thanks for your comment! Hope our recipes help you to make what your mom made for you.
I made this chawanmushi according to your recipe today and it was a super success! So tasty! Thank you very much for sharing all these recipes.
foremeraldx,
glad you liked the recipe!
Tried chawan mushi at home tonight by own recipe for the first time. Half successfully done. Found this recipe after that and hope this will help my next chawan mushi become tasty. Thanks for sharing.
toeminemine,
let us know what you think about our recipe!
How many portion is this for? Did you make your own dashi or did you use those ready made ones from the supermarket?
Mikka,
4 servings. We have Dashi recipe both on Youtube and website Japanesecooking101.com.
Great recipe! I used the store-bought powdered dashi and I used 13 espresso cups for this. Everyone loved the small serving…making them want more!
Ningning,
Very clever!
I cant find a Dashi…
What’s the Best Alternate for Dashi??
Kaehline,
we have dashi recipe on our sites.
Chicken stock
Hello,
Can i omit the sake? Or, is there substitute for sake?
Thank u and have a good day.
Lisa,
yes, you could.
Hi,
When you said mix the egg with dash and other ingredients, do we just fold thru the seasonings or give it a good whisk to incorporate everything? And why do we need to strain the egg mixture thru a sieve ?
Thanks
Soo,
you need to mix the mixture well with seasonings. Also you need to let the egg mixture through sieve so it reaches smooth texture.
May i ask what’s the size of the egg? Would love to try this tonight. Thanks for sharing.
thewingedpalate,
large eggs.
I am so so happy to have found this recipe! So so easy and can now gorge myself on this delight I rarely find in Japanese restaurants in London, apart from the most traditional . Very tasty
Thanks! I just love Japanese food and I really want to try cooking Chawanmushi!
Alina,
Chawanmushi is pretty easy to make, but very tasty!
When I lived in Japan, I was told this was very difficult to make. I love it, but was always afraid to make it. Now that I have found your recipe, I will make it!! I miss it so much! I can’t wait for my children to try it.
Chawanmushi is not hard to make at all, but it seems like you put a lot of time and effort in it. Good to serve it to family and friends to impress:)
Hi, somebody on instagram just posted pics of a chawanmushi and I wanted to learn how to make one. will post back if/when that happens. Looks great!!
bob,
hope you liked our Chawanmushi recipe!
Hello I bought powdered dashi instead of liquid dashi so I am not sure of the amount to use. May I just know how much powdered dashi must I use for the same number of servings and am I supposed to mix the powdered dashi with water first before using? Thanks so much!
Susan,
I don’t use powdered dashi, so I don’t know, but there must be instruction on the box. If you don’t have that, dissolve a little in hot water and taste it.
Why after I do it, it become very watery it’s not taste good at all!
I think the egg ratio was not correct! Mine just a normal egg I’m not using dinosaur egg why needed so much of water?! 480ml! Omg!
John,
it was too bad you didn’t like our Chawanmushi recipe. It is soft custard with a little soup around it. Our ratio for water to egg is right. We do try our best to test the recipes before putting up on our sites.
Can I substitute the chicken tight with chicken breast?
I bought 3 savory egg custards from a Japanese supermarket today by accident, thinking they were puddings (It was a shock when I took the first bite!). Should I microwave it before eating? I suppose it is to be eaten hot. Thanks!
Wan-Ching,
you can do either way. Great in cold during summer!
This recipe is just too awesome! I love chawanmushi and had no idea that it is so easy to make at home. Too perfect texture, I knew instantly at the first bite that I have found the right recipe! For people who criticized the texture, you obviously do not know what is chanwanmushi.
Thank you!
Janie,
glad you liked our Chawanmushi recipe! Isn’t it easy to make? And it is very authentic Japanese!
Chawanmushi I mean. Sorry for the wrong spelling.
I love your recipe…my mother used to make this after we had a touch of the stomach bug. It was always delicious and soothing. She would add other items like thin sliced beef or what I call pink fish cake. Thank you!
Rosalie,
you have a very nice mom! Mom’s Chawanmushi is the best!
Made this last night, it was delicious, like all of your recipes that I have tried. I only had a small issue. I used Japanese tea cups and there was enough to fill over 5 of them. I may have filled them too high because I didn’t want to waste any of it. It took much longer for mine to set up – and that may have been why. I think maybe next time I will decrease the Dashi to 1.5 cups instead of 2. At any rate, I will be making this again and I’m looking forward to last night’s leftovers for my lunch today. Thanks for another great recipe.
Chawanmushi is actually pretty forgiving. You can adjust Dashi to achieve the softness you like. So you are thinking right!
Can we keep them in the fridge? If yes, how long can i keep?
Seah,
it is best when fresh and hot, but can be kept in the fridge for a couple of days.
Can we mix everything together beforehand like one day in advance or does it need to be steam immediately ? If so, do we have to place it in the fridge ?
Thank you for sharing recipe. I tried to share a photo of my version, but not sure it works.
Couldn’t find any dashi at my local store, so used fish broth (well diluted, to avoid making it too salty). Since I don’t do meat, I replaced the chicken with smoked (hot) salmon. The salmon worked surprisingly well, and made up a bit for the lack of katsuobushi, since it also have a salty slightly smoked quality to it. Next time in Japan I will stock up on basic ingredinses. Thank for a very inspiring web page!
Thank you so much!!
We were able to create a chawanmushi easily thanks to your blog! <3
Chawanmushi has always been my favorite so I'm extremely grateful to you and your blog!