This fantastic, light Benihana Onion Soup is a fan-favorite at the popular Japanese Steakhouse and it's surprisingly easy to make! The soup goes by many names, but is always loaded with onion flavor then topped with mushrooms, scallions, and fried onions!
Benihana Onion Soup is an easy clear onion soup to make for your hibachi dinners at home!
Benihana Onion Soup Recipe (Japanese Steakhouse Copycat)
My whole household loves, and I do mean LOVES, Benihana! Since everyone I know right now is getting a little bored of eating the same stuff, they are definitely asking me for some more of my favorite Benihana recipes!
I double-checked all of my printed recipes and could not find this soup as ever having been available online on the actual, authentic Benihana website. So I just had to resort to continually tweaking my own recipe!
Since the onion soup at Benihana's restaurants sits on a warm burner until served, I do think that we all get slightly varied soup flavors. I've noted my own typical recipe and preparation with notes for how you may want to enhance your own soup.
[lwptoc]
Hibachi Soup Ingredients
The simple clear broth is made from staple ingredients that are simmered to perfection! This soup is traditionally topped off with thin-sliced mushrooms and sliced green onions. Benihana adds fried onions to their hibachi version of Japanese clear onion soup!
- Carrot & Celery- part of the broth flavor as it sautées and simmers with the other vegetables. Grab a large carrot and a couple of celery ribs, wash them off, trim the ends, and then chop 'em up!
- White Onion - for all of that wonderful onion flavor in this broth soup! Yellow onion can also be used, but it does alter the flavor as most onions are sweeter than white onions.
- Garlic - for that intensely unique garlic flavor that adds richness and depth of the flavor to the broth!
- Chicken Broth + Water - are your liquids that are added after some quick sautéeing to release the vegetable flavors! A combination of 3 cups chicken broth, 2 cups beef broth, and 1 cup of water can also be used
- Soy Sauce - just a touch to make this soup more flavorful! I've added notes in the recipe card and below for some more ingredient options to make a richer broth.
- Mushrooms - are a required part of the familiar look and flavor of this popular Japanese steakhouse restaurant soup! I use either white button mushrooms or cremini ( baby bella ) mushrooms. My hubby loves both!
- Green Onions - the second part of the very familiar garnish! Paired with thinly sliced mushrooms, the sliced scallions add color and their vibrant flavor to top off the soup perfectly!
- Fried Onions - if you're a super-fan of Benihana's onion soup, then you know that it wouldn't be complete without a sprinkle of fried onions! Use French's, Durkee's, Fresh Gourmet, Trader Joe's, or your preferred brand fried onions.
*Adding ½ tablespoon of beef bouillon granules and ⅛ teaspoon of ginger powder greatly enhances this soup flavor. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Or you can puree your strained cooked vegetables and add them back to your soup.
Do you absolutely love everything hibachi? If you're looking for fantastic hibachi recipes to make at home, take a look at my hibachi recipes here!
How To Make Clear Onion Soup
Other than some really simple vegetable preparation, I would also gather the extra items you will need. The vegetables will be strained after simmering, so do have a safe area to work in with a fine-mesh sieve and a clean bowl ready to transfer the hot broth into!
1. Sauté the Vegetables
You don't need any oil to sauté the vegetables! Water or chicken broth works just as well, and possibly even better, for sautéing your veggies! Add more as needed while cooking until ready to add your liquids.
- Bring a saucepan with a tablespoon of water or chicken broth to medium-high heat with the roughly chopped carrots, celery, onion, and garlic.
- Sauté the vegetables until the onions begin to become transparent and the vegetables are fragrant.
2. Cook the Broth
Allowing the vegetables to saute helps to release their natural juices into the broth, enhancing the flavor. We'll continue to build on that flavor with a longer simmer time!
- Add the chicken broth, water, and soy sauce to the saucepan.
- Bring to a rapid boil, cover, then reduce the heat to low and simmer.
- Simmer for 30 minutes.
3. Strain and Serve Your Benihana Onion Soup
While your broth is simmering, get your sink or work area ready to strain the vegetables from the broth.
- Place a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl.
- Pour the broth into the sieve and remove and discard the vegetables.
- Return the broth to your saucepan and place it on low heat.
- Serve immediately with 6-8 thin slices of mushroom, a sprinkling of sliced green onions, and about a tablespoon of the fried onions.
As with all recipes, make this recipe your own to suit your taste buds. Then come on back and let me know what your favorite additions are!
Benihana Onion Soup
Ingredients
- 1 large carrot (rough chopped)
- 1-2 ribs celery (rough chopped)
- ½ white onion (rough chopped)
- ½ Tbsp garlic (2 crushed cloves, or minced garlic)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 6 mushrooms (washed and thinly sliced)
- 4 green onions (sliced, green portion only)
- ¼ cup fried onions
- each, salt & pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- In a saucepan, combine the vegetable base for the broth: carrots, celery, onion, and garlic with a tablespoon or two of water or chicken broth. Saute the vegetables over medium-high heat until fragrant.1 large carrot, 1-2 ribs celery, ½ white onion, ½ Tbsp garlic
- Add the chicken broth, soy sauce, and water to the sauteed vegetables. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.4 cups chicken broth, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 cups water
- Using a fine-mesh sieve, drain the broth into a clean bowl and throw away the strained vegetables. Return the clear broth to your saucepan and keep on low heat while serving.
- Serve with 6-8 thinly sliced mushrooms, garnished with sliced green onions and fried onions.6 mushrooms, 4 green onions
Notes
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
This is so yummy! I made it with bone broth instead. Mine didn’t come out as clear as the soup at Benihana but that might be because of the bone broth or my sieve wasn’t fine enough. Either way it was delicious! I will be making this all the time!
When do you add the soy sauce?
Hi Naomi, you want to add the soy sauce in step 2: Add the chicken broth, soy sauce, and water to the sauteed vegetables. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
4 cups chicken broth, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 cups water
It was delicious, and just like Benihana's. Thanks!