Suiton Soup (Japanese Dumpling Soup)

When the weather turns chilly or when I’m craving something deeply comforting, Suiton Soup is one of those dishes I quietly come back to. It’s humble, rustic, and nourishing—exactly the kind of Japanese home cooking that warms you from the inside out.

Suiton is a simple soup made with hand-torn flour dumplings simmered in a savory broth with vegetables and protein. It’s not flashy, but it’s the kind of food that tells a story of everyday life in Japan.

What Is Suiton?

Suiton (すいとん) is a traditional Japanese dumpling soup made from a simple dough of flour and water, torn or shaped by hand and cooked directly in broth. The dumplings are soft, slightly chewy, and irregular in shape—very much a “home kitchen” dish rather than something you’d find carefully plated at a restaurant.

Unlike udon or soba, suiton doesn’t require rolling or cutting dough. You simply mix, tear, and drop it into the soup. That simplicity is exactly what makes it special.

Suiton is commonly cooked with:

Seasonal vegetables
Chicken or pork
A lightly seasoned dashi-based broth

Every household makes it a little differently, depending on what’s in the fridge.

RECIPE

Servings: 4-5

Time: 30 min

Ingredients:

Soup

1/2 lb chicken
1/3 gobo (about 1/2 cup, cut)
1 carrot
4–5 shiitake mushrooms
5 cups water
1 1/2 tbsp dashi powder
2 tbsp mirin
3 tbsp soy sauce

Suiton Dumplings

1/2 cup flour
1 tbsp potato starch
1 pinch salt
1/4 cup water

Instructions:

Prepare the Ingredients
Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Slice the gobo, carrot, and shiitake mushrooms into similar-sized pieces so they cook evenly.
Cook the Soup Base
In a pot, add the water, chicken, gobo, carrot, and shiitake mushrooms.
Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through.
Make the Suiton Dough
In a bowl, combine flour, potato starch, and salt.
Add water gradually and mix until you get a soft, slightly sticky dough.
The texture should be loose enough to tear with your fingers—don’t overmix.
Add the Dumplings
Using your fingers or a spoon, tear small pieces of dough and drop them directly into the simmering soup.
The dumplings will float as they cook.
Season the Soup
Once the dumplings are cooked through, add mirin and soy sauce.
Stir gently and simmer for a few more minutes to let the flavors come together.

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The History of Suiton

Suiton has a long history as a humble, everyday food in Japan. It’s often associated with times when rice was scarce—especially during and after the war, when flour-based dishes became an important source of nourishment.

Because it required very few ingredients and no special tools, suiton was an accessible meal for many families. Over time, it became less about hardship and more about comfort: a dish that represents frugality, creativity, and warmth.

Today, suiton is still enjoyed as a nostalgic “ofukuro no aji” (mom’s home cooking flavor). It’s especially popular in colder months and in rural or countryside-style Japanese cooking. I had this very often during the winter time growing up in Japan, I was always a fan of the chewy dumpling!