Grant Crilly is the Executive Director and cofounder of ChefSteps. Grant is a classically trained chef and, prior to ChefSteps, he worked on the award-winning cookbook series Modernist Cuisine and cooked at various restaurants, including L’Astrance in Paris, Busaba in Mumbai, and Mistral Kitchen in Seattle.

Grant Crilly

At the intersection of quick, wholesome, and delicious, you’ll find this foolproof soup formula. Anchored by a quick, delicate dashi broth, it combines wilty greens with mild white fish for a result that’s satisfying yet light, simple to prepare yet elegant in appearance. Like many of the best easy dishes, this luscious liquid is super versatile. Whatever greens you have on hand should work great—we’ve tried everything from chard to dandelion greens with tremendous results. If you don’t like fish, use tofu or egg instead, or just sip the broth on its own to satisfy your hunger between meals. So, what is dashi? Think of it as the Japanese mother broth, made when you combine water, kombu—a type of flavorful seaweed—and bonito flakes. Like chicken stock, it is the basis for countless dishes. Use it to make agedashi tofu or beef soup with udon or ramen noodles. Stir it up with eggs for a quick chawan mushi (savory egg custard), or pour it over a pork rice bowl. There’s no end to the umami-rich goodness this simple stuff lends. So get creative. Japanese-style broth is well within your culinary purview.

An Umami-Rich Dashi and White Fish Soup You Can Make in Minutes