New Year's Day Ozoni (Mochi Soup)
Ozoni - Japanese New Year Soup
A Bowl of Family, Tradition & Good Fortune
Every January 1st around late morning, like clockwork, I wait for my mom to tell me that the ozoni is ready to eat.
Ozoni is a traditional Japanese soup filled with chewy mochi, a light dashi broth, and a medley of toppings. It’s more than just a meal; it’s a moment. A yearly reset steeped in tradition, togetherness, and the quiet hope for good fortune in the year ahead.
In my family and for many Japanese and Japanese-American families, mochi on New Year’s Day is sacred. It’s believed that the sticky texture of mochi brings longevity, similar to the Chinese tradition of eating long noodles for long life. We eat mochi all year long, but this day feels especially symbolic.
What’s more, eating it as your first meal of the year is said to usher in good luck! For real prosperity, it should be the first bite of your new year. Regardless of where I’m ringing in the New Year, I always find or make a bowl of ozoni to usher in the new year and good vibes.
A Family Tradition: Making Mochi by Hand (and Machine)
Back in the day, mochi making wasn’t as simple as pressing a button on a fancy mochi making machine. In fact, it was quite laborious and a full on community event.
My grandparents and their Japanese-American neighbors would gather to pound mochigome (glutnious sweet rice) with a giant wooden mallet. No small feat and a little dangerous if I’m being honest.
One of our neighbors (left), my dad (middle) and my grandpa (right) in front of some sort of handmade contraption they made to steam cook the rice. Long before the days of electronic mochi makers.
In the photo above, you can see my grandfather on the right, my dad in the middle, and our neighbor on the left, standing in front of a homemade contraption that steams all the mochigome. That’s step one of the process.
I still remember watching old footage (shown in the video above) of my grandpa pounding the mochi while someone bravely turned it by hand in between mallet strikes. It’s wild and chaotic to watch. You can see the original family mallet below (hanging in my dad’s garage).
Cement my grandpa poured back in the 50’s - where they used to gather and pound mochi and the original mallet.
It’s incredible to watch this old film footage today as it demonstrates their commitment to honoring their traditions with the community they built around them. It’s one of the reasons that I am so intent on keeping this tradition alive so that I can one day pass it down to my kids.
Found this old photo at my dad’s of my sweet Grandma Daisy (on the far left) and the neighborhood women making freshly pounded mochi for everyone.
As we got older, technology sped things up and some of my favorite memories were gathering around at my grandparents house to make mochi for the new year.
Now, we have an electronic mochi maker that pops out the pounded rice (see video below). My cousins and I love to gather around the crowded table with 2 people in charge of chopping the mochi ball from a machine and while the others work to form them into round mounds.
My grandma would go around fixing the ones that weren’t up to her standard. It was always a struggle to make enough since many of the mochi balls would disappear into family member’s mouths straight off the table.
One of our favorite ways to eat mochi is to microwave it for a few seconds until it puffs up and then dip it into shoyu and sugar (mixed together).
However, for New Year’s Day, my mom makes traditional ozoni soup with a dashi base and we add in a bunch of other ingredients. Read on to learn more about ozoni.
🍲 What Is Ozoni?
Ozoni (お雑煮) is a traditional Japanese soup served on New Year’s Day. The exact recipe varies by region and household, but it typically features:
A clear dashi or miso-based broth
Chewy mochi (rice cakes)
Seasonal vegetables and proteins
Toppings like kamaboko (fish cake), green onions, and greens
The beauty of ozoni is that it's customizable and personal! You won’t find two bowls that are ever quite the same. In our family, my mom makes a light, dashi-based broth and pan-fries the mochi until crisp on the outside and puffed in the center before adding it to the bowl.
🍡 What Is Mochi (and Where Do You Find It)?
Mochi is made from mochigome. Mochigone is glutinous, short-grain Japanese rice that’s steamed and then pounded into a sticky, elastic dough. It can be sweet or savory, eaten fresh or grilled, filled or plain.
For ozoni, we use plain mochi blocks or rounds, either fresh from our annual mochi-making or store-bought. You can find mochi in:
The refrigerated or freezer section of Japanese or Asian grocery stores
Specialty online Asian food retailers (especially before New Year’s)
Some larger supermarkets with international aisles
Tip: Look for brands like Shirakiku or Mochiko for plain, unfilled mochi blocks.
Essential Ingredients for Ozoni:
Broth & Mochi
Dashi, read more about how to make dashi here.
Shoyu, mirin or sake
Aji-no-moto (MSG, optional but flavorful)
Mochi (either homemade or store-bought)
Optional Toppings:
Sliced kamaboko (fish cake)
Spinach or seasoned cabbage
Yasai (veggie) fish cakes
Char siu or roasted pork
Green onions
Red ginger
Other add-ins: shoyu eggs, soy-glazed carrots, chicken, broccoli
More Questions? Check out the FAQ’s
Is ozoni vegetarian?
It can be! Just use kombu dashi instead of katsuobushi-based dashi and skip any meat toppings. Stick to veggies, tofu, and vegetarian fish cake options.
Can I use frozen mochi?
Yes! Frozen mochi works well. Just let it thaw slightly before frying or microwaving. It should puff up just like fresh.
Do I need to fry the mochi?
Nope. You can microwave it or even grill or bake it. Pan-frying just adds a nice crispy texture, which we love in my family.
Can I prep ozoni ahead of time?
The broth and toppings can be made in advance, but mochi is best cooked right before serving so it doesn’t get too soft or sticky.
What does ozoni symbolize?
Ozoni represents prosperity, good fortune, and longevity. Mochi's stickiness is said to "stick" good luck to you for the year ahead.
Last thoughts
Ozoni isn’t just soup—it’s a hug from generations past. It’s community, tradition, and the delicious comfort of a new beginning. Whether you’re eating it for luck, love, or just because you love mochi, I hope this bowl brings as much joy to your table as it does to mine.
Ozoni Recipe
Ozoni - Japanese New Year's Day Soup
Celebrate the New Year with ozoni—Japan’s beloved mochi soup! This comforting, customizable recipe is packed with tradition, flavor, and good fortune.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Option 1: Make the Broth - with instant dashi. In a pot, bring water to a boil. Dissolve dashi powder (if using) into the water, then stir in the mirin or sake, shoyu and MSG. Simmer and taste—adjust sweetness or saltiness to your liking. Broth is personal!
- Option 2: Make the Broth - with homemade dashi. Follow the steps here to make homemade dashi. In a pot, bring dashi to a low boil. Stir in the mirin or sake, shoyu and MSG. Simmer and taste—adjust sweetness or saltiness to your liking.
- Prepare the Toppings: Blanch any vegetables, prepare your proteins, slice your green onions, mushrooms, or tofu.
- Prepare the Mochi: For crispy mochi, pan-fry in sesame oil over medium heat until puffed and golden. Alternatively, microwave for 20–30 seconds until soft and ballooned. Or bake the mochi until the puff up and turn a light golden brown on the tops.
- Assemble the Bowl: Add a ladleful of broth and greens into each serving bowl. Top with mochi, fish cakes, pork slices (if using), green onions, and shoga. Serve hot and slurp in the new year.
Notes
The total cook time will depend on how many and what kind of toppings you use.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
56Fat
2 gSat. Fat
0 gCarbs
5 gFiber
0 gNet carbs
5 gSugar
2 gProtein
6 gSodium
1280 mgCholesterol
0 mgNutritional information provided here is based on estimates and may vary depending on the brand and preparation methods used. Always check food labels for accurate nutritional details.
