Instant Pot Chawanmushi 茶碗蒸し (圧力鍋) - Cook With Naseem

Steamed in a dashi-based sauce, this Instant Pot Chawanmushi is a savory Japanese egg custard made with seasonal ingredients. Delicate and silky smooth, it makes a perfect appetizer to start your meal!

Silky and savory Japanese steamed egg custard Chawanmushi in a cup.

For the warmest and welcoming appetizer to grace a Japanese meal, it always feels right to start with steaming cups of chawanmushi. Made with dashi-infused egg mixture with the freshest seasonal ingredients, this Japanese savory egg custard is meltingly smooth and deeply flavored.

It is typically cooked in a traditional steamer or in a hot water bath, but if you happen to have an Instant Pot, you can easily make chawanmushi in the electric pressure cooker. When you’re busy making main and side dishes on the stovetop, Instant Pot Chawanmushi is particularly convenient and dependable.

Watch How to Make Instant Pot Chawanmushi

The Perfect Ratio for Egg to Dashi

When you research what’s the best ratio for egg mixture to dashi in Japanese, most of the websites would mention that the ratio is 1 to 2.5 (egg mixture to dashi by volume). Although it does not have to be exact, it’s good to know the basic ratio to start and you can adjust later as you like. [ml = g]

1 egg (50 ml) – 125 ml dashi
2 eggs (100 ml) – 250 ml dashi
3 eggs (150 ml) – 375 ml dashi (can make 5 200-ml ramekins)
4 eggs (200 ml)- 500 ml dashi
5 eggs (250 ml)- 625 ml dashi
6 eggs (300 ml)- 750 ml dashi (can make 10 200-ml ramekins)
7 eggs (350 ml)- 875 ml dashi
8 eggs (400 ml)- 1000 ml dashi

Note: It’s not common to have a kitchen scale (less than $15) in a typical American kitchen, so I try my best to give you the closest measurement possible using a liquid measuring cup. However, sometimes the “perfect” amount could display “between the lines” of the exact measurement. I often feel this could cause subtle differences/improvements in the final taste.

Silky and savory Japanese steamed egg custard Chawanmushi in a cup.

Tips for Soft, Silky and Perfectly Steamed Instant Pot Chawanmushi

1. Strain the egg mixture.

Straining the egg mixture helps to separate any stringy strands of egg whites so you get a smooth and silky custard.

2. Use gentle steam on the low heat setting.

When your chawanmushi has a porous texture with tiny visible holes, we call them “su”. These holes in the steamed egg custard are the indicator of strong heat or overcooking, hence it’s considered a failure. Your goal is to make chawanmushi without these holes. To achieve that, make sure to keep an eye on the cooking time and heat.

3. Check doneness by inserting a skewer.

If the clear juice comes out, it’s done. If the juice is not clear, you will need to cook it longer.

Silky and savory Japanese steamed egg custard Chawanmushi in a cup.

What if you don’t have an Instant Pot?

Don’t worry! Here are other methods to make chawanmushi:

Stovetop Steamer:

You can use a traditional steamer to make chawanmushi. You do not need to cover the steaming cups in this setting. Instead, you will wrap the steamer lid with a large kitchen towel so that condensation from the lid won’t drop into the chawanmushi while steaming. Place the steamer cups in the steamer and leave the lid ajar to let the hot steam escape. This creates a gentle steaming condition inside the steamer. Cook roughly 18-20 minutes.

Chawanmushi with Matsutake Mushroom 3 Stovetop Water Bath:

Boil water in a large pot that can fit the steaming cups. Once boiling, reduce the heat to the lowest heat. Gently place the cups inside the hot water and cover the pot with the lid. Cook for 18-20 minutes on the lowest heat.

Steam in the Oven:

Preheat the oven to 350 ºF (180 ºC) and fill a roasting pan (or deep baking dish) with 1″ (2.5 cm) boiling water. Cover the steaming cups with the lid or aluminum foil and place them inside the roasting pan. Cook for 25-30 minutes (cooking time vary based on your oven/steaming cups).

Silky and savory Japanese steamed egg custard Chawanmushi in a cup.

Substitute: What to do if I don’t have…

Chawanmushi cups – Use ramekins or oven-safe containers. You can use aluminum foil to cover.
Dashi – Do not skip. The flavor of chawanmushi relies heavily on dashi. For vegetarian, you can use Kombu Dashi. I use Awase Dashi (kombu + katsuobushi/dried bonito flakes).
Eggs – Try to use good quality eggs for this dish.
Usukuchi (light color) soy sauce – This type of soy sauce is used especially in the west of Japan (Kyoto and Osaka). The light color soy sauce will keep the broth light in color. It is commonly used for dishes like chawanmushi, noodle soup, and clear soup. You can use less regular soy sauce and add a pinch of salt.
Mirin – Small amount, but this is one of the essential Japanese ingredients (read here). If you don’t have it, use sake/water + sugar.
Chicken thighs – You can use chicken breast or chicken tender. We do not use other types of meat for chawanmushi.
Shrimp – You can use other seafood of yoru choice or skip. If your shrimp are large, cut in half so it will cook faster.
Shimeji mushrooms – Use your favorite mushrooms.
Kamaboko (fish cake) – You can use different types of fish cakes (cut into similar size and thickness) or skip.
Mitsuba (Japanese parsley) – Use chopped chives, green onion, or a few leaves of cilantro.

The seasonal ingredients in this chawanmushi are a delicious treat, but even if you simplify it, your homemade chawanmushi will still taste wonderfully luxurious. I know you’d enjoy this ethereal egg custard!

Silky and savory Japanese steamed egg custard Chawanmushi in a cup.

Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want to look for substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.

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