Mille Feuille Nabe Recipe (Japanese Napa Cabbage Pork Hot Pot)

Mille feuille nabe is a popular Japanese dish made of layered napa cabbage and thinly sliced pork cooked in a seasoned dashi broth and served hot pot style. The name of the dish translates to ‘thousand layers hot pot’, which refers to the beautiful layers of thinly sliced pork and cabbage stacked in the pot. It’s a soothing meal that feels like a warm cozy hug!

Why you’ll love this recipe

Mille feuille nabe is a one-pot dinner that’s easy and convenient to prepare any day of the week. Not only are the intricate layers visually stunning, but the flavors from the cabbage and pork along with the seasoned dashi broth make this equally delicious and comforting!

While my recipe uses pork belly, you’re welcome to substitute it with any protein you like. For example, pork shoulder, ribeye, sirloin, lamb, and chicken are all great substitutes – as long as they are thinly sliced! If you’re looking for a vegetarian alternative, you can substitute the meat with tofu, mushrooms, zucchini, radish, eggplant, and more – basically anything you can slice thinly.

Whether you’re looking for a quick and easy weeknight meal or having a cozy weekend night in, this recipe is guaranteed to hit the spot. It’s also great to share, as this resembles a communal or family-style meal.

Mille Feuille Nabe Ingredients & Substitutions

Napa cabbage: when choosing napa cabbage at the grocery store, you want to go for ones with green leaves instead of yellow leaves. The greener the leaves, the fresher they are. Napa cabbage is available at Asian markets.

Thinly sliced pork belly: while I used pork belly for this recipe, you can also use pork shoulder. For other types of meat, you can use ribeye or sirloin, lamb, or chicken. Just make sure they are thinly sliced! For a vegetarian alternative, you can use thinly sliced tofu, mushrooms, zucchini, radish, and even eggplant!

Mushrooms: feel free to use any assortment of mushrooms you like including enoki, beech, seafood, shiitake, etc.

Dashi Broth Ingredients & Substitutions

Dashi broth: I made a homemade dashi broth for this recipe however, if you want to speed up the process, you can use dashi powder mixed with water. Just combine 4 1/2 teaspoon dashi powder with 4 1/2 cups of hot water. Alternatively, you can substitute the dashi broth with any broth of your choice including chicken, vegetable, beef, and seafood.

Dried kelp: you can find this in the refrigerated section at your local Asian market. I like using pre-cut ones, about 2 x 2 inches. You can also find them on Amazon. If you’re using dashi powder for the broth, you can skip this.

Bonito flakes: bonito flakes add a deeper umami flavor to the dashi broth. They’re usually available in the dried goods aisle section or you can purchase them on Amazon. If using dashi powder for the broth, you can skip this.

Water: used to make the dashi broth.

Soy sauce: My favorite soy sauce brand is Pearl River Bridge, but you can use any brand you like.

Sake: sake adds a subtle sweetness and also deepens the flavor of the broth. You can substitute this with mirin, cooking wine, or skip it.

Ginger: for warmth and a hint of spice, I like to add a fairly good amount of ginger. The ginger isn’t overpowering or prominent at all, just a subtle undertone that makes this extra comforting.

Dried chili peppers: this is optional but I like adding a few dried chili peppers. It’s not super spicy, just adds complexity to the broth. This can be substituted with fresh peppers including serrano, jalapeno, or even Thai chili peppers for a spicier kick.

Dipping Sauce Ingredients & Substitutions

Like with any hot pot, a sauce is essential (at least for me). The dipping sauce is also optional, but I think it completes the dish.

Low-sodium soy sauce: I prefer to use low-sodium soy sauce to have better control of the saltiness. I also don’t want the flavors of soy sauce to overpower the hot pot. My favorite brand for low-sodium soy sauce is Lee Kum Kee.

Freshly squeezed lemon juice: the acidity and tanginess of the lemon juice cuts through some of the richness of the pork. I absolutely love it in the dipping sauce. If you have yuzu extract, that would be a great substitute as well.

Scallions: added for freshness

Togarashi or gochugaru: togarashi is a Japanese chili spice and gochugaru is Korean red chili flakes. I used nanami togarashi, but any type of chili powder would work. You can skip this if you want a mild dipping sauce.

How to prepare Mille Feuille Nabe

Step 1: Prepare dashi broth

Start by preparing the homemade dashi broth. Heat water in a pot over medium heat. Once it comes to a simmer, add dried kelp and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the bonito flakes then turn off the heat. Set aside to steep for 10 minutes then strain. For a simpler version, combine 4 1/2 teaspoons of dashi powder with 4 1/2 cups of hot water. Mix until the dashi powder has fully dissolved.

Step 2: Season dashi broth

In a pot, combine dashi broth, soy sauce, sake, dried chili peppers, and ginger. Simmer for 5 minutes then set aside.

Step 3: Prepare napa cabbage

Make a 3-inch slice on the core or head of the napa cabbage. Split the cabbage in half with your hands, instead of cutting through with the knife. Cut each half in half, which leaves you with 4 sections or quarters

Step 4: Layer cabbage and pork belly

Cut off the core from each section. Lay a piece of pork belly in between each layer of cabbage. Repeat for each section.

Once the cabbage and pork belly have been layered, cut each section into 3 to 4 equal pieces, depending on the height of your pot. Repeat for all sections

Step 5: Arrange layers and mushroom in pot

Arrange the cabbage and pork layers into a large pot, making sure to pack them in tightly since they will shrink in size while cooking. Place the mushrooms in the center of the pot.

Step 6: Pour seasoned broth into pot

Pour the seasoned broth over the cabbage and pork layers then cover with a lid.

Step 7: Cook cabbage and pork layers

Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, until the pork has fully cooked through.

Step 8: Prepare dipping sauce & serve

In a bowl, combine low-sodium soy sauce, lemon juice, chopped scallions, and togarashi. Transfer to small sauce plates for each person.

Step 9: Serve

Serve hot and enjoy with the dipping sauce!

Cooking Tips for Mille Feuille Nabe

• When choosing the napa cabbage at the grocery store, opt for ones that have green leaves instead of yellow leaves. The greener the leaves, the fresher they are.
• While I used thinly sliced pork belly for this recipe, you can also use thinly sliced pork shoulder, ribeye, or sirloin. Just make sure they’re thinly sliced! They might also be labeled shabu pork or shabu beef at the Asian market.
• After making this dish several times, I found that cutting the core from the napa cabbage first makes it easier to assemble. After quartering the napa cabbage and giving it a good rinse, cut off the core – the top part that holds the leaves together. Napa cabbage is slightly rounded at the top, so when cutting the core, I like to cut it lay the cabbage horizontally, and cut straight down vertically from where the core ends. This ensures that the leaves are straight and even. From there, pick out any stray leaves and set them aside. At this point, you can start layering the cabbage and pork belly. Make sure to start with the outer larger leaves to the smaller leaves. For the stray leaves, I like to add them to the pot once everything is nicely assembled.
• I made a homemade dashi broth for this recipe but if you wanted to speed things up, I recommend using dashi powder. It works just as well as making the broth from scratch. For this recipe, you’ll need 4 1/2 teaspoons mixed with 4 1/2 cups hot water.
• You can assemble the cabbage and pork belly layers and prepare the seasoned dashi broth in advance, making it ideal for meal prep or easy weeknight meals. When you’re ready to serve, just pour the seasoned dashi broth into a pot with the layers and cook for 10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does ‘mille feuille nabe’ mean?

The term ‘mille feuille’ is a French term that translates as ‘a thousand layers’, which is commonly used to reference the French dessert called Napoleon made of puff pastry and pastry cream. The layers of cabbage and pork closely resemble the layers of this dessert, which was how the term was adopted. ‘Nabe’ is a Japanese word that translates to ‘hot pot’, which gives us the literal translation of this dish as ‘thousand layers hot pot’.

Can I substitute pork belly with another protein?

Sure you can! Aside from pork belly, pork shoulder is a popular alternative. If you want to use beef, I recommend opting for ribeye or sirloin as they have a good meat-to-fat ratio. Just be sure the meat is thinly sliced so you get those beautiful thin layers.

Can I make this dish vegetarian?

Yes, absolutely! For a vegetarian alternative, you can use thinly sliced tofu, mushrooms, zucchini, radish, and even eggplant! Any vegetable that you can slice thinly would work great with this recipe.

Can I make mille feuille nabe ahead of time?

This dish is best enjoyed hot and fresh however, you could make this in advance. Ideally, you’d want to prepare the layers and seasoned dashi broth ahead of time and cook it right before serving but, if you want to cook it in advance, just make sure to keep it stored in the fridge and reheat it in the microwave when you’re ready to enjoy. The first option results in a better tasting meal since it is prepared fresh however the second option is ideal for meal prepping or workday lunches.

Looking for more easy and delicious one-pot recipes?

• Mushroom Rice Bowl – This one-pot mushroom rice bowl is super healthy and delicious, and it comes together in under 30 minutes. If you’re a mushroom lover like me, you’ll love this recipe!
• Korean Pork Bone Soup – Gamja tang, which translates as potato (gamja) and soup (tang), is the ultimate Korean comfort food. It’s a hearty and comforting dish made with tender fall-off-the-bone meat, and an assortment of vegetables, served in a spicy flavorful soup.
• Seafood Yaki Udon – Seafood yaki udon is a Japanese seafood udon stir fry that’s easy, delicious, and comes together in just 30 minutes! Made with assorted seafood like shrimp, squid, and scallops that are tossed with chewy udon noodles and a simple savory sauce.
• Beef Enoki Rolls – By far my favorite dinner recipe to make is these beef enoki mushroom rolls served over a bed of warm fluffy rice. Everything comes together in one pan and 20 minutes, making it the perfect weeknight meal!
• Pan Seared Miso Salmon – If you want to elevate your weeknight meal, I highly recommend giving this recipe a try. The flavors of the miso and mushroom glaze pair wonderfully with the tender and juicy salmon filet.