White stew with vegetables is called Cream Stew in Japan. It is a perfect winter dinner food. It makes you so warm and is full of vegetables. This stew has a delicious, rich, and creamy flavor that I’m sure you’ll love!
What is Japanese Cream Stew (meaning)
In the US, if you say stew, it usually means beef stew but, in Japan, when you say stew it means Cream Stew. Japanese Cream Stew is often called White Stew as well because of the white color. It is perfect for cold winter time and especially kids love this food.
What I need to make the best Japanese Cream Stew
There are a lot of varieties of white stew. So, the type you decide to make depends on your preferences and what ingredients you have on hand. But, there are three items that you need for every kind of Cream Stew.
Common Ingredients
- Flour
- Milk
- Bouillon
In Japan, there is consomme, and we normally use it instead of bouillon. But it is surprisingly difficult to find consomme in the states. So in this recipe I will use bouillon instead.
Some families may include more ingredients but in my recipe these are the three common ingredients for every type of Cream Stew.
Japanese Cream Stew has a lot of types
As I mentioned a lot of White Stew varieties exist. Here, I will introduce some of the most popular Cream Stew ideas.
1. Chicken stew
Ingredients guide
- Chicken
- Onion
- Potato
- Carrot
- Broccoli
2. Seafood stew
Ingredients guide
- Tilapia
- Onion
- Broccoli
- Potato
3. Pork stew
Ingredients guide
- Pork
- Carrot
- Tomato
- Onion
4. Salmon stew
Ingredients guide
- Salmon
- Spinach
- Onion
- Mushroom
5. Potato stew
Ingredients guide
- Potato
- Broccoli
- Carrot
- Onion
- Mushroom
6. Shrimp stew
Ingredients guide
- Shrimp
- Onion
- Potato
- Broccoli
- Carrot
There are 2 ways to make Cream Stew (Japanese white stew)
There are actually two ways to make Cream Stew. One is easy but difficult to find, the other takes time but is cheaper and easy to find at local grocery stores.
1. White Cream Stew Mix (Roux) : faster way
In Japan, we can buy instant Cream Stew Roux boxes as a shortcut to make Cream Stew. Literally, you just cook the vegetables, add water, and when it’s boiled add the roux and done. Simple steps and there is no way to mess up the taste.
2. Milk, flour and bouillon : cheaper way
This is the way I will introduce in this recipe! While it can be a pain to go to an Asian grocery store, you can make delicious cream stew with ingredients you normally have at home!
How to serve Japanese Cream Stew
We serve it in a wide bowl with warm rice, but some people prefer to use separate plates. You can also eat it with soft bread and this way is also delicious!
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Cream Stew Recipe
Ingredients
- 300 g boneless chicken thigh You can adjust how much you want. Usually 0.5-0.6 lb (250-300g) is the perfect amount.
- 1/3 g onion It's about 75-85g
- 1/2 carrot It's about 50g
- 1 head broccoli It's about 50g
- 2 Yukon gold potatoes
- 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 1/2 Tablespoon all-purpose flour If you need to increase the thickness of your stew add up to 3 tbsp
- 10 g unsalted butter Soften/melt the butter in the microwave for 10 seconds before adding
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- pepper to taste
- 2 teaspoon bouillon if you have Consomme, add 2 pieces instead of bouillon
- 250 ml whole milk
- 200 ml water
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients.
- Cut the onion into wedges.
- Cut the broccoli florets and remove the stems. Then cut into small pieces.
- Cut the carrot and potatoes into large chunks.
- Cut the chicken into 1 ½ inch pieces (or cut to a size you you can eat easily).
- Add vegetable oil into a large pot and turn to medium heat. Add chicken and cook until both sides change color.
- Add onion, potatoes, and carrot and cook until the onion turns clear.
- Turn the heat off for a second. Add the flour and melted butter* then mix them well with no heat.
- Add whole milk and water and mix everything.
- Turn the heat back to medium and add broccoli, salt, bouillon, pepper, and stir.
- Bring to a boil. Once it boils, turn the heat to low for 10 minutes. Check if the stew is thick enough, if not add a small amount of flour. Stir if you need to.
- After you get the proper rich and thick texture, let's serve up!
First time to make white stew and eat with rice! What a great dish 🙂 My kids love it so much.
Hi Kelly! I am happy you and your kids love this stew.