If you’ve never tried Mille-Feuille Nabe, you’re in for the coziest, most comforting Japanese hotpot. Traditionally cooked on the stovetop, this dish layers napa cabbage and thinly sliced pork (like a savory cabbage “lasagna” soup) then simmers everything gently in a light dashi broth until the vegetables turn silky and the pork becomes tender.
The best part?
You can make the entire dish in the rice cooker or Multicooker with almost no effort. Just layer, drop it in, press start, and let the appliance do all the cooking for you. It’s the perfect weeknight comfort meal that feels homemade but requires minimal work.
Whether you’re new to Japanese hotpot dishes or just want a simple one-pot dinner, this version is foolproof and incredibly satisfying.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The rice cooker or multicooker does all the work – no stove, no stress
- Simple ingredients, big cozy flavor
- Beautiful layered presentation with zero effort
- A healthy one-pot meal: pork, napa cabbage, mushrooms, broth
- Easy to customize with veggies you have on hand
Ingredients
Mille-Feuille Nabe Main Ingredients
- 1 napa cabbage – Napa cabbage is the star of mille-feuille nabe. Its soft, tender leaves and mild sweetness become incredibly comforting when steamed. As it cooks, it releases natural juices that create a clean, savory broth without needing much added liquid. Its flexible leaves layer beautifully with thinly sliced pork, giving the dish its signature “mille-feuille” look.
- Thinly sliced pork belly – Japanese-style thinly sliced pork is ideal because it cooks quickly and remains tender. Pork belly gives the nabe a rich, silky texture thanks to its fat, while pork shoulder is slightly leaner but still flavorful. As the pork steams between the layers of cabbage, it infuses the entire dish with savory depth, almost like a built-in broth.
- 4–6 shiitake or shimeji mushrooms (optional) – Mushrooms add umami and texture to the nabe.
- 2 green onions (optional, for serving)
Broth Base
- dashi (or water + 1 tsp dashi powder) – Dashi provides a clean, umami-rich base that complements the sweetness of cabbage and the savory pork. It gives the broth a comforting Japanese flavor with minimal effort. If you don’t have premade dashi, dashi powder whisked into warm water is a perfect shortcut.
- soy sauce – A small amount of soy sauce seasons the broth and enhances its depth. It provides that savory backbone without overpowering the delicate flavor of the cabbage and pork.
- mirin – Mirin adds a gentle sweetness that balances the saltiness of soy sauce and enhances the natural sweetness of the cabbage. It also gives the broth a subtle gloss.
- sake (optional) – Sake adds roundness and complexity to the broth while helping tenderize the pork. If you prefer alcohol-free cooking, you can replace it with extra mirin or water.
- dashi powder – dashi powder adds extra umami and flavor to the dish
- salt
- ginger slices (optional)
Dipping sauce (optional)
- Ponzu sauce – A citrusy dipping sauce that brightens every bite. Highly recommended for serving.
- Yuzu kosho
- Chili oil
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Layer the napa cabbage and pork
- Take one napa cabbage leaf.
- Place a slice of pork on top.
- Repeat layering 4–5 times like a “mille-feuille” (meaning thousand layers).
- Press gently and cut into 2–3 inch sections.
This creates those signature stacked rolls.
2. Arrange the pieces in the rice cooker
- Stand the cut stacks upright in the rice cooker bowl.
- Pack them snugly so they support each other.
- Add mushrooms in the gaps if using.
3. Add the broth
Pour in:
- Dashi
- Soy sauce
- Mirin
- Sake
- Salt
- Ginger
Do not overfill — the cabbage will release plenty of water. The broth should come only ⅓–½ up the height of the layers.
4. Cook
If using the Tiger Multicooker:
- Select Slow Cook → 45 minutes
If using a regular rice cooker:
- Cook on White Rice cycle once (it will steam beautifully).
This is where the multicooker shines — it keeps the temperature steady and cooks everything gently without you having to monitor anything.
5. Serve
Carefully spoon out the layered stacks and ladle broth over the top.
Serve with:
- Ponzu
- Yuzu kosho
- Green onions
- Sesame seeds
Tips & Variations
- Add tofu, enoki mushrooms, or carrots for a heartier hotpot.
- For richer broth, stir in a teaspoon of chicken bouillon.
- To make it spicy, add a touch of chili oil or shichimi togarashi.
- Leftovers reheat beautifully and can even be added to noodles.
Mille-Feuille Nabe in rice cooker
Equipment
- 1 Rice cooker
Ingredients
- 1 napa cabbage
- 1 lb thinly sliced pork belly or pork shoulder
- 2 cups dashi stock (or water + 2 tbsp dashi powder)
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 2 tbsp sake
- 1 tbsp dashi powder
- 1/2 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
Dipping sauce
- ponzu sauce (soy sauce and lemon)
- yuzu kosho
- chili oil
- sesame oil
Instructions
- Cut one whole nappa cabbage in fourths (do not cut the stem because that will hold the napa cabbage together
- Lay one napa cabbage leaf flat.
- Place a slice of pork on top.
- Add another napa leaf, then pork, repeating until you have multiple layers (about 10).
- Press gently to flatten.
- Cut the layered stack into 2–3 inch wide pieces.
- Repeat for all 4 nappa cabbage wedge
- To arrange in the rice cooker, stand the cut stacks upright inside the rice cooker bowl. Pack them snugly so they don’t fall over.
- For the broth, pour in Water, Dashi, Soy sauce, Mirin, Sake. The liquid should come to about the height of the cabbage. It will release more water as it cooks, so don’t overfill.
- Close the rice cooker.
- Select Slow Cook for 45 minutes (ideal for Tiger). If you don’t have slow cook, Use the White Rice cycle once
- Carefully scoop out the stacks or serve directly from the pot.
- Enjoy with ponzu, yuzu kosho, or a splash of chili oil.
