Recipe

Japanese Beef Bowl – Gyudon Recipe

Japanese Beef Bowl Recipe (Gyudon)My husband and I love Japanese food, so when I found out how easy it was to make the Japanese Beef Bowl, also known as Gyudon, I had to share this recipe! It tastes like the Yoshinoya beef bowl I grew up eating, but much healthier since you are cooking it at home and know exactly what you are putting in it.

Whenever I go grocery shopping, I always make sure to grab some sort of frozen sliced beef to store in the freezer and have on hand for quick meals. When I am all out of ideas and we don’t feel like ordering takeout, I will whip out this dish. Just add a side of your favorite steamed vegetables to this dish and your entire family will love it. 

Not only is it quick and easy to cook (only takes about 15-20 minutes), but it also feeds my entire family for at least two meals. That’s a double win in my books! 

Japanese Beef Bowl ingredients

Japanese Beef Bowl Recipe (Gyudon)

How to make Japanese Beef Bowls (Gyudon):

Japanese Beef Bowl Recipe (Gyudon)

INGREDIENTS: 

  • 1 cup of dashi stock 
  • 1-2 sweet onions (You can use less if you are cooking for kids, but I love the taste of caramelized onions and my kids don’t mind it, since they get so sweet after being cooked!)
  • 2 tablespoons of sake
  • 3 tablespoons of mirin
  • 1 tablespoon of sugar
  • 5 tablespoons of soy sauce 
  • 1.5 lb-2 lb thinly sliced rib eye beef (I usually buy a pack of sliced rib eye that is pre sliced at the asian grocery store) 
  • Pickled red ginger for garnish and to add some acidity 
  • Toasted sesame seeds for garnish
  • 1 green onion/scallion for garnish
  • Japanese Togarashi (chili) for some spice/garnish 

Gyudon recipe Easy Gyudon recipe

STEPS: 

  • Cut onions in half and then thinly slice them 
  • Boil dashi packet with 1 cup of water 
  • Add dashi stock, sake, mirin, sugar, and soy sauce into a large saucepan. Cover with lid and bring to a boil
  • Add onions and cover with lid
  • Taste sauce and add soy sauce if the sauce is too sweet from your onion. Or add more sugar if it needs a bit more sweetness. 
  • Mix occasionally, but keep lid on so the sauce doesn’t evaporate 
  • Continue to cook on medium heat with lid on until onions are fully cooked and translucent 
  • Add in beef and mix well 
  • Cover with lid until beef is fully cooked
  • Scoop out excess beef fat if needed from the top of the sauce
  • Once beef is fully cooked, it is ready to enjoy! 
  • Serve a generous amount with sauce over a bowl of cooked white rice (we always use short grain Japanese jasmine rice, since it is our personal favorite with this dish) 
  • Garnish with sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds, togarashi, and pickled red ginger 

The caramelized onions, saucy beef mixed with rice is such a delicious combination! Don’t forget that cooking is all about experimenting, so adjust the measurements of the sauce to best match your own flavor profile.

I personally like mine on the sweeter side, so I let my onions really cook in the sauce. If you like yours on the saltier side, use less onions and add a bit more soy sauce. Either way, it’s a delicious dish for meat lovers and I hope you enjoy this dish as much as my family does.

How to make gyudon at home

Join the Conversation

Keep Reading

View more
mommydiary