Go Back

Japanese Beef Rice Bowl (Gyudon)　牛丼

Japanese Beef Rice Bowl (Gyudon) is one of Japan's most popular comfort foods. Thinly sliced beef and sweet onions are gently simmered in a savory-sweet sauce, then served over a bowl of fluffy Japanese rice. This easy one-pan recipe uses simple ingredients yet delivers authentic Japanese home-style flavor, making it a perfect meal for busy weeknights. Finish with a sprinkle of spicy shichimi togarashi for a touch of gentle heat and enjoy a classic Japanese favorite at home.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Servings: 1 person
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 medium size onion
  • 1 small piece of fresh ginger
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 3 1/2 tbsp sake
  • 1/4 pound thinly sliced beef (with some fat is recommended)
  • 1 1/2 cup warm Japanese white rice
  • shichimi togarashi (Japanese chili pepper) as desired

Method
 

  1. Cut and slice 1/2 medium sized onion.
  2. Cut small piece of fresh ginger into thin strips.
  3. In a small frying pan, add 1/2 cup of water, 1 1/2 tbsp of sugar, 2 tbsp of soy sauce, and 3 1/2 tbsp of sake.
  4. Add the sliced onions and ginger, and then turn on the heat to medium.
  5. Once it comes to a boil, add the thinly sliced beef. Make sure all the beef is in contact with the sauce.
  6. Once the beef strips change color, flip them over. Keep simmering until only a little sauce remains. Don't let all the sauce evaporate.
  7. Have a bowl of warm Japanese white rice ready. Please refer to our "Japanese White Rice" episode about how to cook Japanese white rice.
  8. When the beef has absorbed the flavors and only a little sauce remains, spoon the beef, onions, and sauce over the warm rice. Sprinkle shichimi togarashi which is Japan's chili pepper powder.
    It's ready!  We hope you enjoy your "TOKYO FLAVORS, NEW YORK STYLE" meal!  Itadakimasu!

Notes

  • Thinly sliced beef with some fat is highly recommended for this recipe. The fat helps keep the beef tender and flavorful.
  • A generous amount of onion and sake helps tenderize the beef while adding natural sweetness and depth of flavor.
  • If you accidentally cook off all the sauce, don't panic! Add a little water to the frying pan and simmer over low heat until the sauce comes back together. This will help restore the delicious sauce to pour over the rice.