Gyudon (Beef Rice Bowl)
Japanese beef rice bowl — thin beef and onion simmered in a sweet-savory dashi-soy broth and piled over warm rice. Crown it with a soft egg to stir through; quick, comforting, and filling.
Ingredients
- Beef · thinly sliced (bulgogi-cut)250 g
- Onion · sliced1
- Green onion · diagonal cut, optional0.5 stalk
- Cooked rice · warm2 bowls
- Eggs · soft-boiled or onsen, optional2
- Scallion, beni shoga · garnish, optional
- Sauce
- Dashi · or water + bonito0.75 cup
- Soy sauce3 tbsp
- Mirin2 tbsp
- Sake2 tbsp
- Sugar1.5 tbsp
- Minced ginger · optional1 tsp
Steps
Bring the dashi, soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, and ginger to a simmer in a pot.
- ⏲ 5 min
Add the sliced onion and simmer about 5 minutes until soft.
- ⏲ 3 min
Lay in the thin beef, spreading it out, and cook until it changes color; skim the foam.
- ⏲ 5 min
Add the green onion and simmer over medium-low 5 more minutes until the broth reduces a little.
Put warm rice in a bowl and pile the beef and onion on top with plenty of the broth.
Set a soft egg (or onsen tamago) in the center and garnish with scallion and beni shoga.
Tips & Variations
Variations
- Ontama gyudon: Top with an onsen (soft-poached) egg to stir through.
- Cheese gyudon: Melt cheese over the top for richness.
- Negishio gyudon: A scallion-and-salt base for a cleaner taste.
- Sukiyaki-style: Add tofu, shirataki, and shiitake for a hot-pot feel.
Tips
- Thinly sliced beef (bulgogi-cut) is the standard — it cooks fast and stays tender.
- Cook the onion first so its sweetness melts into the broth.
- Reduce the broth so it's just saucy to soak the rice — over-reducing makes it salty.
- A soft or onsen egg is key — break the yolk and stir for silkiness.
- Adjust the soy-mirin-sugar ratio to your sweet-salty taste.
✏️ Improve this recipe
Sign in to edit.
contributors: 0 ·Edit history