Ridiculously Easy Gyudon (Japanese Beef Bowl)
This Japanese beef bowl needs to be on your home cooking menu on days you’re looking for something dead simple & in one pot. You should know by now that we have a lot of those days at foongfamilyflat - it’s the only way we can cook everyday and actually enjoy fresh homecooked meals that support our health goals!
Ready in 20 minutes, this dish somehow manages to taste like you've been simmering it for hours. The glossy, sweet-savoury sauce seeps into the fluffy rice, and each bite of tender beef just melts away~
What is Gyudon?
Gyudon (牛丼) literally means "beef bowl" in Japanese – "gyu" is beef and "don" refers to a bowl of rice with toppings. It's a beloved fast food in Japan, where chains like Yoshinoya have been dishing it out for over a century. But unlike most fast food we’re used to in Singapore, this is better for you & tastes just as good!
Prep time: <5 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Serves: 2 pax
Ingredients
400g thinly sliced beef (look for shabu-shabu or sukiyaki cut, I like buying mine from Don Don Donki)
250ml water
200ml mirin
120ml light soy sauce
3-4 tbsp brown sugar
1 packet dashi stock (or 1 tsp dashi powder)
1/2 onion, sliced into 1cm thick half moons
For Serving
Steamed Japanese short-grain rice
Thinly sliced spring onions
Pickled ginger (optional)
Shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven-spice) or red chilli flakes (optional)
A soft-boiled or poached egg (optional, add for extra protein)
Method
Prep onions: Slice onions into 1cm thick half moons
Start the sauce: In a pot or saucepan, combine the water, mirin, soy sauce, brown sugar, and dashi. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Add the onions: Toss in your sliced onions and let them cook in the simmering sauce for about 5 minutes until they start to soften.
Cook the beef: Separate your beef slices and add them to the pot. Gently stir to ensure all the beef is submerged in the sauce and that they are not stuck together.
Simmer: This is where the flavours will all infuse into the beef slices and fat on the beef starts to gently melt so it pairs nicely with your rice later.
Serve: Heap some hot steamed rice into bowls, ladle the beef and plenty of sauce over the top, and scatter with sliced spring onions. Add your optional toppings if using. Enjoy~
One pot Japanese Gyudon Recipe
This is truly one of the simplest recipes that is packed full of flavour that we are sharing. I hope you’ll use this recipe on days you want something quick & easy when cooking at home!
