Description
Gyudon, or Japanese Beef Bowls, is a quick and flavorful dish featuring thinly sliced beef simmered in a savory-sweet sauce with onions, served over steamed Japanese rice. Topped with tangy red pickled ginger and fresh scallions, it’s a comforting and satisfying meal perfect for busy weeknights.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Sauce
- 150 g thinly sliced beef
- 1/2 onion, sliced into wedges
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 200 ml water
- 1 tsp dashi powder
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp sake
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 1 tsp ginger juice
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
Rice
- 3 cups cooked Japanese rice
Toppings
- 1 tbsp red pickled ginger
- 1 tbsp scallion, diagonally and thinly sliced
Instructions
- Prepare Onion: Slice the onion into wedges to ensure they cook evenly and retain some texture.
- Cook Onion: Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and cook the onion until it becomes translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add Sauce Ingredients: Add water, dashi powder, sugar, sake, mirin, ginger juice, and soy sauce to the saucepan with the cooked onions. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Cook Beef: Add the thinly sliced beef to the simmering sauce. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is cooked through and the sauce has slightly reduced.
- Serve: Remove the saucepan from heat. Serve the beef and sauce over cooked Japanese rice bowls. Garnish each serving with sliced scallions and red pickled ginger for added flavor and color.
Notes
- Use thinly sliced beef commonly used for sukiyaki or shabu-shabu for best texture.
- Dashi powder adds authentic umami flavor; substitute with instant dashi or broth if unavailable.
- Adjust sugar and soy sauce to taste for desired sweetness and saltiness.
- Serve immediately to enjoy the beef tender and the rice warm.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated; add a splash of water when reheating to loosen the sauce.
