Gyudon, or Japanese beef bowl, is one of the most beloved donburi dishes not only in Japan but all throughout the world. It’s a casual, fast-food staple served at iconic chains like Yoshinoya and Sukiya. It's known for being simple, comforting, and extremely satisfying. But the best part, is that it takes less than 15 minutes to make. Let me teach you how!

🗾What is Gyudon?

Gyudon translates to "beef rice bowl"; gyu means "beef" and don is short for "donburi", which in this case, refers to "rice bowl". It can also be called gyumeshi, where meshi means "cooked rice" or "meal". It's made by taking thin slices of beef which are simmered with onions in a sweet, soy-based sauce, and then placed on top of a bowl of steamed rice. It's one of the most popular donburi dishes and for very good reason.

🍚Why Gyudon is So Popular

The tender beef, sweet onion, and the savory, umami-packed sauce is just some of the reasons why we love gyudon so much. It's also popular because of its:

• Simplicity: Minimal ingredients and you only need one pan to make.
• Affordability: Gyudon is very budget-friendly, especially in Japan. In the States, unfortunately eating a bowl at a restaurant can set you back $15-20, but this homemade version costs only around $3 per bowl!
• Speed: It takes just minutes to cook, making it ideal for busy days.

Jump to:

• 🗾What is Gyudon?
• 🍚Why Gyudon is So Popular
• 🥩Ingredients
• 🍚Prior to Starting
• 🔪Preparation
• 🧑‍🍳Cooking
• 🥢Plating
• 🥚Customize Your Gyudon
• 🪄Tips and Tricks
• ✍️Final Thoughts
• 🤔Common Questions

🥩Ingredients

Main Ingredients:

• Beef (thinly sliced): ½ lb (227g)
  • Ribeye, chuck, or short plate are great options, ideally with good marbling and higher fat content for tenderness and flavor.
• Onion: ½
• Green onion (for garnish): 1

Sauce Ingredients:

• Awase dashi: ½ cup (120ml)
  • Awase dashi is a dashi stock made from konbu (dried kelp) and katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes). Watch this video to learn how to make it.
  • You can also use instant dashi powder for a simpler option. In general, add 1 teaspoon of dashi powder per 1 cup of water. However, every dashi powder is different so make sure to read the label.
• Soy sauce: ¼ cup (60ml)
• Mirin: 3 tablespoon (45ml)
• Sake: 2 tablespoon (30ml)
• Sugar: 1 tablespoon (12.5g)

For Plating:

• Cooked Japanese Short-grain Rice: 3 cups (600g) (1½ cups or 2 rice cooker cups of uncooked rice)
• Beni shoga (pickled red ginger) (optional)
• Shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice) (optional)

🍚Prior to Starting

• First thing you want to do is cook the rice since that takes the longest. Watch this video to learn how, but skip all the sushi vinegar parts since we're going to be using regular steamed rice.
  • 1½ cups (2 rice cooker cups) of uncooked Japanese short grain rice yields enough for 2 large donburi bowls.

🔪Preparation

• Slice the onion lengthwise (from stem to root) into roughly quarter-inch thick slices.
• Chop the green onion crosswise into thin slices for garnish.
• If your beef slices are too large, cut them into roughly 2-3 inch wide pieces.

🧑‍🍳Cooking

• Add your sauce ingredients (dashi, soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar) to a medium-sized pan.
• Heat over medium heat and stir until the sugar fully dissolves.
• Add the sliced onions to the pan, breaking them apart and spreading them evenly in the sauce.
• Once sauce starts to boil, simmer the onions for 1-2 minutes, allowing them to soften and absorb the sauce.
• Add the sliced beef to the pan, mixing it with the onions. Spread the beef evenly to ensure it cooks uniformly.
• Simmer for 1-2 minutes while skimming off any scum or fat that rises to the top.
• Reduce to a low simmer (medium low heat), place a lid, and let it cook for 6-8 minutes.

🥢Plating

• Place a generous serving of steamed rice into a bowl.
• Drizzle some of the savory sauce over the rice for extra flavor.
• Add the beef and onions on top.
• Garnish with pickled red ginger and sliced green onions. For a spicy kick, sprinkle on some shichimi togarashi.

🥚Customize Your Gyudon

Now that you know how to make traditional gyudon, give it some flare by adding some extra toppings. Some of my favorites include:

• Egg: Over-easy, poached, or even raw. Eggs are a great compliment to gyudon and you'll see it served with it very often.
• Kimchi: The spice and crunchy texture of kimchi adds a nice contrast to gyudon.
• Spicy mayo: Adds a slight kick while making it more rich and creamy. Check out my spicy mayo recipe here.

🪄Tips and Tricks

• Use beef with a high fat content. Lean meat becomes very tough and is not ideal for gyudon.
• Save some sauce to drizzle over the beef and onions after plating to add even more flavor.
• Freshly cooked rice is best but gyudon is a great way to utilize leftover rice. We typically have packs of leftover rice in our fridge and use it throughout the week. All you need to do is pop it in the microwave and give it a quick stir before adding the beef and onions.

✍️Final Thoughts

Gyudon is a quick, budget-friendly dish that doesn’t sacrifice flavor. It’s perfect for those busy weeknights when you want something hearty and satisfying without spending hours in the kitchen. Plus, it's super easy to make for the whole family!

🤔Common Questions