Gyudon — Beef Rice Bowl
Experience the comforting flavors of Japan with this easy Gyudon recipe. Thinly sliced beef simmered in a savory-sweet sauce, served over rice with a perfectly runny egg.
20 min active, one pan
Gyudon — Beef Rice Bowl
Experience the comforting flavors of Japan with this easy Gyudon recipe. Thinly sliced beef simmered in a savory-sweet sauce, served over rice with a perfectly runny egg.
20 min active, one pan
Key move
Master the dashi-soy braising liquid for the perfect balance of savory and sweet.
Cook mode keeps your place
Larger text, ingredients in reach, and saved step progress while you cook.
The Setup
- SaucepanLarge
- Knife
- Cutting Board
The Mise en Place
5 of 10Your prep station before cooking begins
The Protein (0/1)
The Aromatics (0/1)
The Pantry (0/6)
Beef is tough.
Do not overcook the beef. Simmer it just until it is cooked through.
Sauce is too salty.
Reduce the amount of soy sauce or add a little more sugar.
Chef's Notes
Thinly slice the beef against the grain for maximum tenderness. A very sharp knife is key.
Don't overcrowd the pan when sauteing the onions. Cook in batches if needed for even caramelization.
Top with a soft-boiled or onsen egg, pickled ginger (beni shoga), and a sprinkle of shichimi togarashi for extra flavor.
The beef and onion mixture can be cooked ahead and refrigerated. Reheat gently before serving over fresh rice.
The Method
PREPARE
Prep aheadThinly slice the beef and onion (1 medium).
Uneven cooking: Thick slices will remain chewy while thin ones overcook; maintain consistent thickness.
Beef and onions are thinly sliced.
COMBINE
Prep aheadIn a large saucepan, combine dashi (4 cups), soy sauce (½ cups), sake (¼ cups), mirin (¼ cups), and sugar (2 tbsp).
Undissolved sugar: Sugar granules at the bottom can caramelize or burn once the heat increases.
All sauce ingredients are combined in the saucepan.
BRING
Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat.
Boil-over risk: The sugar in the mirin can cause the liquid to foam rapidly; watch closely as it reaches a boil.
The sauce mixture is simmering.
ADD
Add the sliced onion (1 medium) to the simmering sauce and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Overcooking onions: Simmering too aggressively will cause onions to lose their structure and turn into mush.
Onions are softened and translucent.
ADD
Add the thinly sliced beef (500 g) to the saucepan, spreading it out evenly.
Overcooking beef: Thinly sliced beef toughens rapidly; remove from heat as soon as it is no longer pink.
Beef is added to the saucepan and spread out.
SIMMER
Time-sensitiveSimmer the beef until it is cooked through and no longer pink, about 3-5 minutes. Do not overcook.
Tough beef: Overcooking the thinly sliced beef will cause it to become rubbery and lose its tenderness.
Beef is cooked through and no longer pink.
SPOON
Spoon the beef and onion (1 medium) mixture over bowls of cooked rice (4 cups).
Soggy rice: Avoid pouring too much excess liquid at once to prevent the rice from becoming mushy.
Beef and onion mixture is spooned over rice.
TOP
Optional: Top each bowl with a softly cooked egg and garnish with chopped green onions (¼ cups).
Overcooked yolk: If the egg sits in the hot liquid too long, the yolk will set firm instead of remaining creamy.
Egg is softly cooked and garnished with green onions.
SERVE
Serve immediately and enjoy!
Soggy rice: Avoid over-pouring the liquid; the rice should be moist but not submerged in a soup.
Dish is served.
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