Gyudon: Japanese Beef Bowl with Sweet-Savory Onion Sauce Recipe
A comforting Japanese gyudon-style beef bowl featuring thinly sliced beef simmered with a sweet-savory onion sauce, served over hot white rice with optional egg yolk or onsen eggs and a sprinkle of pickled ginger and green onion.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Onion Sauce
- 1/2 lb thinly sliced beef ribeye or chuck eye
- 1/2 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup water
- 4 tbsp mirin
- 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp hondashi powder
To Serve
- 2 cups cooked white rice (hot; more or less to preference)
- 2 large egg yolks or onsen eggs (optional)
- Pickled red ginger (beni shoga or kizami shoga; optional)
- Green onion, thinly sliced (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the sauce: In a saucepan with tall sides, combine water, mirin, soy sauce, sugar, and hondashi powder. Stir until dissolved, then add the thinly sliced onion.
- Simmer the mixture: Cover the pan and bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat, allowing the onions to become tender and flavorful.
- Cook the beef: Once the sauce is simmering, lay the thinly sliced beef on top of the onions and spread it evenly. Cook until the beef is just cooked through and no longer pink.
- Skim and finish: Skim off any scum if preferred, then remove the pan from heat.
- Assemble bowls: Portion the beef and onion over the hot rice in two bowls, and spoon over the desired amount of sauce from the pan over each serving.
- Add toppings: If desired, top with egg yolk or onsen egg, pickled ginger, and sliced green onion before serving.
Notes
- For a richer sauce, simmer uncovered for a few minutes to reduce slightly.
- Use tofu or mushrooms as a non-beef option for a lighter variation.
- Adjust sweetness and saltiness by varying sugar and soy sauce amounts to taste.
- If you don’t have hondashi, a small pinch of dashi powder or a splash of fish stock can be used.
Keywords: gyudon, beef bowl, Japanese, onions, rice, quick dinner
