Gyudon
This Japanese beef builds thinly sliced beef, mirin and sake into an easy meal you can have ready in about 60 minutes. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 6 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for pan and saucepan. At medium difficulty across 6 steps, it's manageable with a little attention.
What you'll need
Shopping list (4)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
π Unit converter
How to make it
- Cut the onions into thin wedges following the grain so they hold together, and slice the beef into bite-sized strips if not already pre-cut.
- Combine the dashi, soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar and grated ginger in a wide pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Add the onions and simmer for about 5 minutes until they soften and turn translucent and the liquid is fragrant.
- Lay the beef into the simmering broth in a single layer, gently separating the pieces, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until no longer pink and cooked through.
- Skim off any foam from the surface and let everything simmer another 2 minutes so the beef absorbs the sweet-savoury sauce.
- Spoon the beef and onions with plenty of broth over bowls of hot steamed rice, then top with sliced spring onion and a little pickled red ginger.
You'll use: Pan Β· Saucepan Β· Steamer
Ingredient substitutions
- Soy Sauce
- tamari (gluten-free) Β· coconut aminos
What to serve with Gyudon
- Teriyaki Chicken Casserole Chicken
- Honey Teriyaki Salmon Seafood
- Katsu Chicken curry Chicken
- Chicken Karaage Chicken
Tips & common questions
How long does Gyudon take to make?
About 60 minutes from start to finish β an estimate based on the 6 steps and 11 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of soy sauce?
Try tamari (gluten-free). See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes β use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Gyudon is an original Japanese recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Gyudon of Lawson.jpg (CC0) via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top β how we source recipes.