Quick and simple gyudon (牛丼) is a classic Japanese beef bowl. This delicious beef gyudon recipe only takes 15 minutes! Also, gyudon beef bowl and teriyaki chicken rice bowl are great to serve with rice and miso soup as a side.
Love Japanese food? Check out these popular California rolls, chicken udon noodles stir fry, crispy teriyaki tofu, teriyaki sauce and Japanese milk bread rolls recipes.
What is gyudon beef bowl (牛丼)?
Gyū is a cow in Chinese character, and don is short form for donburi, which in Japanese means bowl. It is a classic Japanese beef bowl. Sweet onion and thinly sliced beef simmered in a slightly sweet sauce and topped on a bowl of rice.
Sometimes it is served with shirataki noodles and some like to add a raw egg or a soft poached egg on the beef bowl. Also, it is often served with beni shōga (pickled ginger) and shichimi (ground seasoned chili pepper) as a condiment.
Yoshinoya is one of the popular Japanese fast food chain restaurants in Asia and the USA. When I go to Yoshinoya for lunch or dinner. I often order beef gyudon. And, it is one of their famous items. Therefore, people often refer to it as a Yoshinoya beef bowl.
What are the ingredients for a Japanese beef bowl?
The main ingredients are thinly sliced beef, onion and green onion.
In order to keep this beef gyudon recipe simple. For gyudon sauce, I used soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar and water. Some people like to use dashi (fish and seaweed stock).
You can add some sesame seeds before serving, it is optional. Besides, I added some sesame oil at the end to give more flavor to this beef bowl.
Cooking tips for how to make gyudon beef bowl (牛丼 ):
- Stir fry onion and simmer with sauce for a couple minutes until the onion is soft.
- Add thinly sliced beef and simmer for a few minutes. I used lean beef, so I only simmered for a minute or two until it changed color. If you use fatty beef, it’s better to simmer a little longer.
- Turn off the heat and add some sesame oil and green onion.
- Cook 2 cups of Japanese rice with 2 cups of water in an instant pot and press the manual button, adjust time for 6 minutes at high pressure and naturally release the pressure.
FAQs:
Most people use thinly sliced rib bye, tenderloin, sirloin, shabu shabu beef with more fat or some fat. Personally, I like to use leaner beef because it’s healthier.
I bought them at Asian store. Or, you can ask a butcher at a regular grocery store to slice the meat for you.
If you have a meat slicer, you can do it at home. The best way to freeze the meat, then slice them. If you don’t have a meat slicer, you can use a sharpened knife. Take out the frozen beef an hour before slicing up.
I used Japanese rice. They are wider and shorter. Also, you can use Calrose USA branded rice. 
Instructions for how to make Yoshinoya gyudon beef bowl:
1. Wash 2 cups of Japanese rice and drain it very well. Then, put the washed rice into an instant pot and pour 2 cups of water. Next, close the lid and vent. Push the manual button, adjust time to 6 minutes at high pressure and naturally release pressure.
2. While waiting for the rice, slice a medium sized onion.
3. After that, cut 2 sticks of green onion.
4. Pour ½ tablespoon of vegetable oil into a non-stick pan and add sliced onion. Stir fry them a little bit, then add 4 tablespoons of soy sauce, 4 tablespoons of mirin, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and ½ cup of water. Let it simmer for a couple minutes until the onion is a little soft.
5. Next, add thinly sliced beef into the sauce. Let it simmer for a minute or two until it changes color.
6. After that, turn off the fire and add ½ tablespoon of sesame oil, green onion and mix them well. When rice is done, scoop the beef with sauce over the rice.
Enjoy this easy and delicious Japanese beef gyudon recipe! Also, check out these fresh ramen noodles, instant ramen stir fry, Japanese chicken curry and tonkatsu recipes.
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Gyudon Beef Bowl
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound Thinly sliced beef
- 1 Onion medium size
- 2 sticks Green onion
- ½ tablespoon Vegetable oil
- ½ tablespoon Sesame oil
- some Sesame seeds optional
Sauce:
- 4 tablespoons Soy sauce
- 4 tablespoons Mirin
- 2 tablespoons Brown sugar
- ½ cup Water
Rice:
- 2 cups Japanese rice
- 2 cups Water
Instructions
- Wash 2 cups of Japanese rice and drain it very well. Then, put the washed rice into an instant pot and pour 2 cups of water. Next, close the lid and vent. Push the manual button, adjust time to 6 minutes at high pressure and naturally release pressure.
- While waiting for the rice, slice a medium sized onion.
- After that, cut 2 sticks of green onion.
- Pour ½ tablespoon of vegetable oil into a non-stick pan and add sliced onion. Stir fry them a little bit, then add 4 tablespoons of soy sauce, 4 tablespoons of mirin, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar and ½ cup of water. Let it simmer for a couple minutes until the onion is a little soft.
- Next, add thinly sliced beef into the sauce. Let it simmer for a minute or two until it changes color.
- After that, turn off the fire and add ½ tablespoon of sesame oil, green onion and mix them well. When rice is done, scoop the beef with sauce over the rice.
Notes
Cooking tips for how to make gyudon beef bowl (牛丼 ):
- Stir fry onion and simmer with sauce for a couple minutes until the onion is soft.
- Add thinly sliced beef and simmer for a few minutes. I used lean beef, so I only simmered for a minute or two until it changed color. If you use fatty beef, it’s better to simmer a little longer.
- Turn off the heat and add some sesame oil and green onion.
- Cook 2 cups of Japanese rice with 2 cups of water in an instant pot and press the manual button, adjust time for 6 minutes at high pressure and naturally release the pressure.
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