These Japanese-inspired beef and rice Gyudon bowls have the perfect balance between sweet and salty, with the running egg yolk from a fried egg, and slight crunch of sesame seeds and chopped green onions. Delicious and comforting.
This is a great recipe for anyone who wants to try their hands at cooking Japanese inspired food, but have been hesitant to do so because they’re slightly intimidated by it. Here, all you need to do is caramelize you onions, add your beef and vegetables, and let them simmer together with Mirin, stock and a few other spices – and you’ll have the perfect comforting weeknight meal. And doesn’t it look absolutely gorgeous with the fried egg on top?
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Japanese Inspired Beef and Rice Gyudon Bowls
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Diet: Omnivore
Description
Sweet and savory beef simmered to perfection, served over fluffy rice with a fried egg. Comfort food at its finest!
Ingredients
- 2 cups (473 ml) yellow onions, sliced
- 1 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 lbs (454 g) VERY thinly sliced beef chuck
- 2 tbsp Mirin
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 3/4 cups (177 ml) beef stock
- 4 eggs
- red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 2 cups (473 ml) rice, cooked according to instructions
- chopped green onion
- sesame seeds for topping
Instructions
- Heat the sesame oil in a large pan over medium heat.
- Add the sliced onions and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until caramelized.
- Add the bell pepper, beef, and sugar; cook until the beef has browned.
- Stir in the mirin, soy sauce, and beef stock; cook until the mixture has reduced, about 15-20 minutes.
- Cook the eggs sunny side up.
- Fill a bowl with rice, add the gyudon, and top with an egg.
- Garnish with chopped green onion and sesame seeds.
Notes
- For even quicker cooking, use a very thinly sliced beef such as thinly sliced ribeye or flank steak.
- To make this dish ahead, prepare the gyudon up to 2 days in advance and reheat gently before serving.
- Substitute chicken broth for beef broth for a lighter flavor profile.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stir-Frying
- Cuisine: Japanese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 500
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 800
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Unsaturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 60
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 30
- Cholesterol: 200
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of beef is best to use for Gyudon bowls?
Thinly sliced beef, such as sirloin or ribeye, works best as it cooks quickly and absorbs the flavors of the sauce. 
How should I prepare the onions for this recipe?
You should slice the onions thinly and caramelize them over medium heat until they are soft and golden brown before adding the beef and other ingredients.
Can I substitute Mirin in this recipe?
If you don’t have Mirin, you can use a mixture of sake and sugar or a combination of white wine and a little honey as a substitute.
Christine – it would be an extremely better recipe if you were more clear about what cut of beef you used. Just saying sliced beef could lead to very different results. What cut of beef did you use, flank, skirt, etc.?
Hi Todd, this is actually an editor (aka me) mistake. The recipe is with very thinly sliced beef chuck. Thank you for catching that!