Thinly shaved beef and onions simmered in a savory-sweet sauce and served over a warm bowl of steamed rice, gyudon (Japanese beef rice bowl) has been an iconic lunch meal for many Japanese for over 150 years. You can read more about it in my original Gyudon recipe! Today, we’re going to transform the dish into a satisfying bento lunch, so you can enjoy at work, school, or on the go.
Why You’ll Love Gyudon Bento
It’s a tasty, substantial meal that is also budget-friendly. Takes only 15 minutes to pack.
What to Pack for Gyudon Bento
Gyudon – Made the night before and reheated in the morning for the bento. Tamagoyaki – Optional, but I do like to add the rolled omelette as my son loves them and it does add extra protein to the mix. I recommend making extra tamagoyaki whenever you make them for dinner so you can freeze some for bento packing. Mixed vegetables – You can pack any leftover vegetables along with the bento. For a quick and simple shortcut, frozen vegetables are your friends. Seasonings – Furikake (non-spicy) or shichimi togarashi (for a little kick of spice) to bring some color and flavor to the plain steamed rice.
That’s all you need to pack a well-balanced gyudon bento! I also pack a small box of fruits for my kids to bring to school.
Helpful Tips
Use frozen or canned vegetables! I find keeping a bag of frozen mixed vegetables in the freezer extremely convenient when you need just ONE more item to fill your bento box. All you need to do is to place the veggies in a microwave-safe silicone cup and defrost in the microwave! I sometimes saute the vegetables with a little bit of butter and season with salt and pepper to give it a bit more flavor. After reheating, make sure each dish is cooled before you pack them in the bento box. They are meant to be eaten at room temperature. Read: Food Safety for Bento.
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