Gyudon (牛丼) is a classic comfort food that has held its place in Japanese cuisine for over 150 years. Not only is this hearty rice bowl extremely simple to put together, but it’s also famous for being a quick, nutritious meal that never fails to satisfy. While every household in Japan makes gyudon a little differently, the core ingredients remain the same: thin slices of beef, onion, and a sweet and savory sauce served over steamed rice. Today, I’ll show you how I make this weeknight favorite at home.
What is Gyudon (Japanese Beef Bowl)?
Like other donburi, Gyudon, or Japanese Beef Bowl, is always served over a warm bowl of freshly steamed rice. “Gyu” (牛) translates to “beef,” while “Don” (丼) refers to the type of bowl it’s served in. The gyudon that we know and love today originated from a beef hot pot dish called “gyunabe” (牛鍋) during Japan’s Meiji Era (1868-1912). Up until this point, Japanese people were strictly prohibited from eating beef for both religious and practical reasons. Consuming meat went against Buddhist philosophies, and eating farm animals that were useful for work was largely discouraged. Once Western culture arrived in Japan in the late 19th century, gyunabe—beef and onion stewed with miso paste—became extremely popular. The chef of an izakaya called Isekuma in my hometown of Yokohama was the first to serve gyunabe in 1862! People began pouring their leftover gyunabe broth over rice, and soon restaurants began to serve this as a cheaper alternative called “gyumeshi” (牛飯). In the late 1800s, Eikichi Matsuda finally coined the name “gyudon.” Matsuda was the owner of Japan’s most famous Tokyo-based beef bowl chain, Yoshinoya. If you want to make gyudon just like they do at Yoshinoya, I have a recipe here.
Ingredients for Japanese Beef Bowl
Gyudon in Japan is a quick, tasty meal that is also budget-friendly. It was most popular among business people and young, single men before gaining popularity among the general Japanese public. The ingredients to make this one-pot dish at home are simple.
Thinly sliced beef: I recommend chuck or rib eye for this recipe. The paper-thin slices are essential for achieving authentic gyudon (too thick, and your beef will be chewy), and you can often find packages of thin-cut beef at Japanese or Asian supermarkets. Alternatively, you can always slice your own. Onion: Sliced onions add sweetness to the dish and perfectly pair with tender beef. Sauce: The sauce is a harmonious blend of sweet and savory, made with dashi (Japanese soup stock), sake, mirin, soy sauce, and sugar. It is so simple yet highly effective in creating robust flavor! Garnish: green onions for the color and shichimi togarashi for a spicy kick.
How to Make the Best Gyudon
Cooking Tips
Thinly slice the onion so it becomes tender and sweeter quickly. When cooked, the onion imparts a natural sweetness to the dish.
Use good quality beef. Well-marbled beef will not become chewy after simmering in the sauce. I highly recommend ribeye for gyudon. It’s also easy to thinly slice your own meat. For well-marbled beef, it’s easier to flash-freeze and cut the semi-frozen meat.
Make extra dashi (Japanese soup stock) so you can use it for gyudon and miso soup to go with the meal. I recommend making dashi either from scratch or with a dashi packet.
Cook more rice than usual. Rice bowl dishes (or “donburi”) typically serve more rice per person to go with the food on top. Therefore, prepare a little bit more than usual. I always make 1½ rice cooker cups for two servings and 3 rice cooker cups for four servings.
Don’t overcook the beef, especially if your meat is not well-marbled. You don’t want chewy meat. As soon as the beef is no longer pink, stop cooking. If the meat is well-marbled, you can let it simmer slightly longer to allow the meat to absorb more flavors from the sauce.
Popular Gyudon Variations
1. Gyudon with eggs
In Japan, we occasionally serve gyudon with a different type of eggs.
Tsukimi Gyudon (お月見牛丼) – We place a raw egg yolk in the center of the simmered beef. Gyudon with Onsen Tamago (温玉のせ牛丼)- We place a poached egg in the center of the simmered beef. Tanindon (他人丼) or Gyutojidon (牛とじ丼) – Right before finishing cooking, drizzle beaten eggs over the simmered beef and cook covered until eggs are just set (In Japan, eggs are served slightly more runny).
For the first two variations of gyudon, when you’re ready to eat, break the yolk and mix it with the beef and onions to add a layer of richness to the meal. The last option gives a nice layer of fluffy egg to the beef mixture. You can read more about it in my Tanindon post.
2. Kansai Sukiyaki-Style Gyudon
If you’re a long-time JOC fan, you’re familiar with my gyudon recipe and the image above, which I originally shared in 2011. This is how my grandmother and mother made their gyudon. Since they are from the Kansai area (my grandma was from Nara and moved to Osaka where my mom was raised), they cooked gyudon like they made their Kansai-style sukiyaki. The signature of this style is to sprinkle sugar on the thinly sliced beef while it’s still raw and cook the meat first before simmering it with other seasonings. Unlike the Kanto-style gyudon where we simmer beef and onion in dashi (Japanese soup stock), Kansai-style gyudon does not always require dashi and is cooked with just the seasonings; Therefore, the flavor is more intense. Since my grandmother and mother’s gyudon recipe is not the typical gyudon recipe that people often seek, I’ve decided to update this post with a more standard gyudon recipe. So, if you would like to make my Gyudon recipe from 2011, or Kansai Sukiyaki-Style Gyudon, simply skip the dashi from the ingredients below, and here are the cooking steps:
What is the Best Rice Cooker
Popular Donburi Recipes
Oyakodon (Chicken & Egg Bowl) Eggplant Unagi Donburi Chicken Katsudon (Chicken Cutlet Rice Bowl) Soboro Don (Ground Chicken Bowl) Poke Bowl
Wish to learn more about Japanese cooking? Sign up for our free newsletter to receive cooking tips & recipe updates! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram. Editor’s Note: The post was originally published on January 13, 2011. The content and images were updated and the recipe was revised on April 17, 2022. The post was republished with a new video on April 5, 2024.
