If you enjoy the famous Japanese beef hot pot Sukiyaki, then you’ll love it served over a rice bowl like in today’s recipe, Sukiyaki Don. I’m a big fan of meals that deliver maximum flavor and comfort with minimal effort, and this sweet-and-savory dish hits those marks. It takes just 15 minutes to get this nutritious and satisfying beef donburi on the table! Looking for more delicious rice bowl dishes? Try my Gyudon, Oyakodon, and Katsudon recipes next!
Why I Love This Recipe
A balanced one-bowl meal. It’s the perfect satisfying mix of steamed rice, pan-grilled beef, crisp vegetables, shiitake mushrooms, tender tofu, and sweet umami sauce. Fast and simple! You need only 5 minutes to prep and 10 minutes to cook it. Especially on a busy weeknight, I love that I can get this meal on the table in just 15 minutes. Quick clean up. It takes just one pan to make this dish. Clean up couldn’t be easier! Easy to customize. You can swap the proteins and vegetables with whatever you have in the fridge, or make it vegetarian or vegan-friendly.
Ingredients for Sukiyaki Don
Thinly sliced beef (well marbled) Tokyo negi (naga negi or long green onion) Onion Shiitake mushrooms Medium-firm tofu Napa cabbage Carrot Cooked Japanese short-grain rice Pickled red ginger (beni shoga or kizami beni shoga) – optional, for garnish Sukiyaki sauce: Sugar Sake Mirin Soy sauce Dashi
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
Substitutions
Thinly sliced beef – I recommend well-marbled chuck or ribeye, which you can purchase pre-sliced at Japanese or Asian supermarkets. If you can’t find it, you can slice your own at home; see my tutorial How to Slice Meat Thinly. Shiitake mushrooms – You can use enoki, maitake, shimeji, and/or oyster mushrooms. too. I typically use three different types of mushrooms when I make classic sukiyaki and my family loves the variety! Tokyo negi – If you can’t find this Japanese long green onion, then several green onions/scallions will do. Sake and mirin – These Japanese pantry ingredients add a wonderful depth of flavor to the simmering liquid. For a non-alcoholic alternative, you can substitute them with broth (dashi) or water.
How To Make Sukiyaki Don
Preparation
Step 1 – Prepare all the ingredients. Prepare your hot steamed rice ahead of time. To use frozen rice, reheat it before you assemble the donburi. Cut the vegetables and tofu into bite-size pieces and trim the mushrooms.
Cooking
Step 2 – Grill the beef slices. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, quickly sear the meat on one side, then flip over. Step 3 – Add the thick vegetables and seasonings. As you sear the beef on the other side, add and sear the onion and white part of the negi. Mix together with the beef, then add the carrots and thick white parts of the napa cabbage. Then, add the sugar, sake, mirin, soy sauce, and dashi to the pan. Step 4 – Add the tender vegetables and simmer. Gently push down the vegetables into the broth. Add the tofu, tender napa cabbage leaves, light green negi, and mushrooms, arranging them in sections. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat, and cover to simmer.
Assemble
Step 5 – Put together your Sukiyaki Don and serve! Prepare a donburi bowl with warm rice. Place the tofu on the side, then add the beef, mushrooms, and vegetables around the bowl. Enjoy!
Variations and Customizations
Swap your favorite vegetables. While I include many standard sukiyaki vegetables in today’s recipe, I encourage you to use your favorites. Cabbage, chrysanthemum greens, spinach, watercress, bok choy, and bean sprouts are just a few to try. Add shirataki noodles. A typical sukiyaki don often includes shirataki noodles, but I left it out today to simplify this recipe. I hope you give it a try if you have the chance—it adds a wonderful bouncy texture! Top it with a poached egg. If you love eggs like I do, feel free to top your donburi with a poached egg or Onsen Tamago for extra protein and a luxurious creaminess. Use broiled tofu (yaki tofu). If you can find it, try yaki tofu. I use this grilled firm tofu in my standard sukiyaki recipe for its slightly charred flavor. It’s firmer and denser than regular firm tofu and can withstand long cooking without crumbling. It’s also porous and can easily absorb broths and sauces well. Make it meatless. For a vegetarian version, you can use meat alternatives or simply add more tofu and meaty mushrooms like king oyster mushrooms.
What To Serve with Sukiyaki Don
Sukiyaki don has everything you need for your meal in one bowl, so you can enjoy it as is. If you’d like to add variety and a boost of nutrients, here are my simple suggestions.
With soup: Homemade Miso Soup With tsukemono pickles: Everyday Japanese Pickles (Asazuke)
Storage and Reheating Tips
To store: You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 days. To freeze: You can keep the meat and vegetable mixture in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a month. Tofu does not freeze well, so remove it before freezing. To reheat: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. For the best results, reheat the leftovers gently on low heat until warmed through.
More Beef Rice Bowl Recipes
Tanindon (Beef and Egg Rice Bowl) Yoshinoya Beef Bowl (Gyudon)
