Japanese
Gyudon (Beef Rice Bowl)
Thin beef and onion simmered in sweet dashi-soy, ladled over rice — the Japanese fast-food classic at home.
About this recipe
Gyudon (Beef Rice Bowl) is a japanese lunch for 2 that is a fast, high-heat stir-fry — have everything chopped before the wok gets hot. It’s built around beef, and it takes around 15 min start to finish. We sized it for a small household and ranked it on OneToCook by how much of it you already have in the fridge.
Good to know
* Dietary flags are derived from the listed ingredients — always check labels and your own needs for allergens.
Ingredients
- 1, sliced onion
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 thumb ginger
- 2 bowls, cooked rice
- 1 stalk spring onion
- 250g thinly sliced beef buy
- 1 tbsp mirin buy
Equipment
Method
- 1
SimmerSimmer.Cook in liquid with gentle bubbling, just below a boil.Glossary → onion with 100ml water, soy, mirin, sugar and grated ginger until soft, 5 min.
~6 min
- 2
Add the beef, separating the slices, and simmerSimmer.Cook in liquid with gentle bubbling, just below a boil.Glossary → until just cooked, 4 min.
~5 min
- 3
Spoon beef, onion and a little broth over hot rice; top with spring onion.
~2 min
Smart swaps
Out of something? Try one of these.
- Beef
- pork or chicken thigh, sliced thin against the grain.
- Soy sauce
- tamari (gluten-free) or, in a pinch, a mix of Worcestershire sauce and water.
- Mirin
- a little sugar dissolved in rice vinegar, or dry sherry + a pinch of sugar.
- Ginger
- a pinch of ground ginger, or galangal if you have it.
- Spring onion
- thinly sliced onion or chives for the finish.
Cook's notes
- Dice the onion before anything heats up so it’s ready when the pan is — a even dice cooks evenly. How to dice an onion →
- Peel ginger with the edge of a spoon — it hugs the knobbly bits and wastes far less than a peeler. How to prep ginger →
- Keep the white and green parts separate — whites go in early with the aromatics, greens at the end. How to chop spring onions →
- Rinse the rice until the water runs (mostly) clear for fluffier, less gummy grains. How to wash & cook rice →
- Do your chopping first (mise en place). With everything prepped, the actual cooking here is only about 15 min.
Storage & leftovers
Cooked rice needs care: cool it quickly (within an hour), refrigerate in a covered container, and eat within a day — reheating it until piping hot all the way through. Don’t leave cooked rice at room temperature.
Frequently asked
How long does Gyudon (Beef Rice Bowl) take to make? +
Around 15 min from start to finish, almost all of it hands-on.
How many people does this recipe serve? +
As written it serves 2. To cook for 4, roughly multiply the ingredients — but cook in batches if the pan gets crowded, so things sear instead of steaming.
What equipment do I need? +
You’ll want: induction hob, frying pan / wok. OneToCook only suggests recipes that fit the equipment you tell it you have, so you can filter these out if your kitchen is more minimal.
What can I use if I'm missing an ingredient? +
Common swaps for this dish: Beef → pork or chicken thigh, sliced thin against the grain; Soy sauce → tamari (gluten-free) or, in a pinch, a mix of Worcestershire sauce and water; Mirin → a little sugar dissolved in rice vinegar, or dry sherry + a pinch of sugar. See the full list of smart swaps above.
Can I make Gyudon (Beef Rice Bowl) ahead of time? +
Cooked rice needs care: cool it quickly (within an hour), refrigerate in a covered container, and eat within a day — reheating it until piping hot all the way through. Don’t leave cooked rice at room temperature.
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