Yoshinoya Beef Bowl

Updated: 03.17.25 | Marc Matsumoto | 33 Comments

4.91 from 11 votes

Make Yoshinoya's iconic Beef Bowl at home with this easy copycat recipe! Tender beef, sweet onions, and a savory-sweet sauce come together over fluffy rice, delivering the same comforting flavors that have made Yoshinoya a global favorite since 1899.

Recipe Video

Japanese beef bowl recipe or gyudon with thinly sliced beef simmered with onions in a savory broth, topped with sesame seeds, scallions and red pickled ginger over a bowl of rice.

In Japan, few dishes evoke comforting nostalgia more than Yoshinoya's Beef Bowl, a classic rice bowl that's been delighting diners since the chain's humble beginnings in 1899 at Tokyo's Nihonbashi fish market. Yoshinoya's founder, Eikichi Matsuda, aimed to create a hearty, affordable meal for busy workers, and the result was this iconic beef bowl with tender slices of marbled meat and onions simmered in a sweet-savory sauce, served over fluffy rice. Over a century later, this beloved dish remains a favorite in Japan. With this copycat Yoshinoya beef bowl recipe, you can recreate the magic of their famous beef bowl at home in just 20 minutes.

Jump to:

Why This Recipe Works
Ingredients
How to Make Yoshinoya Beef Bowl
Other Japanese Beef Bowls
📖 Recipe
Comments

Why This Recipe Works

To keep prices down, Yoshinoya's beef bowl uses a fattier cut of American beef. In addition to being well marbled, short-plate also tends to have a lot of connective tissue, so slicing the meat thinly against the grain is crucial for making this tender. If you can buy real Wagyu, check out my other gyudon recipe for a slightly different technique.
Savory dashi broth with sweet white wine is the secret to this Yoshinoya copycat recipe.
Braising the meat in extra broth keeps the beef tender and moist while providing a flavorful sauce to season the rice.

A lunchtime staple in Japan, this Gyudon or Japanese beef bowl includes thinly sliced beef and onions in a savory broth served over a bowl of hot rice.

Ingredients

Beef - Yoshinoya is famously selective about its beef, using American short plate for its rich marbling. If short plate isn't available, boneless short ribs, ribeye, or thinly sliced chuck make excellent substitutes. The key is slicing the meat very thinly against the grain using a meat-slicer for maximum tenderness.
Onion - Yellow onions hold their shape and provide a natural sweetness that complements the tender slices of beef. Juicer varieties, such as sweet onions, tend to turn to mush when you cook them for too long, and red onions discolor, taking on an unappetizing grey appearance.
Dashi Stock - This forms the foundation of the sauce, delivering a smoky, umami depth. Homemade dashi is ideal, but you can also make it from powdered dashi granules or dashi packs, which can be found in most Asian grocery stores or online.
Sweet White Wine - A hallmark of Yoshinoya's recipe, this ingredient enhances the sweetness of the tender onions and balances the sauce with its mild acidity. Riesling or Gewürztraminer are great options.
Sake - Sake is rich in amino acids, so it's widely used in Japanese cuisine as a natural way to add umami to food. You can read more about selecting sake, but it doesn't need to be expensive. If you can't find either where you live, the best substitute will be water for the liquid and a pinch of MSG for umami.
Soy Sauce - The primary seasoning in the sauce. Use a Japanese-style soy sauce for authenticity or tamari for a gluten-free alternative.
Sugar - Sugar balances the saltiness of the soy sauce and the acidity of the wine, creating a harmonious sauce. I like using evaporated cane sugar for its flavor, but any sweetener like brown sugar or maple syrup will work.
Cooked Rice - Japanese short-grain rice is the traditional base for rice bowls in Japan. The firm, sticky texture of the steamed rice soaks up the flavorful sauce without getting soggy.
Garnishes - The basic Yoshinoya bowl comes ungarnished but you can also get it topped with green onions, benishoga (pickled red ginger), and shichimi togarashi can be added at the table to spice things up.

How to Make Yoshinoya Beef Bowl

Prepare the Sauce: Combine dashi stock, sweet white wine, sake, soy sauce, and sugar in a pan. Add thinly sliced onions and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the onions are soft and translucent—about 3 minutes.
Cook the Beef: Add the thinly sliced beef to the simmering sauce. Gently stir to separate the slices, ensuring the meat cooks evenly. Simmer the meat for about 10 minutes to render the fat and break down any tough connective tissue.
Assemble the Bowl: Scoop hot, freshly steamed rice into serving bowls. Ladle the beef and onions over the rice, ensuring a generous drizzle of savory broth. Garnish with your favorite toppings, such as sliced green onions, beni shoga (pickled ginger), or a hot spring egg.

Overhead view of a bowl of beef gyudon, along with miso soup and chopsticks.

Other Japanese Beef Bowls

📖 Recipe