Beef Sukiyaki Donburi Recipe

Rinse 2 cups of short-grain rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. Drain and add to a rice cooker with 2 cups (480 ml) water (or follow your cooker’s rice-to-water ratio). Cook until done and keep warm while you prepare the sukiyaki topping.

Make sauce

In a small saucepan combine 120 ml soy sauce, 60 ml mirin, 60 ml sake, 120 ml dashi stock, and 2 tbsp sugar. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a gentle simmer. Taste and adjust balance (more sugar for sweetness, more soy for salt). Keep warm and set aside.

Prep the vegetables: slice the onion into thin half-moons, remove shiitake stems and slice caps, trim enoki roots and separate small clusters, cut tofu into 2 cm cubes if using, and cut scallions into 4 cm lengths. Separate/loosen leaves of shungiku or rinse spinach and drain.

Heat a large skillet or shallow donabe/pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp oil and swirl to coat. Add the sliced onion and sauté 2–3 minutes until slightly translucent.

Add the shiitake and enoki mushrooms and cook 1–2 minutes to release aroma. Push vegetables to the side of the pan to make space for the beef.

Working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding, add thinly sliced beef in a single layer. Sear briefly 20–30 seconds per side until just browned but still tender. Pour about half of the warm sukiyaki sauce (roughly 200–250 ml) over the beef and vegetables. Bring to a gentle simmer so the sauce reduces slightly and flavors meld, about 2 minutes.

Add tofu cubes and scallions to the pan and spoon sauce over them. Simmer 1–2 minutes to warm through and absorb sauce. Add the shungiku or spinach in the last 30 seconds just to wilt; do not overcook.

Taste the broth and add more of the reserved sukiyaki sauce if you want stronger flavor. The final mixture should be saucy but not watery—a glossy coating on meat and vegetables.

Lightly beat the 4 eggs in a bowl if you plan to mix raw egg into each serving (traditional). Alternatively, you can make soft-poached eggs: bring a small pot of water to a simmer, add a splash of rice vinegar (optional), crack each egg into a ramekin and gently slip into water; cook 4 minutes for a runny yolk, then remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.

Assemble: divide the cooked rice into 4 bowls (about 1/2 cup cooked rice per serving if you want larger portions; adjust to preference). Top each bowl of rice with a portion of the beef and vegetable mixture, spooning some of the pan sauce over the rice.

If using raw egg, provide one lightly beaten egg per diner to dip their hot beef or to pour a little over the hot topping (Japanese custom). If using soft-poached eggs, place one on top of each bowl. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and/or a pinch of shichimi togarashi if desired.

Serve immediately while hot. Leftovers: store sauce-soaked beef and vegetables in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a skillet and add a splash of dashi or water if the sauce has thickened.