Sukiyaki Recipe
Selected vegetables, tofu, noodles, and thinly sliced beef simmered to perfection in Taki’s own Sukiyaki sauce.
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Ingredients
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Broth & Sauce
Proteins
Vegetables & Aromatics
Noodles & Garnishes
Cooking & Finishing
Method
Broth & Sauce
- 1
Make Sukiyaki Sauce
In a medium bowl or measuring cup, combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar. Stir until sugars dissolve. Set aside.
- 2
Prepare Broth
In a 10–12 inch shallow pot or wide saucepan (or a traditional sukiyaki pan), bring 4 cups beef stock or dashi to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Add the prepared sauce and taste. If the mixture is too strong or salty, add up to 1/2 cup water to balance. Keep the broth at a gentle simmer.
Proteins
- 3
Prepare Beef
If your beef is not pre-sliced, partially freeze it 20–30 minutes and slice very thinly (about 1/16–1/8 inch). Arrange slices on a plate for quick cooking.
- 4
Prepare Tofu and Eggs
Drain the firm tofu and cut into 12–16 bite-size rectangles (about 1-inch thick). If using eggs for dipping, crack eggs into small individual bowls and lightly beat each (leave raw; traditional sukiyaki diners dip cooked items into raw egg). Keep eggs chilled until ready to serve.
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 5
Prep Vegetables
Core and thinly slice the napa cabbage crosswise into 1–1.5 inch pieces. Clean shiitake caps and slice thinly. Trim enoki mushrooms roots and separate into small bundles. Cut scallions into 2-inch lengths on a diagonal. Trim and wash shungiku or baby spinach. Thinly slice carrot if using.
- 6
Noodles & Garnishes
- 7
Prepare Noodles
If using fresh or frozen udon, warm according to package instructions (briefly blanch in boiling water for 30–60 seconds if frozen). Drain and set aside in a bowl. If you prefer to finish noodles in the broth, keep them cold until needed and add later to absorb flavors.
- 8
Garnishes
Slice one scallion thinly for garnish and set toasted sesame seeds in a small dish for sprinkling at the table.
Cooking & Finishing
- 9
- 10
Start Simmering
Pour the prepared sukiyaki sauce/broth into the pan with seared beef (or directly into the pot if you skipped searing). Bring to a gentle simmer. Add firmer items first that need more time: tofu pieces, napa cabbage base, thicker mushrooms, and carrot slices. Simmer 3–5 minutes until cabbage begins to soften.
- 11
Add Remaining Ingredients
Add scallions, enoki mushroom bundles, shungiku (or spinach), and more delicate shiitake slices. Add udon noodles now if you want them to absorb the broth. Simmer another 2–3 minutes until all vegetables are tender-crisp and noodles heated through.
- 12
Cook the Beef
Using chopsticks or tongs, dip individual beef slices into the simmering broth and swish until just cooked (about 10–30 seconds depending on thickness). Avoid overcooking — sukiyaki beef is best very tender and slightly pink.
- 13
Serve
Transfer portions of beef, tofu, vegetables, and noodles to individual bowls or let guests serve family-style from the simmering pot. If using raw egg dipping, each diner dips the hot cooked items into their beaten raw egg before eating. Garnish with sliced scallion and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds as desired.
- 14
Finish & Store Leftovers
If you have leftover broth, cool promptly and refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat gently before serving. Leftover cooked beef will toughen; it's best to remove extra beef earlier or keep separate and add briefly when reheating.