Learning Japanese isn’t just about mastering the language—it’s also about immersing yourself in the culture.
And what better way to dive deeper than through food?
In this post, I’ve rounded up 15 simple and delicious Japanese recipes that anyone can make, no matter your cooking skills.
Whether you’re looking to spice up your weekly meal rotation, learn some new skills or impress your language learning buddies, these dishes will give you a taste of Japan without leaving your kitchen!
Ready to bring a taste of Japan into your home?
Meat and Fish Based Easy Japanese Recipe Ideas
Japanese Miso Ginger Pork Bowl
When it comes to quick and easy Japanese dinner ideas, donburi (rice bowls) are always a winner!
This is a simple rice bowl recipe that uses ground pork as the main ingredient. The pork is cooked with miso, sugar, soy sauce and ginger to make a deliciously sweet and umami topping for your rice.
It’s finished with scallions for an authentic touch. You can also add extra veggies in with the pork.
Gyudon (Japanese Beef Rice Bowl)
Here’s another yummy Japanese rice bowl idea for you. Gyudon means beef over rice. It’s a classic Japanese favourite dinner recipe where thin strips of beef are simmered with onions in soy sauce, dashi, mirin, sake and sugar.
This particular recipe shows you how to cook the entire meal in a pressure cooker or instant pot, but you can also cook it in normal pans.
Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowls
Can you tell I love rice bowls?! They’re really so simple and filling – a perfect midweek dinner, whether you’re cooking for your family or eating alone!
This rice bowl stars teriyaki chicken and vegetables. Teriyaki is another classic Japanese cooking method, where meat is glazed with a sweet sauce of sugar, soy sauce, mirin.
Yakitori (Japanese Grilled Chicken Skewers) Recipe
Yakitori means ‘grilled chicken’ in Japanese. To make yakitori, you first simmer chicken in a classic yakitori sauce of soy sauce, sugar, mirin and rice vinegar, then you thread the chicken pieces onto a wooden skewer and grill them!
It’s a classic street food in Japan that you will always find at markets and festivals. It’s also a staple on izakaya menus.
But it’s simple enough to make at home for dinner – just serve with Japanese rice.
Chicken Onigiri
Onigiri (Japanese rice balls) are a staple for Japanese lunches and snacks. They are small and portable, so you can easily carry them to work or eat on the go, just like how we eat sandwiches in the west.
They can be plain rice, or made with different fillings such as umeboshi (sour plum) or tuna mayo.
Here’s a tasty recipe that combines the rice with ground chicken. The chicken is simmered in a sweet and savoury sauce, with a little ginger.
It’s an umami-rich dish that adds a little extra protein to your rice balls.
Chicken Ramen Recipe
I don’t know about you, but when I think of Japanese food, ramen is one of the first things that comes to mind!
Authentic Japanese ramen shops simmer their broth for hours, but you can make a simple homemade version using store-bought stock with a few additions. It’s comforting and endlessly adaptable – you can add whatever veggies and toppings you fancy.
If you’re cooking for others, it’s fun to set up a ‘ramen bar’ and let everyone choose their own toppings!
Japanese Beef Curry (From Scratch)
Japanese curry is surely the ultimate comfort food. There’s nothing more warming or filling on a cold winter’s day.
While it’s fairly easy to make a Japanese curry from shop-bought roux cubes, this authentic recipe takes it to a whole other level! You will need a few different spices, but it’s not nearly as complicated as you might think.
I recommend making a big batch to last you several days!
Slow Cooker Japanese Chicken Curry
Making curry from scratch is a perfect project for a lazy weekend afternoon, but what about when you’ll be rushing about all day and need something that’s ready when you are? That’s where the slow cooker comes in!
This Japanese curry recipe uses instant roux and you can put it all in the slow cooker so there’s very little hands-on preparation time.
California Rolls
Here’s a fun recipe for that most-loved Japanese-American fusion food: California rolls! California rolls are a type of uramaki sushi (a roll with the rice is on the outside) filled with crab, avocado and cucumber.
It’s really not too hard to make sushi at home, and it’s a fun thing to do with your family or friends.
Sushi Salad (Deconstructed Sushi Bowl)
This is a Japan-inspired interpretation of everybody’s favourite Japanese recipe – sushi!
If you love sushi but you’ve never made it at home – perhaps because it seems too difficult or you don’t have the right equipment – this recipe is perfect for you. It’s a deconstructed sushi rice bowl, heaping all your favourite sushi ingredients on a big bowl of sushi rice.
What’s great about this recipe is that it’s totally adaptable. You can make it as fancy or as simple as you like. It works well both as a quick midweek dinner, or a fun customisable idea to serve to guests!
Vegetarian Japanese Recipe Ideas
Japanese Cold Silken Tofu Recipe
Tofu gets a bad rap in the west (mostly from people who’ve never tried it!), but in Japan it’s a staple. I remember being AMAZED the first time I went to a Japanese supermarket and saw a whole aisle of tofu. Back home, I have to go to a specialist health food shop to get it.
But if you can get your hands on good quality tofu, this simple vegetarian Japanese recipe is a must. It only takes minutes to throw together, and it’s healthy and light.
It’s a perfect light dinner on a hot summer’s day. Or serve it as a starter, or as part of a selection of favourite Japanese dishes.
Yaki Onigiri with Miso & Butter Recipe
What’s better than onigiri? Yaki onigiri! Yaki means grilled, so yaki onigiri are grilled rice balls. They get a gorgeous crispy crust that is totally addictive. Miso and butter bring out the flavour of the rice and add some extra depth.
These are so simple and so yummy. Perfect as a snack, to add to your bento box, or as part of a bigger meal.
Japanese Clear Onion Soup
No Japanese meal is complete without a soup! Here’s a super simple, light and clear soup that goes perfectly alongside any meal. It only has a handful of ingredients, and it’s vegetarian. (Meat eaters could choose to use a chicken or beef broth if they prefer). Onions and mushrooms are the star of the show.
Vegan Ramen with Rice Noodles, Tofu and Vegetables
In Japan, ramen broth is typically made with pork bones and/or chicken, and dashi/bonito flakes – not very vegan-friendly! But why should carnivores have all the fun? Here’s a simple plant-based ramen you can make at home. It’s comforting, wholesome and adaptable.
One tip is to make a batch of broth at the weekend and keep it in the fridge. Then all you have to do is boil the noodles and throw in some veggies for a quick mid-week dinner.
This version uses rice noodles, which is not authentically Japanese, but you can substitute the noodles of your choice.
Japanese Style Potato Salad Recipe
Many cultures have their own version of a potato salad. This Japanese-inspired potato salad should be made with Kewpie mayonnaise for an authentic flavour!
It’s an easy and tasty side dish that can be made in advance and kept in the fridge for several days.
What are you making for dinner tonight?
I hope these simple Japanese recipe ideas have not only satisfied your taste buds but also brought you a little closer to Japanese culture. Whether you’ve picked up some new words or just enjoyed the process of creating these dishes, food is such a fun way to connect with the language you’re learning.
Keep experimenting in the kitchen and with your Japanese studies—you never know what new skills you’ll discover!
Happy cooking and learning!
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Rebecca is the founder of Team Japanese. She spent two years teaching English in Ehime, Japan. Now back in the UK, she spends her time blogging, self-studying Japanese and wrangling a very genki toddler.