Artificial Food Coloring Free Gluten Free Japanese Gyudon
This Japanese beef bowl is deeply savory, soul-warming comfort food — tender slices of ribeye and sweet onion simmered in a fragrant broth of dashi, tamari, mirin, and sake, then ladled over fluffy short-grain rice. The broth does all the heavy lifting here, building rich umami flavor from clean, whole ingredients without a single drop of artificial dye or synthetic coloring agent in sight. That matters more than you might think with Japanese-inspired dishes, since many bottled sauces and condiments sneak in caramel color or other additives — this recipe sidesteps all of that by keeping the pantry list straightforward and transparent. Tamari stands in for conventional soy sauce and pulls double duty as both a flavor powerhouse and a naturally brewed, additive-free option. The optional jammy soft-boiled egg adds a gorgeous golden richness when you crack it open over the bowl, and the pickled red ginger garnish brings a bright, tangy pop of contrast. It's the kind of weeknight dinner that looks and tastes like it came from a proper Japanese kitchen, made entirely with ingredients you can actually read and trust.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the rice
- 2 cups japanese short-grain white rice
- 2 ½ cups water
For the beef
- 1 ¼ lb beef ribeye or beef chuck, very thinly sliced (about ⅛ inch)
- 1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced into half-moons
For the broth
- 1 cup dashi stock (gluten free)
- ¼ cup tamari
- ¼ cup mirin
- 2 tbsp sake
- 1 tbsp sugar
For serving
- 4 large eggs (optional)
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced (green parts only) (optional)
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)
- pickled red ginger (beni shoga), for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the rice in a medium saucepan under cold water, swirling and draining 3–4 times until the water runs mostly clear. Add 2 1/2 cups fresh water, cover, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to the lowest setting and cook, covered, for 12 minutes. Remove from heat and let steam, still covered, for 10 minutes.
- 2
While the rice cooks, combine the dashi stock, tamari, mirin, sake, and sugar in a large skillet or wide saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
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