Description
Japanese Beef Curry is a hearty, comforting dish featuring tender beef, vegetables, and a thick, savory curry sauce served over rice. Milder than Indian or Thai curries, it’s slightly sweet, rich in umami, and perfect for a cozy weeknight meal.
Ingredients
2 pounds beef chuck or stew meat, cut into bite-sized cubes
2 tablespoons vegetable oil or neutral cooking oil
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
2 large carrots, cut into chunks
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
3 cups beef stock or broth
1 package Japanese curry roux (about 7–8 ounces)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
1 small apple, grated (optional)
Salt and pepper, to taste
Steamed Japanese short-grain rice (for serving)
Pickled vegetables (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Sear beef cubes in batches until browned, then set aside.
Add onions and cook until golden and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and ginger. Deglaze with a splash of broth.
Return beef to the pot with carrots, potatoes, bay leaf, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and remaining broth. Simmer 60–75 minutes, until beef is tender.
Stir in curry roux blocks until fully melted and the sauce thickens. Add grated apple if using, and simmer another 10 minutes.
Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve hot over rice with optional pickles.
Notes
Use beef chuck for the best balance of tenderness and flavor.
Curry flavors deepen when made ahead and reheated the next day.
Store in airtight containers: 3 days in the fridge, 3 months in the freezer.
Make it gluten-free by replacing roux with rice flour or cornstarch and using tamari.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Simmering / Stewing
- Cuisine: Japanese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (about 1¼ cups curry with rice)
- Calories: ~480 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 950 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg