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
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Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Sear beef cubes in batches until browned, then set aside.
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Add onions and cook until golden and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and ginger. Deglaze with a splash of broth.
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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.
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Stir in curry roux blocks until fully melted and the sauce thickens. Add grated apple if using, and simmer another 10 minutes.
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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