20 Essential Japanese Recipes
Dive into these delicious Japanese recipes, including some of our own favorites and some incredible creations from our friends who…
Dive into these delicious Japanese recipes, including some of our own favorites and some incredible creations from our friends who are renowned Japanese recipe developers. From sushi to ramen, explore the flavors of Japan and bring them to your kitchen!
Craving Japanese flavors? Alex and I are passionate about Japanese cuisine, especially after traveling to the country and exploring the deliciousness of this cuisine. Here we’re excited to share a collection of some of our favorite essential Japanese recipes to try at home!
We’ve featured a few from our website, along with some truly exceptional dishes from our friends at Just One Cookbook, a website of authentic Japanese recipes written by Nami (who we were fortunate to meet in person!). From comforting classics like ramen and tempura to delicate sushi rolls and savory okonomiyaki, there’s something for everyone in this list.
Essential Japanese recipes (recipe list)
Maki sushi is simply a sushi roll! It’s rolled sushi with seaweed on the outside and rice and fillings on the inside. Maki sushi can be filled with raw fish, cooked fish, or other vegetables and sauces. Try this recipe or this tasty vegan sushi.
Soba noodles are thin Japanese buckwheat noodles, often served cold with dipping sauce. This simple soba noodles recipe is fast and full of flavor: perfect as a style side dish or easy dinner.
Ramen is a Japanese noodle soup with broth, toppings like pork, egg, and vegetables. This easy tofu ramen recipe features crispy pan-fried tofu and a slurpable miso broth! It makes a delicious plant based Japanese dinner recipe.
Edamame is often served as a Japanese appetizer or side dish recipe. The soybeans in their pods are boiled or steamed, then served with a generous spinkle of salt.
Need an easy Japanese dinner recipe? This teriyaki salmon is a weeknight go-to! The pan seared fillet is glazed with a sweet and savory teriyaki sauce.
Try Japanese chicken curry recipe for a weeknight dinner! This Japanese version of curry stars tender pieces of chicken, carrots, and potatoes are cooked in a rich, savory sauce.
This roasted Japanese eggplant is a tasty way to prepare the traditional vegetable. Roasting eggplant makes it lusciously tender, and with a sauce of garlic, ginger, and Sriracha, it’s irresistible.
It‘s easy to make authentic and homemade Japanese Miso Soup! Here's how to make quick and easy soup stock (dashi) from scratch, then create classic miso soup with tofu and wakame seaweed.
Learn how to make tender and juicy Chicken Teriyaki at home in less than 20 minutes using the traditional Japanese cooking method. You‘ll love the succulent and pan-seared boneless chicken thighs glazed in an easy, four-ingredient homemade sauce.
Okonomiyaki is a savory Japanese cabbage pancake “grilled as you like it“ with your choice of protein and tasty condiments and toppings. This recipe for the popular Osaka street food includes key ingredients that give it a truly authentic taste.
Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, this homemade Tonkatsu recipe (Japanese Pork Cutlet) has a light, airy crust. Serve it with tangy sesame tonkatsu sauce for an extra savory touch. We fell in love with tonkatsu when visiting Japan.
This homemade recipe makes those famous Japanese pan-fried dumplings that are crisp and golden on the bottom and juicy inside. Dipped in a savory sauce, they’re a mouthwatering treat. We order gyoza as an appetizer almost every time we get sushi!
Udon are the thick and chewy wheat flour noodles served hot or cold. They're nestled in a delicate broth in this udon noodle soup recipe, all about simplicity and comfort. This is another favorite Japanese recipe from when we visited the country!
Onigiri are Japanese Rice Balls, often wrapped in seaweed and with various fillings. These make an ideal quick snack and a fun alternative to sandwiches for lunch.
Yakisoba is a classic Japanese recipe of stir-fried noodles with meat, vegetables, and a sweet savory sauce. Use any proteins you like—pork, chicken, shrimp, or calamari. For vegetarian, swap in tofu.
A classic Japanese recipe is a rice omelette called Omurice. It’s a home-cooking staple in Japan adored by people of all ages.
Japanese Milk Bread (Shokupan) is a classic Japanese recipe: it's got a soft, fluffy, and slightly sweet flavor and a melt-in-your-mouth texture. It's great for breakfast toast and sandwiches.
Smothered with sweet-savory homemade teriyaki sauce, this Teriyaki Tofu Bowl is easy and delicious! It’s also a great way to incorporate tofu into your weeknight dinner rotation.
The classic Japanese Fried Rice (Yakimeshi) with ham, egg, and green onion is a delicious one-pan meal that you can whip up in under 20 minutes. It’s a great Japanese recipe for a weeknight meal.
Last up in our essential Japanese recipes: Yosenabe! It's a basic Japanese hot pot where you can cook ingredients—chicken, seafood, tofu, and all kinds of vegetables—in a dashi-based broth.
Top 20 Japanese Recipes (Ramen & More)
Print RecipeDive into these delicious Japanese recipes, including some of our own favorites and some incredible creations from our friends who are renowned Japanese recipe developers. From sushi to ramen, explore the flavors of Japan and bring them to your kitchen! This easy ramen recipe features crispy pan-fried tofu and a slurpable miso broth. See above for more recipe ideas!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: Main dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Japanese
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 12 to 16 ounces extra-firm tofu
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil, divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 6 tablespoons white, light, or yellow miso paste, divided
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
- 1 cup sweet yellow onion, sliced
- 8 ounces baby bella (cremini) mushrooms
- 1 cup Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
- 3 green onions
- 4 garlic cloves
- 2 large carrots
- 8 ounces dry ramen noodles
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- ¼ cup coconut milk
- 2 cups spinach leaves
- Sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
- Prep the tofu: Remove the tofu from the package and drain liquid. Cut tofu into half lengthwise and place it in a large bowl. Microwave on high for 2 minutes, which helps to extract liquid. Drain off excess liquid released in the microwave. Place the two pieces on a towel; place another folded towel on top and add a cutting board and a heavy object. Allow to press for 15 minutes until the water is drained.
- Prep the veggies: Slice the onion. Slice the mushrooms. Thinly slice the cabbage. Thinly slice the green onions. Thinly slice the garlic. Slice carrots into matchsticks.
- Cook the tofu: Cut the tofu into bite-sized cubes. Heat 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil and 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat. Add the tofu and cook for about 10 minutes until lightly browned and crisp on all sides, turning occasionally. Meanwhile, stir together 2 tablespoons miso, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon water. When the tofu is browned, turn off heat and carefully pour sauce over tofu (be careful, it splatters!). Stir sauce onto tofu and cook additional minute over medium heat until fragrant.
- Cook the noodles (while you make the broth): Heat large pot of water to a boil and cook noodles to al dente. Drain and set aside. If necessary, refresh the noodles under some hot tap water before serving.
- Make the broth: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil and 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook 4 minutes until lightly browned on the edges. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until just browned, stirring constantly. Add the vegetable broth and bring to a simmer.
- Add the mushrooms, carrots, mirin, and 3 tablespoons miso paste and cook about 10 minutes until the mushrooms are tender. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce and the coconut milk, green onions, cabbage, spinach and cook until the spinach is just wilted, about 1 minute. Taste and add about 1 tablespoon more miso paste to taste.
- Serve: To serve, place the noodles into four bowls. Top with the broth, tofu, and vegetables. Store leftovers with the broth and noodles in separate containers (to avoid the noodles soaking up all of the broth).
