Japanese beef donburi is a classic comfort dish - simple, hearty, and served over rice. This version gives it a meat-free upgrade using Juicy Marbles’ Thick-Cut Filet steaks. They’ve got the rich flavor and tender texture you want, minus the meat, for a truly delightful vegan beef donburi.
Serve it over a bowl of fluffy Japanese rice, with some simple veggie sides like sautéed pak choi and a few pickles to round it out.
Whether it’s a weeknight dinner or something to impress your friends, this vegan donburi dish delivers on both comfort and flavour.
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Choosing a Vegan Beef Alternative
There are lots of great plant-based beef options out there, from soy and wheat-based steaks to pea protein strips designed to mimic traditional beef. For a donburi, look for something with a meaty, firm texture that can hold up to simmering and absorb the flavor of the sauce.
Brands like Juicy Marbles, Beyond, Impossible, and THIS™ all offer solid options - some come pre-sliced, others in steak-style cuts. A well-marbled or richly textured piece will give you the best result.
For this donburi recipe I chose Juicy Marbles' Thick-Cut Filets. No one is paying me to say this 😂 I just really wanted to try these when we came across them at our local Sainsbury's on our weekly grocery run! I'm glad I did because they were delicious, and I would definitely use them again.
If vegan beef isn’t available, a chicken-style alternative, tofu, or even mushrooms can work - just adjust the cooking time and seasoning to suit your swap.
Ingredients
Serves 2 | Prep time 5 mins | Cooking time 15 mins
- 3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced or crushed
- 1 half-thumb-sized knob of ginger, julienned or grated
- 1 medium chili, sliced into thin discs
- 2 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 Juicy Marbles Thick-Cut Filet steaks
- 500g cooked Japanese rice
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the garnish:
- 1 pak choy leaf
- 1 spring onion
Instructions
Start by cooking approximately 200g (1 cup) of dry Japanese rice. Use a rice cooker for ease or, if you don't have a rice cooker, follow the steps in my recipe for making perfect Japanese rice without a rice cooker.
1. Peel and chop the garlic into thin discs. User a garlic crusher if your prefer.
2. Peel the ginger and chop into thin sticks (fine julienne style). If you want a finer texture, you can grate the ginger instead.
3. Cut off the chilli stalk and slice it into thin discs. Set aside.
4. Slice the pak choy finely at the stalk and thicker at the leaf. Set aside to use in the garnish later.
5. Slice the spring onion into thin discs. Set aside for the garnish.
6. Heat up 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry your steaks, searing them on all sides.
7. Once they seared, pull the vegan meat apart using a knife and fork to create smaller pieces. I did this in the pan but you may prefer to remove them and do this on a chopping board.
8. Set the meat aside for a few minutes while you use the pan to heat the remainder of the oil over a medium-high heat. Fry the garlic, chilli and ginger until the garlic is slightly golden.
9. Add the meat back to the pan now and sprinkle with sugar, mirin and soya sauce. Fry for a few more minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
10. Add a bed of rice to your favorite bowl.
11. Next, layer your vegan beef donburi on top and garnish with the greens and spring onions you prepared earlier.
12. Serve immediately with a side of vegetable pickles. This time we used pink pickled radish but any of your favorite veggies will make a lovely crunchy accompaniment to this donburi. Enjoy!
Hint: Taste the vegan beef in step 9 and adjust the balance to suit your palate. If it’s too salty, add a pinch more sugar. If it’s too sweet, a splash of soy sauce will bring it back into balance. Everyone’s taste is a little different, so feel free to tweak until it hits that perfect sweet-savoury note.
Substitutions
- Vegan beef - instead of vegan beef, such as the Juicy Marbles Filet I used here, you can use any meat alternative you might prefer. These can be highly processed, so if you want to avoid all that, just stick with baked tofu or sautéed mushrooms. Oyseter mushrooms work very well.
- Rice - if you want to avoid white rice or can’t find Japanese short-grain, try brown rice, or cauliflower rice for a low-carb option.
- Vegetables - spinach, kale, or steamed broccoli are great substitutes - just aim for something green and quick to cook. Add an extra side selection of pickled vegetables for some extra crunch. Try my easy pickled carrots
Variations
- Spicy donburi: Add a squeeze of sriracha and some homemade pickled chilies as toppings with the garnish at the end.
- Sweet and sticky: Add maple syrup for an even richer sweetness and that glossy, sticky glaze that clings beautifully to the vegan beef.
- Veggie-packed: Add your favorite stir-fried vegetables - sautéed mushrooms, bell peppers, or zucchini - as you're frying the vegan beef.
Equipment
Nothing fancy required here, just a few basic kitchen tools. You can cook your rice in a saucepan if you don’t have a rice cooker (it still turns out great, follow my recipe here). You’ll also need a frying pan, a knife and cutting board, a fork for shredding the vegan steaks, and a rice paddle or spoon for serving.
Storage
Store any leftover vegan beef donburi in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It keeps well and can be easily reheated for a quick lunch or dinner, so we do often plan to make extra for at least one mid-week meal. When you’re ready to reheat, you have two good options:
Microwave: Place the donburi in a microwave-safe bowl and cover loosely with a lid or damp paper towel to retain moisture. Heat on medium power in 1-minute intervals, stirring between each round to make sure everything warms evenly. Keep going until the donburi is piping hot all the way through.
Skillet: For a slightly better texture, reheat in a skillet over medium heat. Add a splash of water or a tiny drizzle of oil to prevent sticking. Stir gently until the rice and vegan beef are thoroughly heated - this usually takes about 5–7 minutes.
In either case, make sure the donburi is steaming hot throughout before serving. This isn’t just about taste, it’s also important for food safety.
Top Tip
For a crispy, golden crust, cook the filets over high heat and let each side sear properly before flipping. Don’t turn them too often - this helps build that nice caramelised edge. Just keep an eye on the heat so they crisp up without burning.
FAQ
Yes! You can freeze unopened packets for up to 3 months.
While mirin adds a signature sweetness to this and other Japanese dishes, a splash of apple juice or white wine can be used instead as a substitute.
Absolutely! Use tamari instead of soy sauce for a gluten-free version.
Related
Looking for other vegan Japanese recipes? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with vegan beef donburi:
- Avocado Sushi
- Soy Seared Pak Choi
- Perfect japanese rice without a rice cooker
- Japanese Croquettes (Korokke)
Vegan Beef Donburi
Ingredients
- 3 cloves of garlic thinly sliced or crushed
- 1 half-thumb-sized knob of ginger julienned or grated
- 1 medium chili sliced into thin discs
- 2 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 Juicy Marbles Thick-Cut Filet steaks
- 500 g cooked Japanese rice
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the garnish:
- 1 pak choy leaf chopped finely
- 1 spring onion finely sliced
Instructions
- Peel and chop the garlic into thin discs. User a garlic crusher if your prefer.
- Peel the ginger and chop into thin sticks (fine julienne style). If you want a finer texture, you can grate the ginger instead.
- Cut off the chilli stalk and slice it into thin discs. Set aside.
- Slice the pak choy finely at the stalk and thicker at the leaf. Set aside to use in the garnish later.
- Slice the spring onion into thin discs. Set aside for the garnish.
- Heat up 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry your steaks, searing them on all sides.
- Once they seared, pull the vegan meat apart using a knife and fork to create smaller pieces. I did this in the pan but you may prefer to remove them and do this on a chopping board.
- Set the meat aside for a few minutes while you use the pan to heat the remainder of the oil over a medium-high heat. Fry the garlic, chilli and ginger until the garlic is slightly golden.
- Add the meat back to the pan now and sprinkle with sugar, mirin and soya sauce. Fry for a few more minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add a bed of rice to your favorite bowl.
- Next, layer your vegan beef donburi on top and garnish with the greens and spring onions you prepared earlier.
- Serve immediately with a side of vegetable pickles - we used pink pickled radish here but any of your favorite veggies will make a lovely crunchy accompaniment to this donburi. Enjoy!
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