Vegan Teriyaki Beef Donburi (Japanese Rice Bowl)

Bowl of white rice topped with tender slices of vegan Japanese beef donburi with spring onions and pak choi

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Vegan Teriyaki Beef Donburi (Japanese Rice Bowl)

Easy vegan teriyaki beef donburi made with plant-based steak simmered in a sweet soy-mirin glaze and served over fluffy Japanese rice. Ready in 20 minutes for a quick and satisfying meal.

Prep Time5

Cook Time15

Total Time20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Japanese, vegan, vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 695kcal

Author: Aaron Fukuyama

Ingredients

200 g Japanese short-grain rice
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 knob knob ginger (half thumb-sized), julienned or grated
1 medium chili sliced into thin discs
2 Tablespoons sesame oil
2 Juicy Marbles Thick-Cut Filet steaks or vegan beef steak alternative
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon mirin
Salt and pepper to taste

For the garnish:

1 pak choy leaf chopped finely
1 spring onion finely sliced

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Rice:

Start cooking your Japanese rice first so it’s ready when the beef is done. Rinse and drain the rice 2–3 times until the water runs clear, then cook in a rice cooker using a 1:1.2 rice-to-water ratio. If using the stovetop, follow these instructions on cooking japanese rice.

Veg Prep:

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. Slice the pak choy finely at the stalk and thicker at the leaf. Slice the spring onion into thin discs. Set aside to use in the garnish later.

Fry:

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.

Plate up:

Add a bed of rice to your favorite bowl. Next, layer your vegan teriyaki beef 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 crunchy japanese pickles will make a lovely accompaniment to this teriyaki donburi bowl. Enjoy!

Notes

Use freshly cooked rice
Warm rice helps everything come together and absorb the sauce. Cold rice won’t give you the same texture.

Don’t overcrowd the pan
Cook the vegan beef in batches if needed so it browns properly rather than steaming.

Build flavour in the pan
Let the sauce reduce slightly so it clings to the beef and intensifies in flavour.

Slice everything evenly
Even slices cook more consistently and give you a better texture in every bite.

Taste and adjust
Depending on your soy sauce and mirin, you may want to tweak the balance with a little more sweetness or salt.

Serve straight away
Donburi is best eaten fresh while the rice is hot and the topping is glossy and full of flavour.

Customise your toppings
Great additions include spring onions, sesame seeds, pickled ginger, or a spoonful of chilli oil for heat.

Nutrition