Japanese Nikujaga Recipe — Meat and Potato Stew

Nikujaga is often called the Japanese stew. Every Japanese person has eaten it hundreds of times, usually made by someone else's mother. The dish has strong associations with home and comfort that are as important as its flavor.

The name is a portmanteau: niku (meat) + jagaimo (potato). The dish is thought to have originated in the Meiji era when Japanese naval officers requested a Japanese interpretation of British beef stew. What emerged was completely different from any European stew — lighter, clearer broth, sweeter, with the distinctive umami of soy and dashi.

The potatoes absorb the broth as they cook, which is why the finished dish has very little liquid. You're not serving soup — you're serving flavored vegetables.

What You Need

• 600g waxy potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 200g thinly sliced beef (sukiyaki cut) or pork
• 2 medium onions, roughly wedged
• 200g shirataki noodles (konnyaku noodles), blanched
• 1 carrot, cut into irregular chunks
• 1 cup frozen green peas (add at the end)
• 2 cups dashi

Seasoning:

• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 2 tbsp sake
• 1 tbsp sugar

How to Make It

Sear the meat: In a pot over medium-high heat, add a little neutral oil. Add meat slices and cook briefly until just browned. Remove and set aside. This step is optional but adds depth.

Build the stew: In the same pot, add onions and cook 2-3 minutes. Add dashi, soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar. Stir.

Add vegetables: Add potatoes, carrot, and shirataki. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.

Simmer: Cook partially covered, 20-25 minutes, until potatoes are completely tender and have absorbed most of the broth. Stir gently occasionally — do not overcook or the potatoes will disintegrate.

Add back the meat: Return the meat to the pot in the last 5 minutes of cooking. Stir gently.

Add peas: Add frozen peas in the final 2 minutes.

Rest: Let the dish sit off heat for 5 minutes before serving. The flavors continue to develop.

Serve: In individual bowls with a bowl of white rice.

The Potato

Waxy potatoes hold their shape best (Yukon Gold, red potatoes). Floury potatoes (russet) are sometimes used intentionally when you want them to break down partially and thicken the broth.

Classic Japanese home cooking uses a particular technique: cut the corners off the potato chunks with a peeler or knife — a technique called mentori (面取り). This rounds the edges so they don't bang against each other during simmering and break apart. Optional, but traditional.

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Nikujaga improves on day two. Make a large batch, refrigerate overnight, and the potatoes will have absorbed even more of the broth. Reheat gently with a splash of water.