Borderless Kitchen
Japanese nikujaga beef and potato stew in a clay pot — chunks of potato, thinly sliced beef, onion, and clear konnyaku noodles in a clear amber sweet soy broth, peas visible on top
Japanese·45 min·Serves 4

Nikujaga (Japanese Beef and Potato Stew)

Japan's most beloved home cooking dish. Thin-sliced beef, waxy potatoes, onions, and shirataki noodles simmered in sweet soy-mirin dashi until the liquid is absorbed. Simple, deeply savory, completely satisfying.

The broth should nearly disappear by the end — absorbed by the potatoes, not served as soup.

What You Need

  • 500g waxy potatoes, quartered
  • 200g thinly sliced beef (or pork)
  • 2 onions, wedged
  • 200g shirataki noodles, blanched
  • 1 carrot, chunked
  • ½ cup frozen peas
  • 2 cups dashi

Seasoning:

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

How to Make It

Sear beef: In a pot over medium-high, sear beef slices briefly until just browned. Remove.

Build stew: Add onions to same pot, cook 2 minutes. Add dashi + all seasonings. Add potatoes, carrot, shirataki.

Simmer 20-25 minutes partially covered, until potatoes are tender and broth has reduced significantly.

Return beef for last 5 minutes. Add peas for last 2 minutes.

Rest 5 minutes before serving over rice.


From our Tokyo Meets Tuscany collection.

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