These 23 Japanese-Inspired Recipes Go Way Beyond Sushi
Making classic Japanese at home is SO much easier than you thought.
Chicken Katsu
It's hard not to love a fried chicken cutlet, but this katsu sauce takes this to the next level.
Get the recipe from Delish.
Castella Cake
Castella cake, simply referred to as castella, is an impossibly airy and light Japanese sponge cake flavored with honey. It’s humble—never decorated, always loaf-shaped—and so simple. It uses just six ingredients: bread flour, eggs, sugar, honey, and a dash of milk with a pinch of salt.
Get the Castella Cake recipe.
Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken)
Japanese chicken karaage is basically fried chicken, but with a twist. The word karaage (pronounced kah-raa-geh) refers to the Japanese method of frying, and there’s one main difference between it and other fried foods. If the meat is seasoned, then coated with flour, it's karaage. If the meat is coated with a seasoned flour, then it's fried chicken. Beyond the semantics, we love it because it’s a quick and easy way to jazz up one of our favorite foods, using ingredients you’re already using at home.
Get the Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken) recipe.
Steamed Edamame
Simple, steamed edamame is an amazing snack that is nutritious and comes together really quickly. The little soybeans are endlessly poppable and are a fun, hands-on hors d'oeuvre (especially with the addition of our homemade chicken-salt).
Get the Steamed Edamame recipe.
Perfect Bok Choy
Quick-cooking bok choy is one of our favorite veggie sides. Here we pair it with ginger and sesame oil for a light but flavorful plate of greens. Serve it alongside fish, meat, or your favorite rice dish. (We're partial to this pork fried rice.)
Get the Perfect Bok Choy recipe.
Japanese Curry
When you’re craving something thick, hearty, and soul-soothing, there’s really nothing better than a Japanese curry. Unlike Thai or Indian curries that are thickened with yogurt or coconut milk, Japanese curry gets its richness from a deep, dark roux. Trust us, you’re going to want to serve this with something that can sop up the delicious sauce—try it over white or brown rice, udon noodles, or with thick slices from a hearty bread. Any of our katsu recipes—tofu katsu, Southern-fried catfish katsu, or chicken katsu—would also be nice served atop this curry.
Get the Japanese Curry recipe.
Onigiri (Japanese Rice Balls)
If you love rice, onigiri is a must-try: a humble rice ball accented by a variety of fillings, wrapped in roasted seaweed (nori), and perfect for snacking or a light meal. Onigiri is open to customization and experimentation—fillings popular in Japan include fish roe, karaage (small pieces of fried chicken), various veggies, and grilled beef.
Get the Onigiri (Japanese Rice Balls) recipe.
Okonomiyaki: Japanese Cabbage Pancake
Okonomiyaki is a Japanese cabbage pancake blanketed with toppings. The batter is so simple–eggs, flour, baking powder, and good old S&P. It’s traditionally flavored with dashi, an essential base stock used in Japanese cooking made of kombu (dried kelp) and bonito (dried fish) flakes. A generous amount of sliced cabbage is folded into the batter to start, but it doesn't stop there. There are also the add-ons for both flavor and texture: pork belly, ground pork, bacon, shrimp, squid, octopus, or cheese. Either fold them into the batter or layer them on top right after spreading the batter into the hot pan.
Get the Okonomiyaki: Japanese Cabbage Pancake recipe.
Japanese Soufflé Pancakes
Japanese soufflé pancakes are an undoubtedly tough breakfast treat to master but with a combination of technique, zen-like patience and a dash of luck, you’ll be snacking on these pillowy confections in no time. Top them with anything you would add to your favorite American-style pancakes, French toast, waffles, etc. Fresh fruit, whipped cream, and powdered sugar are the most traditional options, but feel free to get creative with your favorite chocolatey (melted Nutella), crunchy (candied nuts), creamy (sweetened, whipped mascarpone) combinations!
Get the Japanese Soufflé Pancakes recipe.
Mochi
Mochi is a sweet, chewy rice treat that hails from Japan. Serve these small, sweet cakes with a matcha hot chocolate or simply green tea. Use your leftover glutinous rice flour to make tang yuan, Chinese glutinous rice balls served for Lunar New Year that are similar to mochi (and are delicious year-round).
Get the Mochi recipe.
Spicy Tuna Roll
In restaurants, spicy tuna sushi rolls usually involve raw, sushi-grade fish. But if raw fish is out of reach, this recipe uses humble canned tuna. That’s not to say you can’t use the basic skeleton of this recipe for raw tuna if you can find it—just substitute in sushi-grade fish, finely chopped, and proceed onward!
Get the Spicy Tuna Roll recipe.
Miso Butter Cod
This easy Miso Butter Cod is an easy and healthy dinner that's ready in just 40 minutes. The cod and bok choy roast together, keeping things simple. Serve it with some rice or quinoa for a complete meal. The miso butter gets a little kick from sriracha and makes the fish flavor packed. It's an umami rich meal that couldn't be easier–and that's always what we want with a weeknight dinner.
Get the Miso Butter Cod recipe.
Air Fryer Miso-Glazed Scallops
A riff on chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s famous miso-glazed cod, these scallops are our new date night go-to. Though they feel kinda fancy, but they’re so easy to make (and so hard to screw up) that they're the perfect thing to serve when we’re in the mood to impress. Put them out as a poppable appetizer for a party, or make it a full meal and serve with steamed rice, simply cooked bok choy, and a salad dressed with carrot ginger dressing. For dessert, follow up with homemade mochi or green tea ice cream.
Get the Air Fryer Miso-Glazed Scallops recipe.
Sushi Rice
Looking to make killer sushi at home? The first and most crucial step is perfecting your sushi rice. It isn't very complicated, but it is one of those things that's so simple, you've got to do things a specific way. Check out our techniques and tricks to nailing it—it'll get better the more you try it, so keep at it!
Get the Sushi Rice recipe.
Miso Soup
Miso soup is one of those rare things that is super comforting while also being quite light. It is why so many of us love it as the start to a meal or as a way to warm up on a cold day. And making it is so simple, you'll have to add it to your rotation of things to make in the winter months.
Get the Miso Soup recipe.
Nabeyaki Udon
We're suckers for dishes high in flavor, low in commitment. And if it comes together in one pot? All in! Nabeyaki udon is a one-pot Japanese noodle soup that is just this. The name nabeyaki refers to a nabe or pot – this noodle soup is typically cooked and served in a donabe, or clay pot. No nabe? No problem. Use a Dutch oven since it retains heat well, allowing everything to cook quickly and evenly. Plus, it looks nice enough to set right on the dining table.
Get the Nabeyaki Udon recipe.
Classic Tempura Batter
You haven't had tempura at its best until you've had it freshly fried. This simple batter is totally worth deep frying in your home kitchen. We love serving them with a punchy, garlicky mayo for dipping, but all you really need is a squeeze of lemon. (P.s. this works for way more than just veggies—shrimp would also be killer.)
Get the Classic Tempura Batter recipe.
Yakitori (Grilled Chicken Skewers)
Yakitori (Japanese for "grilled chicken") is one of the oldest and most popular traditional Japanese dishes. Though you'll often find it served from flat tops by street vendors, yakitori is grilled skewers made from all parts of the chicken, including chicken breast, chicken thighs, hearts, and gizzards. Most yakitori places will offer two seasoning options: salt (shio) or yakitori sauce (tare). Tare is made of just four ingredients, soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar. It slightly resembles teriyaki sauce with both sweet and salty elements. You can add ginger and other ingredients, but in this case, minimalism is a great approach.
Get the Yakitori (Grilled Chicken Skewers) recipe.
Shrimp Tempura Rolls
This starring dish is shrimp tempura roll, which is stuffed with avocado and battered jumbo shrimp that are fried until crisp perfection. The shrimp is slightly sweet and nicely dense, the avocado is super soft and rich, and the rice is mixed with vinegar, sugar, and salt for a base that enhances all the flavors. It’s a classic for a reason!
Get the Shrimp Tempura Rolls recipe.
Rainbow Roll
Rainbow rolls include a lot of elements of traditional Japanese sushi—seasoned rice, raw fish, nori—but the composition is definitely Americanized. This inside-out roll (or uramaki) has rice on the outside, while the sheet of nori on the inside holds the avocado, cucumber, and crab in place. Top your rolls with sushi-grade fish, or get creative and try thinly sliced avocado, roasted red peppers, or smoked salmon.
Get the Rainbow Roll recipe.
Dragon Roll
Uramaki arguably reaches a peak of extravagance with the dragon roll, with its gorgeous "scales" of thinly sliced mango and avocado and drizzle of spicy sriracha mayo. The roll is wrapped in classic vinegar-seasoned rice and filled with crispy shrimp tempura, a mix of buttery avocado, and crunchy cucumber.
Get the Dragon Roll recipe.
Chirashi Bowls
Chirashizushi (ちらし寿司) translates to "scattered sushi" and is a style of sushi that entails exactly what the name suggests: pieces of sashimi over sushi rice. Chirashizushi—or chirashi bowls—is probably the simplest way to enjoy what you love about sushi without having to learn how to roll maki.
Get the Chirashi Bowls recipe.
Matcha Cake
We love how light this matcha cake and its accompanying frosting are; it really helps the natural flavors of matcha shine through. Make sure your heavy cream is cold before you whip it—the colder it is, the easier it will be to whip up and it'll hold its shape better while frosting.
Get the Matcha Cake recipe.
Tofu Katsu Curry
This hearty Japanese dinner comes complete with crispy sesame-panko-crusted tofu, tender vegetables, and a rich and flavorful curry sauce. For a quicker version, swap out the curry for some cold shredded green cabbage, along with some katsu sauce for dipping.
Get the Tofu Katsu Curry recipe.
Homemade Shoyu Ramen
Braised pork belly, aka a little slice of heaven, is the star in this amazing homemade ramen. Making ramen from scratch is pretty darn elaborate, but we promise your patience will be more than rewarded.
Get the Homemade Shoyu Ramen recipe.
Shrimp Katsu Burgers
Crispy and tender, fried fish sandwiches have nothing on these crispy shrimp katsu burgers. Inspired by a popular sandwich at a Japanese chain called Lotteria, you may have even spied these (also known as ebi katsu) at several McDonald's internationally or in restaurants across the US. The patty is made with chopped shrimp and is coated in panko bread crumbs that give the burger a deliciously crunchy coating. Serve them with French fries and follow with an ice-cold milkshake.
Get the Shrimp Katsu Burgers recipe.
Vegan Ramen with Roasted Red Miso Veggies
Great ramen comes in many shapes, sizes, and flavors but is most commonly known as the rich, creamy, porky version. This completely vegan version uses layers of umami-packed flavor to mimic the depth complexity of traditional ramen, and edamame for a protein boost. As a bonus, if you can multitask, it all comes together in about an hour, making this an ideal weeknight go-to.
Get the Vegan Ramen with Roasted Red Miso Veggies recipe.
Japanese Milk Bread
When it comes to sandwich breads, the milk bread reigns supreme. A common sight in Asian bakeries everywhere, it is the best of all white breads: a humble, golden crust gives way to an interior crumb that is simultaneously soft and toothsome, pillowy with a slight chew. It's got a little sweetness, a gentle buttery vibe, and whole lotta versatility. The enriched dough is perfect for eating straight or lightly toasted with a spread of butter and a sprinkle of salt or a smear of jam. It's perfect in any french toast or bread pudding recipe. It's also perfect in savory sandwiches like croque monsieurs and madames. Honestly, it's just perfect, period.
Get the Japanese Milk Bread recipe.
Teriyaki Chicken
This is a perfect weeknight staple.
Get the recipe from Delish.
Ginger Beef Stir-Fry With Ramen
This stir-fry has a ginger-garlic kick that you won't be able to resist.
Get the recipe from Delish.
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