Donburi [丼] literally means “bowl,” also abbreviated as “don” and used as a suffix for dishes served in a bowl. Typically, donburi consists of fish, meat, vegetables, and other ingredients cooked together and served over rice.
Donburi meals are usually served in large rice bowls, which are also called donburi. When necessary to distinguish, the bowl is called donburi-bachi [丼鉢] and the dish is called donburi-mono [丼物].
Donburi is sometimes referred to as “sweet stew” or “savory on rice.” The simmering sauce varies according to the season, ingredients, region, and flavor. A typical sauce may consist of dashi flavored with soy sauce and mirin.
Donburi can be made from almost any ingredients, including leftovers. In this article, we will showcase 20 Japanese donburi dishes. Those that can usually be found in fast-food restaurants like Yoshinoya and Sukiya.
Table of Contents
Gyūdon [牛丼] – Beef Bowl
Gyūdon [牛丼] literally means ‘beef bowl,’ it is a common Japanese dish that consists of a bowl of rice topped with beef and onions cooked in a slightly sweet sauce flavored with dashi, soy sauce, and mirin.
It often also includes shirataki noodles and is sometimes topped with a raw egg or a soft poached egg (onsen tamago). I have encountered the dish with melted cheese, and it can be accompanied by other items like miso soup. Despite being simple, it is perfect!
Chains like Matsuya offer the dish under the name gyumeshi [牛めし]. If you want to try it, in greater São Paulo, these dishes can be found in Japanese restaurant chains, including the mentioned fast-food places.
Butadon [豚丼] – Pork Bowl
Just like gyudon, this dish uses pork instead of beef. Butadon originated in Hokkaido, but is now enjoyed throughout Japan.
Unadon [鰻丼] – Eel Bowl
As the name suggests, this time the bowl features slices of eel. The first time I was apprehensive, but after trying it, I found it delicious, and now I understand why Genta likes eels so much.
The rice is topped with grilled eel fillets (unagi) prepared in a style known as kabayaki, similar to teriyaki. The fillets are glazed with a sweet soy-based sauce, called tare, and caramelized, preferably over charcoal fire.
The fillets are not skinned, and the grayish side of the skin is placed face down. Una-don was the first type of donburi rice dish, invented at the end of the Edo period, during the Bunka era (1804-1818).
Tendon [天丼] – Tempura Bowl
This time the dish is topped with tempura, there is a similar dish called tentamadon [天玉丼] which consists of tempura with beaten egg.
Oyakodon – Chicken and Egg Bowl
Oyakodon [親子丼] consists of cooked chicken, egg, and sliced green onions, served on top of a large bowl of rice. Sometimes, the chicken is also replaced by beef or pork in a variation known as Tanindon.
Konohadon [木の葉丼] is similar to oyakodon, but uses thin slices of kamaboko instead of chicken meat. Popular in the Kansai area.
There is another dish called Tamagodon [玉子丼] which consists of a dish of scrambled eggs mixed with sweet donburi sauce on rice. Various other recipes that we will see in this article may also include eggs in the ingredients.
Katsudon – Pork Cutlet Bowl
Katsudon [カツ丼] consists of breaded fried pork cutlets (tonkatsu) and onions simmered together and bound with beaten egg, then used as a topping for rice. There are some regional variations in Japan.
Sōsukatsudon [ソ ー ス カ ツ 丼] is similar to Katsudon, but with sliced cabbage and savory sauce instead of egg.
Fish and Sashimi in a Bowl
Kaisendon [海鮮丼] consists of thinly sliced sashimi on rice. Fish roe may also be included.
Hokkaidon [北海丼] consists of thinly sliced raw salmon over rice.
Negitorodon [ネギトロ丼] consists of toro cubes [fatty tuna] and negi [green onion] on rice.
Tekkadon [鉄火丼] consists of thinly sliced raw tuna on rice. Spicy tekkadon is made with what can be a mix of spicy ingredients, a spicy orange sauce, or both [usually incorporates green onion].
Other Donburi
Karēdon [カレー丼] consists of dashi flavored with curry thickened over rice. It was derived from curry udon or curry nanban (a soba dish). Sold in soba and udon restaurants.
Chūkadon [中華丼] consists of a bowl of rice topped with stir-fried vegetables, onions, mushrooms, and thin slices of meat. This dish is similar to chop suey and is sold in cheap Chinese restaurants in Japan.
Tenshindon or Tenshin-han [天津丼 / 天津飯] is a Chinese-Japanese specialty that consists of a crab meat omelet on rice; this dish is named after the city of Tianjin.
Ikuradon [いくら丼] consists of ikura [salmon roe] seasoned on rice.
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