Ground Beef Rice Bowl

You may have gone to your local Japanese restaurant and seen Donburimono recipes listed on their menu. They may include beef, chicken, pork, or eel (unagi) mixed with fried vegetables in a soy based sauce either served on top of or with white rice. Now if you're gluten free, these tasty Japanese fast food restaurant standby's are not part of your menu, at least not made commercially.

This version is a quick and easy version that works great for busy lives or just one of those nights when you're craving a trip to Kokoro's like in old times. I've made this version with ground beef, but you can substitute sliced beef, chicken, or pork. Traditionally this dish is served over rice, but you can also eat it on the side like we do at my house. Happy cooking.

Sukiyaki Don


1/2 to 3/4 pound ground beef
1/2 oz (about 1/2 inch) peeled and grated fresh ginger
1 onion, thinly sliced
2-3 carrots, peeled and slivered using a grater
4 dried shiitake mushrooms reconstituted in 1 cup of very hot water, sliced thinly
1 cup additional vegetable: broccoli, zucchini, snow peas, bell peppers, or green beans in 1/2 cup amounts depending on your taste and color preference. (I used peppers and snow peas.)
1/2 block tofu

1 Tablespoon sesame oil, not toasted
1 cup of mushroom water from above mushrooms
4 Tablespoons sake*
2 Tablespoons light brown sugar*
4 Tablespoons Wheat Free Tamari

*If you don't want sake, use 4 Tablespoons of mirin and 1 Tablespoon sugar instead.


In a preheated 12 inch heavy skillet (I use cast iron), add oil and ground beef and saute on medium heat until it changes color. Add the onions, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, and saute until the onions begin to change color.

Add the water from the mushrooms, sake, sugar, tamari, ginger, the rest of the vegetables, and tofu cut into bite sized pieces and cook over medium-low heat for 5-6 minutes.

Divide into individual servings and top with shredded nori if so desired.

Serves 4

op. Can also top with 4 beaten eggs (cook covered for 1 minute) at the last minute before serving. This variation is called tanin don.