5 Easy Donburi Recipes for Busy Days

"No time today, but I still want a proper meal." That is exactly what donburi (Japanese rice bowls) are for. A single bowl covering both the rice and the main dish, donburi represents the practical side of Japanese food culture at its best.

This article presents five simple donburi recipes you can make with ingredients easily found in Ho Chi Minh City.

1. Oyakodon: The Gentle Classic of Chicken and Egg

Oyakodon takes its name from "oya" (parent, meaning chicken) and "ko" (child, meaning egg). It is the quintessential Japanese rice bowl: dashi-infused sweet-savory broth with silky half-cooked egg over white rice, warm and comforting.

Ingredients (1 serving)

• Cooked rice: 1 large bowl (approx. 250g)
• Chicken thigh: 100g (cut into bite-size pieces)
• Onion: 1/4 piece (thinly sliced)
• Eggs: 2
• Mitsuba or green onion: a little (for garnish)

Simmering broth

• Dashi stock: 100ml
• Soy sauce: 1.5 tablespoons
• Mirin: 1.5 tablespoons
• Sugar: 1 teaspoon

Steps

1. Combine broth ingredients in a small pan or oyako pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat
2. Add onion and cook for 1-2 minutes until softened
3. Add chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes until done
4. Pour in 2/3 of the beaten egg, cover and cook 30 seconds
5. Add remaining egg and turn off heat when still slightly runny
6. Slide over rice and scatter mitsuba to serve

Tip: Adding the egg in two stages creates a beautifully soft, flowing texture.

2. Gyudon: The Golden Pairing of Sweet-Savory Beef and Onion

Gyudon is thinly sliced beef and onion simmered in sweet-savory broth, served over rice. Japan is famous for its gyudon chain restaurants, but it is just as easy to make at home.

Ingredients (1 serving)

• Cooked rice: 1 large bowl (approx. 250g)
• Thinly sliced beef: 100g
• Onion: 1/2 piece (thinly sliced)
• Pickled red ginger (beni shoga): a little (optional)

Simmering broth

• Water: 100ml
• Soy sauce: 2 tablespoons
• Mirin: 2 tablespoons
• Sake: 1 tablespoon
• Sugar: 1 tablespoon
• Dashi powder: 1/2 teaspoon

Steps

1. Add broth ingredients to a pot and bring to a boil over medium heat
2. Add onion and simmer for about 3 minutes until soft
3. Add beef, spread it out, skim any foam, and simmer 5 minutes
4. Serve over rice with beni shoga on the side

Tip: Beef becomes tough if overcooked — reduce heat as soon as it changes color. Thinly sliced beef is available at supermarkets and butcher shops in Ho Chi Minh City.

3. Butadon: Hearty Ginger Pork Bowl

Butadon originates from Obihiro, Hokkaido: pork cooked in a sweet-savory ginger-style tare, served over rice. Pork is easier to find and more economical than beef.

Ingredients (1 serving)

• Cooked rice: 1 large bowl (approx. 250g)
• Thinly sliced pork belly: 100g
• Onion: 1/4 piece (thinly sliced)
• Shredded cabbage: a little (side)

Tare sauce

• Soy sauce: 2 tablespoons
• Mirin: 1 tablespoon
• Sake: 1 tablespoon
• Sugar: 1 tablespoon
• Grated ginger: 1 teaspoon

Steps

1. Mix tare sauce ingredients together
2. Heat oil in a pan, stir-fry pork over medium heat
3. Once pork changes color, add onion and cook until soft
4. Add tare and toss together for 1-2 minutes
5. Place shredded cabbage on rice, then top with pork

Tip: Tube-style ginger paste works fine here. Fresh ginger is available cheaply at local markets in Ho Chi Minh City.

4. Tendon-Style: Quick and Easy with Ready-Made Fried Items

Making tempura from scratch takes time, but using ready-made fried items makes a tendon-style bowl effortlessly quick.

Ingredients (1 serving)

• Cooked rice: 1 large bowl (approx. 250g)
• Ready-made shrimp fry or vegetable tempura: 2-3 pieces
• Shiso leaf (optional): 1

Tentsuyu dipping sauce

• Dashi stock: 100ml
• Soy sauce: 1.5 tablespoons
• Mirin: 1.5 tablespoons
• Sugar: 1 teaspoon

Steps

1. Combine tentsuyu ingredients in a small pot and bring to a boil once
2. Reheat ready-made fried items in an oven or toaster
3. Place rice in bowl and lay shiso leaf on top
4. Arrange fried items, pour tentsuyu over and serve

Tip: Using Japanese frozen tempura from the Farmi app creates an even more authentic tendon experience.

5. Soboro Don: Colorful Two-Tone and Three-Tone Bowls

Soboro don features sweet-savory ground chicken and crumbled scrambled egg (iri tamago) arranged side by side over rice. It stores well and works beautifully in bento boxes.

Ingredients (1 serving)

• Cooked rice: 1 large bowl (approx. 250g)

Chicken soboro

• Ground chicken: 80g
• Soy sauce: 1 tablespoon
• Mirin: 1 tablespoon
• Sugar: 1 teaspoon
• Grated ginger: a little

Iri tamago (crumbled scrambled egg)

• Egg: 1
• Sugar: 1 teaspoon
• Salt: a pinch

Steps (chicken soboro)

1. Combine ground chicken and seasonings in a pan, mix well, then turn on low heat
2. Stir continuously with 4 chopsticks until all liquid evaporates

Steps (iri tamago)

1. Beat egg with sugar and salt
2. Lightly oil a pan, add egg over low heat
3. Stir rapidly with 4 chopsticks to create fine, crumbly scrambled egg

Arrange chicken soboro and iri tamago side by side on rice for a two-tone bowl; add salted boiled green beans for three colors.

Tip: Using 4 chopsticks to stir the soboro creates finer, fluffier texture.

6. The Right Rice and Plating Tips for Donburi

How you cook the rice and present the bowl matters for a great donburi experience.

About the rice

• Slightly firmer rice works better for donburi, since the broth will soften it further
• The stickiness and natural sweetness of Japanese rice creates a unified whole with the broth and toppings

Plating tips

• Scoop rice lightly — do not press it down
• Leave a small rim of white rice visible rather than covering it completely with toppings
• Add garnishes (green onion, mitsuba, sesame) last for a pop of color

7. Summary: Get Japanese Ingredients on the Farmi App

All these donburi are easy to make when you have good Japanese rice and authentic seasonings. Soy sauce, mirin, and dashi are the trio at the heart of every bowl.

To easily get Japanese rice and seasonings in Ho Chi Minh City, the Farmi app is a great option. Order through the Japanese-language app and have everything delivered to your door. Download Farmi and try one of these donburi for dinner tonight.

FAQ

Q. How much rice is the right amount for a donburi? A. A typical donburi uses about 250g of rice (a large bowl). Adjust to 150-200g for children.

Q. Is the simmering broth the same for all donburi? A. The base is always soy sauce + mirin + dashi, but ratios differ by bowl. Oyakodon uses more dashi for a lighter flavor; gyudon leans sweeter.

Q. Can I find thinly sliced beef in Ho Chi Minh City? A. Yes, at supermarkets and Japanese butcher shops. The Farmi app also carries Japanese-quality beef.

Q. Can I make donburi in advance? A. Soboro and iri tamago keep in the fridge for 2-3 days and can be frozen for about 2 weeks. For broth-based donburi (oyakodon, gyudon), prepare the toppings ahead, then reheat and place over freshly cooked rice just before eating.