One Pot Nikujaga – Japanese Beef and Potato Stew Recipe
One Pot Nikujaga is a classic Japanese comfort stew combining tender thinly sliced beef, soft potatoes, carrots, and shirataki noodles simmered in a flavorful broth of dashi, soy sauce, sake, mirin, and sugar. This hearty dish is easy to prepare in a single pot and offers warming flavors perfect for any season.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 3 servings 1x
- Category: Stew
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Japanese
- Diet: Low Fat
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Vegetables
- 150 g thinly sliced beef
- 3 medium potatoes, diced (about 350 g / 12.34 oz)
- 1 small carrot
- 1 onion, quartered (white or brown)
- 1 handful green beans, roughly chopped (substitute with snow peas or asparagus)
Noodles
- 100 g shirataki noodles (about half a packet / 3.52 oz, konnyaku/konjac low calorie noodles, can substitute sweet potato noodles)
Broth and Seasonings
- 2 ½ cups dashi stock (2.5 tsp dashi powder + 625 ml / 1.3 pints water)
- ¼ cup soy sauce + 1 tbsp extra (65 ml / 2.19 fl oz)
- ¼ cup sake (30 ml / 1.35 fl oz, can substitute Chinese rice wine)
- 3 tbsp sugar (45 g / 1.58 oz)
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Instructions
- Drain shirataki noodles: Remove shirataki noodles from the packet and roughly cut in half. Place in a bowl and cover with boiling water for a few minutes to rinse and soften. Drain well and set aside.
- Brown the beef: Heat vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the thinly sliced beef strips and fry for 1–2 minutes until browned. Pour in soy sauce, sake, sugar, and mirin, and let the meat absorb the flavors over 1–2 minutes.
- Add vegetables and noodles: Add diced potatoes, carrot, and quartered onion to the pan and mix. Then add the drained shirataki noodles and fry everything together for another 1–2 minutes.
- Add dashi stock and simmer: Pour in the prepared dashi stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low-medium to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Skim foam and cover: Use a spoon to scoop off any foam that forms on the surface, then gently stir. Cover the pot with a lid or a Japanese otoshibuta (drop lid). Alternatively, cover with aluminum foil or a paper towel to allow even cooking.
- Simmer until tender: Let the stew simmer for about 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and cooked through. Check doneness using a fork or chopstick.
- Add green beans: Remove the lid and place the chopped green beans on top. Allow them to cook for about one minute to retain a slight crunch.
- Serve or store: Serve the Nikujaga immediately hot, or allow it to cool and refrigerate for later. Reheat gently on low simmer to let flavors develop even more over time.
Notes
- Shirataki noodles can be substituted with sweet potato noodles or konnyaku if unavailable.
- Dashi stock can be made from powder or prepared fresh using kombu and bonito flakes.
- The green beans add color and a fresh texture, but snow peas or asparagus can be used for variation.
- Adjust sugar amount to taste if you prefer a less sweet stew.
- Use a Japanese otoshibuta (drop lid) for authentic cooking; aluminum foil or a heavy paper towel also works.
Keywords: Nikujaga, Japanese beef stew, potato stew, shirataki noodles, one pot meal, dashi broth, comfort food
