With tender beef, potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, and curry roux, this savory and hearty Japanese Beef Curry makes for a fabulous introduction to new curry rice eaters. Adapted to Japanese tastes, it’s mild and sweet with a stew-like consistency. Even children enjoy it thoroughly! You have to give this easy recipe a try.
Japanese Curry Rice or Karē Raisu (カレーライス) is an extremely popular dish for all ages in Japan. We adore our curry so much that it is considered one of the country’s national dishes along with ramen and gyoza! Today, I’m bringing you a most comforting Japanese Beef Curry (ビーフカレー).
This takes a bit of preparation compared to the Japanese Chicken Curry but the end result is totally worth the effort and time. It’s a hearty stew that will satisfy your deepest craving.
Table of Contents
What is Japanese Curry?
In case you’ve never tried Japanese curry, I want to quickly introduce it to you as it is quite different from Indian or Thai curry or any other rendition of curry for that matter.
The dish has a long history in Japan and was in fact introduced by the British Royal Navy during the Meiji Restoration 150 years ago. However, it was not until the early twentieth century that curry became a mainstream staple in Japanese households.
A classic Japanese curry commonly features tender morsels of meat, potatoes, sweet bites of onions and carrots, and a thick brown sauce that whispers in a gentle sweetness.
Although most spice aficionados would describe Japanese curry as mellow, the degree of spiciness varies depending how you’d make it. One can always bring up the chili heat if preferred.
These days you can find many versions of Japanese curry, with some featuring unique local ingredients and produce.
The Key Ingredient: Japanese Curry Roux
To make Japanese curry, the recipes almost always include a box of Japanese curry roux, which can be found at Japanese and Asian supermarkets or in an Asian food aisle at your local grocery stores.
All the curry spices are packed in a form of solid roux resembling a block of baking chocolate. You can find them being labeled according to the spice levels of mild, medium hot, or hot.
Younger children can easily enjoy the “mild” level and now that my kids are older, I mix the mild and the medium-hot for my curries. For those who have toddlers, there is even a Japanese curry roux for toddlers that you may find at Japanese grocery stores.
For those who prefer tingling heat, the “hot” might not be enough for you, but you can certainly punch things up by adding in some cayenne pepper and black pepper.
Adding Flavor Boosters
To avoid “out of the box” taste, it’s very common to mix 2-3 different brands of the Japanese curry roux and add different condiments to enhance the flavor for the curry sauce. We’ll talk more about it in the cooking tip section below.
Homemade Curry Roux
Not a fan of store-bought curry roux? No problem! You can make it from scratch.
You need 4-5 ingredients to make this curry roux: Butter, flour, Japanese curry powder, and garam masala (and cayenne pepper for the spicy version).
When you have time to make curry roux, make a double batch, and store it in the freezer for later use!
How to Make Japanese Beef Curry
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Beef (My top choice is chuck roast; read more later)
- Veggies: onions, potatoes, carrots
- Mushrooms
- Garlic and ginger
- Wine
- Beef stock/broth
- Seasonings: tomato paste, Japanese curry powder, Japanese curry roux, bay leaf, etc
- Optional add-ins: grated apple, milk, Worcestershire sauce
Overview: Cooking Steps
- Cut the onions and start sautéing them until tender and caramelized.
- Meanwhile, cut all the vegetables and beef.
- Sear the beef and add it to the caramelized onion.
- Add the wine, stock, carrots, mushrooms, and seasonings, and cook for 2 hours (add the potatoes 15 minutes prior to finishing cooking in order to save their shape).
- Add Japanese curry roux and serve with rice!
Read the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and more detailed step-by-step instructions.
5 Important Cooking Tips
1. Get Chuck Roast instead of Stew Beef
Butcher counters sell pre-cut stew beef. This cut is more economical because it’s made up of the odds and ends from other different cuts. Chuck roast, on the other hand, is from the shoulder muscles, and while initially quite tough, cubes of chuck roast can break down into tender, succulent, flavorful meat after cooking low and slow.
So, for a delicious Japanese curry (and of course any beef stew recipe), I strongly recommend getting chuck roast.
For really tender meat, it usually takes two hours. Do not rush the cooking process. Otherwise, the beef will be tough and chewy. Make sure there’s enough liquid and keep an eye on the dish.
If you can’t get chuck roast, try round roast, rump roast, or pot roast.
2. Sear the Meat
This is an essential step if you want to make the most flavorful meat. Searing caramelizes the natural sugars in the meat and browns the proteins, forming a bronze crust on the surface that amplifies the savory flavor of the finished dish.
Once the sauce is thickened, you will be rewarded with a delicious curry with tender pieces of meat in a rich, velvety sauce.
3. Caramelize the Onions
When you slow cook the onions over an extended period of time, the natural sugars in the onions caramelize, bringing out their sweetness and making them extremely flavorful. It takes time, but you can always get the other prep work done while sautéing the onions.
4. Personalize Your Curry with Flavor Boosters
The beauty of curry is its room for customization. Every cook has the freedom to enhance and personalize the flavors with different ingredients (some can be unexpected). You can see the full list in my Japanese Chicken Curry recipe, but here are some of my favorite ones:
- Grated apple
- Honey
- Ketchup
- Butter (Add with roux)
- Garlic (Add while sauteeing)
- Ginger (Add while sauteeing)
- Milk
- Red wine
- Soy sauce
- Tonkatsu sauce or Worcestershire Sauce
Pair one or two of the above with the main ingredients of your curry. For example, I don’t use red wine unless it’s for a beef curry. Try out different combinations or change up the proportions to see what you like.
5. Add the Potatoes 15 Minutes Before Finishing
Because the beef needs to be simmered for about 2 hours, I like to add the russet potatoes toward the end of simmering. That way, we’ll retain the shape of the potatoes instead of them being dissolved into the curry sauce.
You can use Yukon gold potatoes, which tend to keep their shape. But I like the floury, light, and fluffy texture of russet potatoes for the curry.
How to Serve the Curry
Japanese curry is almost always served with steamed rice. I have detailed instructions on how to cook Japanese short-grain rice in a pot over the stove, a rice cooker, an Instant Pot, or a donabe (Japanese clay pot).
Serve the steamed rice in half of a shallow bowl, and then add piping-hot curry sauce to fill up the other half of the bowl.
Typically, the Japanese curry is garnished with fukujinzuke (red pickled radish) and rakko (pickled shallots). Put the extra pickles in a bowl/plate on the table so you can add more as you eat.
How to Store Japanese Beef Curry
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight glass container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for a month. The texture of the potatoes will change in the freezer, so I recommend removing them before freezing.
Defrost the frozen curry in the refrigerator for 24 hours and reheat in a pot to serve. If needed, add ¼ to ½ cup (60-120 ml) of water to dilute the curry when reheating.
FAQs
I don’t have 3 hours to make curry. Are there any other recipes that are quicker?
If you want to cut down on the simmering time for beef curry, you can make my Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Japanese Curry recipe.
Or try my Japanese Chicken Curry or Japanese Seafood Curry!
My broth disappeared while cooking!
When you simmer stews like this for a long period of time, it’s very important to use a heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid. The pot I use is Staub brand and their lid seals perfectly. Le Creuset is okay, but I still see some evaporation from the gap between the lid and the pot.
Can I make a vegetarian version?
Japanese curry usually includes a protein of your choice (usually beef, chicken, pork, or seafood), onions, potatoes, and carrots. For a vegetarian option, you can add firm tofu right before you serve just to heat it through. Or make my Vegetarian Japanese Curry that is packed with a colorful medley of veggies!
Why is my meat tough and chewy after cooking?
First, I recommend getting chuck roast instead of stew beef. Beef stew meat is typically made up of the odds and ends from other different cuts. Chuck roast is a pretty tough cut, but after cooking low and slow, it becomes melt-in-your-mouth tender.
Secondly, you do need to cook it for 2 hours as all the beef stew recipes do. Do not rush it. Otherwise, the beef will be tough and chewy. Make sure there’s enough liquid and keep an eye on the dish.
What to Serve with This Japanese Beef Curry Recipe
More Japanese Curry Recipes You’ll Love
- Curry Udon
- Curry Bread (Curry Pan)
- How to Make Japanese Curry Roux
- 15 Japanese Curry Recipes You’ll Love
Wish to learn more about Japanese cooking? Sign up for our free newsletter to receive cooking tips & recipe updates! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram.
Japanese Beef Curry
Video
Ingredients
- 2 onions (large; 1¼ lb, 567 g)
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter (divided)
- 2 Tbsp neutral oil (divided)
- 1 russet potato (11 oz, 309 g)
- 1 carrot (large; 8 oz, 230 g)
- 6 cremini mushrooms (2.6 oz, 80 g)
- ½ tsp ginger (grated, with juice)
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 1¼ lb boneless beef chuck roast
- ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour (plain flour)
- ½ cup red wine
For the Curry Sauce
- ½ Tbsp Japanese curry powder
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste (or ketchup)
- 4 cups beef stock/broth (1 QT; for lower sodium, use water only or half stock and half water)
- ⅛ apple (plus more for sweetness; I use Fuji apple; or substitute 1 Tbsp honey or mango chutney)
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tbsp milk
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 package Japanese curry roux (7–8.4 oz, 200–240 g; or make my Japanese Curry Roux)
For Serving
- 8 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice (1–1½ cups, 180–270 g per serving)
- fukujinzuke (Japanese red pickled vegetables) (optional; make my Homemade Fukujinzuke)
- rakkyo (Japanese pickled scallion) (optional)
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients. Please note that 4 rice cooker cups (720 ml, 3 cups, 600 g) of uncooked rice yield 8¾ cups (1320 g) of cooked rice, enough for 5–8 servings for Japanese curry rice; 5 rice cooker cups yield enough cooked rice for 7–10 servings. See how to cook short-grain rice with a rice cooker, pot over the stove, Instant Pot, or donabe.
To Caramelize the Onions
- Cut 2 onions into thin slices.
- Preheat a large heavy-bottomed pot (I used a 5.5 QT Staub Dutch oven) on medium heat. When the pot is hot, add half of the 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, half of the 2 Tbsp neutral oil, and the onions to the pot. Stir to coat the onions.
- Sauté the onions, stirring occasionally, for about 20–25 minutes. Meanwhile, move on to the next step (but stir the onions and keep an eye on them). When the onions are wilted, reduce the stove‘s heat to medium low (as they tend to burn quickly) and keep cooking. Once the onions are tender, translucent, and a bit caramelized, remove the pot from the heat and set aside until the beef is done searing.
To Prepare the Other Ingredients
- While the onions are sautéing, peel and cut 1 russet potato in thirds.
- Then, cut each piece in half or quarters. To remove the starch, soak the potato pieces in a bowl of water for 15 minutes or until it's time to add them to the pot later on.
- Peel and cut 1 carrot diagonally while rotating it a quarter turn between slices to make random cuts. We call this cutting technique rangiri in Japanese.
- Clean 6 cremini mushrooms and cut them into thin slices. Tip: I use a pastry brush and avoid washing mushrooms as they absorb moisture. However, it‘s okay to quickly rinse them.
- Grate the ginger (I use a ceramic grater) and measure ½ tsp ginger (grated, with juice). Set aside. Then, mince 1 clove garlic (I skip it here as I use a garlic press later).
- Cut 1¼ lb boneless beef chuck roast into 1½-inch (3.8 cm) cubes. Tip: I recommend chuck roast for its tenderness and higher quality. While stew beef is slightly more economical, I don't recommend it because it‘s made up of bits and pieces leftover from carving various cuts, so the meat is not as tender.
- Lightly sprinkle the beef with ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper. Then, lightly coat the meat on all sides with 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour (plain flour).
To Sear the Beef
- Preheat a carbon steel pan or cast iron skillet on medium-high heat. When it's hot, add the remaining half of the oil and butter. Cook the beef in 2 batches. Add the beef cubes in a single layer, making sure not to crowd the skillet; otherwise, the excess moisture in the pan will end up steaming the meat.
- Sear the beef cubes (do not move them) on one side until brown and crusty, about 3–4 minutes, then turn them over to sear the other sides. The meat will release itself from the pan when the surface is seared nicely. Transfer the seared meat to a plate and work on the next batch.
- Once you‘ve seared and transferred all the meat, deglaze the pan. Add ½ cup red wine to the pan and use a wooden blunt-end spatula to scrape and release the flavorful browned bits (the “fond“) that are stuck to the bottom of the pan. Turn off the heat and set aside.
To Cook the Curry
- By now, the onions should be caramelized and ready for the next step. Reheat the pot with the onions on the stove over medium heat. Add the minced garlic (I use a garlic press) and grated ginger.
- Add ½ Tbsp Japanese curry powder and 1 Tbsp tomato paste and sauté for 1 minute.
- Add the seared beef, any juices from the plate, and the deglazed pan liquid to the pot and mix them all together. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, letting the alcohol from the wine evaporate.
- Add the carrots and mushrooms and mix them all together. Add 4 cups beef stock/broth (or half stock/half water) to just cover the ingredients. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and bring it to a boil. Tip: Compared to Le Creuset, I think Staub lids create a great seal that prevents evaporation.
- Once boiling, skim off the scum from the broth's surface. I add water to a 2-cup measuring cup and dip my fine-mesh skimmer in it to rinse off the debris. For full instructions, see my post How To Skim Off the Scum and Fat from Soups and Stocks.
- Grate ⅛ apple and add it to the broth. Then, add 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce and 2 Tbsp milk.
- Add 1 bay leaf and cover the pot with the tight-fitting lid. Simmer on low heat until the meat is tender, about 1 hour and 45 minutes. If you do not have a tight-fitting lid, you may need to add more beef stock or water, enough to just cover the ingredients. Tip: To get tender beef, 2 hours of simmering is standard.
- When the beef is tender, add the potatoes, close the lid, and simmer for 15 minutes until the potatoes are cooked through.
- When the potatoes are tender (and a wooden skewer can pierce through the potato), discard the bay leaf and turn off the heat.
- Add up to 1 package Japanese curry roux off the heat. Put 1–2 cubes of roux in a ladleful of cooking liquid, dissolve it with a spoon or chopsticks, and stir it into the broth to incorporate. Repeat with the remaining roux. Taste as you go and adjust the amount; you may not need to use all of the roux (you can refrigerate or freeze the extra for another use). After adding the curry roux, simmer on the lowest heat, stirring often, for 3–5 minutes until the sauce thickens. Be careful not to burn the sauce! If it‘s too thick, add water to dilute. If it‘s too thin and soupy, uncover the pot and simmer a bit longer.
To Serve
- Serve the cooked Japanese short-grain rice on one half of individual plates or shallow bowls. Spoon the beef curry on the other half. Top with optional fukujinzuke (Japanese red pickled vegetables) and rakkyo (Japanese pickled scallion).
To Store
- Keep the leftovers in an airtight glass container (so no stains!) and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for a month. The texture of the potatoes will change in the freezer, so remove them before freezing. Defrost the frozen curry in the refrigerator for 24 hours before you want to reheat it. If you have any extra roux, keep it in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator or freezer for 1–3 months.
To Reheat
- Leftover curry sauce will thicken into a paste as it cools, so it tends to burn while reheating. To avoid this, stir ½ cup (120 ml) water or more into the leftover sauce until loosened. Then, gently reheat it on low heat. If the sauce seems thin, continue heating with the lid off to reduce the sauce.
Nutrition
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on April 15, 2011. It has been updated with new pictures and video and the recipe instruction was slightly revised on May 15, 2022.
After our recent trip to Japan, I finally made beef curry at the family’s request. Your recipe was instantly a hit, it was savory and delicious. The chuck roast (not cubed stew meat) and the fresh grated apple makes this dish. We wished we were still in Japan. Now that it is getting a bit cooler we are making it again and everyone is looking forward to it.
Hi Sharon! Aww. We are so happy to hear your family enjoyed Nami’s recipe!
Thank you for trying her recipe, and sharing your experience with us. Happy Cooking!
こんにちわ なみ！
This was the best curry I’ve ever had! The flavors all worked so well together it was like a little party in my mouth!
I didn’t see a recipe where it used the Instapot so I followed the directions where I combined the spiced onions and the deglazed sauce with the meat, filled with the beef broth, added the bay leaves, and curry roux blocks. Set it on high pressure for 25mins and it came out amazing! Though I think next time I’m going to add 10mins to get the meat more tender but, still this was incredible!
Hello, Tom. Wow! Your curry photo is amazing! Thank you very much for sharing this with us!
Here’s Nami’s pressure cooker curry recipe. We hope this helps as well. 🤗
https://www.justonecookbook.com/pressure-cooker-japanese-curry/
Konnichiwa Nami,
Made the Beef Curry yesterday, and we loved the many layers of flavor and taste in the sauce.
Thank you for sharing.
Konnichiwa, Carsten! We are so happy to hear you enjoyed this dish!
Thank you for trying Nami’s recipe and providing your feedback. Happy Cooking!
This is a divine recipe! My boys devoured it and want me to make this more often! The taste and fulness of the curry sauce was in point! Lovely dinner!
Hi, Theresa! We are delighted to hear that everyone enjoyed the curry!
Thank you for trying Nami’s recipe and providing such great reviews!
Thank you Nami for this wonderful recipe! I have made this a few times and it is always a hit with friends and family 🙂
One question I have is that sometimes I might not have time to do the dish in one day, or maybe I run out of time, so I have stopped cooking it before I put the potatoes in, leave it overnight, then continue cooking the next day. Do you have any recommendations for a good place to stop and continue cooking this, or would you not recommend doing this at all?
Hello, Hiropon! Thank you for reading Nami’s post and trying out her recipe!
If we need to stop cooking at some point, we’ll do so before adding the potato.
If you have an instant pot or a pressured cooker, that will also save you time. I hope this post helps!🙂
https://www.justonecookbook.com/how-i-use-instant-pot-for-japanese-cooking/
Such a yummy recipe, can not recommend it enough!!
Hi there! Thank you for trying Nami’s recipe!
We are glad to hear you enjoyed her recipe. Thank you so much for your love and support! 🫶🏻
I’ve always been a fan of Japanese curry. All I can say about your recipe is that it’s the best for its flavor, color and smell! However, I’ve replaced beef chunks by minced beef as I will use the curry to make Kare Pan!
Hi Rangsi! We are so happy to hear you enjoyed Nami’s recipe! Thank you for your kind feedback!
Kare Pan sounds great! We hope you enjoy making them. 🤗
https://www.justonecookbook.com/curry-bread/
Can we use white mushrooms for this recipe? The grocer picked up white mushrooms instead of cremini D:
Made this recipe for the first time a few weeks ago and loved it! Now trying to make again but got the wrong mushrooms.
Hello, Steph! Thank you for trying Nami’s recipe!
Yes. You may use white mushrooms. You might find a slight difference in flavor, but it will work!
We hope you’ll love the curry!
I did, it was so delicious!! Thank you!
Hi Steph! We are glad to hear you enjoyed it. Thank you for the review update. We appreciate it. Happy cooking!
このレシピは結構おいしいですが、時間がかかりますのでビーフをスロークックを止めて、プレシャクッカを使用して、一時間ぐらいで出来上がります。プレシャクッカでビーフと25分してから、ジャガイモ入れて、5分。
Hi, Nik! Thank you very much for sharing your experience with us!
Yes! The pressure cooker is ideal for this type of dish.
We hope Nami’s collection of presser cooker recipes inspires you as well. Happy cooking!🤗
https://www.justonecookbook.com/tags/pressure-cooker/
Tried your homemade roux recipe. Great improvement on that over-salty stuff they sell in the stores. Thanks.
Hi Michael! Thank you for trying Nami’s recipe!
We are glad to hear you enjoyed Nami’s homemade roux recipe as well. Thank you for sharing your feedback!
Is there a version where you make this in the instant pot?
Hello, Sijen. Thank you for asking. Yes! Nami has the Instant Pot version of the recipe. Please follow this link and alter the recipe.
https://www.justonecookbook.com/pressure-cooker-japanese-curry/
Thank you for exploring Nami’s recipe!🤗
Can I do it in a slow cooker?
Hello, Jess. Thank you for taking the time to read Nami’s post!
Yes. This curry may be made in a slow cooker. However, for the best results, we recommend following the instructions to prepare the ingredients, sear the beef, and use it only for simmering.
We hope this helps!🙂
Made this and it was wonderful! I love the way these recipes are for two people, and not a hoard.
Hi, Lisa. Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe and providing such nice feedback.
We were happy to see your curry photo and glad to learn that you like the small serving recipe.
Best wishes for your cooking!
hi love all your recipies, can you suggest an alternative to red wine? or if omitted is it ok? thanks
Hi feriyal, Thank you so much for reading Nami’s post and trying her recipe!
You can omit Red wine and use broth or water instead. We hope you enjoy this dish! 😊