One Pot Nikujaga – Japanese Beef and Potato Stew Recipe
One Pot Nikujaga is a traditional Japanese beef and potato stew that features tender thinly sliced beef, hearty potatoes, shirataki noodles, and vegetables simmered in a savory broth made with dashi, soy sauce, sake, and mirin. This comforting dish is simple to prepare in one pot, delivering rich flavors and a wholesome meal perfect for any day.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 3 servings 1x
- Category: Stew
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Japanese
- Diet: Low Calorie
Ingredients
Scale
Meat
- 150 g thinly sliced beef
Vegetables
- 3 medium potatoes, diced (350 g / 12.34 oz)
- 1 small carrot
- 1 onion, quartered (white or brown)
- 1 handful green beans, roughly chopped (or substitute snow peas or asparagus)
Noodles
- 100 g shirataki noodles (usually half a packet / 3.52 oz konnyaku/konjac low cal noodles; can substitute sweet potato noodles)
Liquids & Sauces
- 2 ½ cups dashi stock (2.5 tsp dashi powder + 625 ml / 1.3 pints water)
- ¼ cup soy sauce + 1 tbsp (65 ml / 2.19 fl oz)
- ¼ cup sake (or substitute Chinese rice wine, 30 ml / 1.35 fl oz)
- 2 tbsp mirin
Others
- 3 tbsp sugar (45 g / 1.58 oz)
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
Instructions
- Prepare Noodles: Remove shirataki noodles from the packet and cut roughly in half. Place them in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let them soak for a few minutes to reduce odor and soften; then drain 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, allowing the beef to absorb the flavors for another 1-2 minutes.
- Add Vegetables and Noodles: Add diced potatoes, sliced carrot, and quartered onion to the pan. Mix well and then stir in the drained shirataki noodles. Continue frying everything together for another 1-2 minutes to incorporate flavors.
- Add Dashi Stock and Simmer: Pour the prepared dashi stock into the pan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low to simmer.
- Cook and Skim Foam: As the stew simmers, scoop off any foam or impurities from the surface using a spoon. Stir gently, then cover with a lid or otoshibuta (Japanese drop lid). If you don’t have a drop lid, aluminum foil or a paper towel can be used as a cover. Continue simmering for about 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork or chopstick.
- Add Green Beans and Finish Cooking: Remove the lid and scatter the green beans on top of the stew. Let them cook on the residual heat for about 1 minute before turning off the stove.
- Serve or Store: Serve the Nikujaga immediately while warm, or let it cool before refrigerating. Reheat gently on low heat to allow the flavors to meld beautifully over time.
Notes
- For a vegetarian version, substitute beef with mushrooms and use vegetable broth instead of dashi stock.
- Shirataki noodles are low-calorie konjac-based noodles that add texture without extra carbs.
- The otoshibuta helps evenly cook the ingredients and prevent overcooking by gently pressing them during simmering.
- You can adjust the sugar and soy sauce according to your taste preference for sweetness or saltiness.
- Leftover Nikujaga tastes better the next day as flavors deepen.
Keywords: Nikujaga, Japanese beef stew, one pot meal, shirataki noodles, potato stew, Japanese comfort food
