10 Easy Japanese Recipe Ideas

If you’re craving a taste of Japan but don’t want to wait for your next restaurant visit, I’ve got you covered!

Japanese cuisine is all about balance—light flavors, fresh ingredients, and that satisfying umami kick.

From crispy tempura to comforting miso soup, there’s something here for everyone, whether you’re a seasoned home cook or just dipping your chopsticks into Japanese cooking for the first time.

The best part? These recipes are simple, delicious, and totally doable in your own kitchen.

Let’s dive into some Japanese classics you can whip up with ease!

1. Chicken Teriyaki

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin (sweet rice wine)
• 1 tbsp sake
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, mix soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar until the sugar dissolves.
2. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat and sear the chicken thighs, skin-side down, for 5 minutes. Flip and cook for another 5 minutes.
3. Pour the teriyaki sauce over the chicken, simmer for 3 minutes, and spoon the sauce over the chicken to glaze.
4. Serve with steamed rice and garnish with sesame seeds.

2. Miso Soup

Ingredients:

• 3 cups dashi (Japanese soup stock)
• 3 tbsp miso paste
• 1/2 cup cubed tofu
• 2 tbsp chopped green onions
• 1/4 cup wakame (rehydrated seaweed)

Instructions:

1. Heat the dashi in a pot over medium heat.
2. Dissolve miso paste in a small ladle using a spoon, then mix into the dashi.
3. Add tofu and wakame; simmer for 2 minutes.
4. Serve hot, topped with green onions.

3. Tonkatsu (Japanese Pork Cutlet)

Ingredients:

• 2 pork loin chops
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• Vegetable oil, for frying

Instructions:

1. Season pork chops with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour, dip in beaten egg, and coat with panko.
2. Heat oil in a pan to 350°F (175°C) and fry the cutlets until golden brown (about 4 minutes per side).
3. Serve with shredded cabbage and tonkatsu sauce.

4. Sushi Rolls (Makizushi)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sushi rice
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 nori sheets
• 1 cucumber, julienned
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 100g sushi-grade salmon or imitation crab

Instructions:

1. Cook sushi rice and season with vinegar, sugar, and salt. Let cool.
2. Place a nori sheet on a bamboo mat, spread rice thinly, leaving 1 inch at the top.
3. Add fillings, roll tightly, and slice into pieces. Serve with soy sauce and wasabi.

5. Okonomiyaki (Japanese Savory Pancake)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup dashi
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup shredded cabbage
• 2 strips bacon
• Okonomiyaki sauce, to taste
• Mayonnaise, to taste

Instructions:

1. Mix flour, dashi, and egg into a batter. Fold in cabbage.
2. Heat a skillet over medium heat, pour batter, and top with bacon slices. Cook 3–4 minutes per side.
3. Drizzle with okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise.

6. Onigiri (Rice Balls)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked Japanese short-grain rice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup canned tuna mixed with mayo
• 2 nori sheets, cut into strips

Instructions:

1. Wet hands, sprinkle with salt, and shape rice into a ball. Add tuna mixture in the center, then cover with rice.
2. Wrap with a strip of nori and press gently to secure.

7. Yakitori (Chicken Skewers)

Ingredients:

• 300g chicken thighs, cut into cubes
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp sake
• 1 tbsp sugar
• Wooden skewers, soaked

Instructions:

1. Combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar to make the marinade. Reserve half for glazing.
2. Marinate chicken for 30 minutes, then thread onto skewers.
3. Grill or broil, basting with reserved marinade, until cooked.

8. Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken)

Ingredients:

• 300g chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sake
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 1/2 cup potato starch
• Vegetable oil, for frying

Instructions:

1. Marinate chicken in soy sauce, sake, and ginger for 15 minutes.
2. Coat chicken in potato starch and fry in hot oil until golden brown.

9. Tempura

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 1 egg
• Assorted vegetables (e.g., sweet potato, eggplant)
• Shrimp (optional)
• Vegetable oil, for frying

Instructions:

1. Mix cold water and egg, then sift in flour to create a lumpy batter.
2. Dip vegetables and shrimp in batter and fry at 350°F (175°C) until crispy.

10. Gyudon (Beef Bowl)

Ingredients:

• 200g thinly sliced beef
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 2 tbsp sake
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 cups cooked rice

Instructions:

1. Simmer soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar in a pan. Add onion and cook until soft.
2. Add beef slices and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Serve over rice and garnish with pickled ginger.