Weeknight Meal Ideas: Easy Japanese recipes for a quick, reliable dinner you can make for the family at the end of a long day.
What do you make on those nights when you’re tired but still just want something nourishing & healthy for the family? If you love a quick dinner like I do on most days, here are some family-friendly Japanese recipes that are tasty yet easy-to-follow.
These recipes are perfect for weeknight meals as they can be prepped in less than 1 hour! They are my go-to rotations, so I hope they will help you plan your meals as well.
15 Easy Japanese Recipes for Weeknight Meals
1. Easy Fried Rice (Gluten-Free) 基本のチャーハン
When comes to a weeknight meal, we can always count on fried rice for a fool-proof dinner. Bursting with flavor, this classic Fried Rice recipe with ham, egg, and green onion is a delicious one-pan meal that you can whip up under 20 minutes.
2. Teriyaki Salmon 鮭の照り焼き
This easy homemade Teriyaki Salmon is cooked in soy sauce, sake, and mirin. If you buy salmon as a whole fish, you can fillet it the Japanese way. It helps to cook faster and absorb the flavors quickly. Not a seafood fan? Try Chicken Teriyaki or Beef Teriyaki.
3. Yaki Udon 焼うどん
Fat, chewy udon noodles stir-fried with vegetables and your choice of protein, this Yaki Udon is a keeper for the noodle lovers. It’s a great meal to use up your leftover too.
4. Easy Wafu Pasta with Shrimp and Asparagus 海老とアスパラの和風パスタ
Pasta is always a good call for a weeknight meal. Seasoned with soy sauce and flavorful dashi broth, this Japanese-style wafu pasta with shrimp and asparagus is a delicious option than the usual tomato-based pasta.
5. Stir Fry Vegetables 野菜炒め
Loaded with plenty of vegetables and your choice of protein, this Stir fry Vegetables (Yasai Itame) makes a well-rounded weeknight meal. Not only everything comes together in less than 30 minutes, but it’s also a great way to use up any leftovers.
6. Omurice (Omelette Rice) オムライス
A really popular Japanese Yoshoku (Japanese fusion) recipe, Omurice is one of my children’s favorite meals. The rice is pan-fried with ketchup and chicken, then wrapped in a thin layer of egg. When there is leftover rice, it’s a perfect single-plate meal to prepare the next day.
7. Salmon in Foil 鮭のホイル焼き
This Salmon in Foil recipe is packed with Omega-3 Fatty Acids from the fish and healthy nutrients from the vegetables. A healthy yet flavorful dinner dish that we all need to power through a busy week. It’s incredibly easy and versatile to make too.
8. Soba Noodle Salad 蕎麦サラダ
Enjoyed chilled or at room temperature, this Soba Noodle Salad makes a healthy choice when you are looking for a quick, light meal.
9. Oyakodon (Chicken and Egg Bowl) 親子丼
Oyakodon is one of the easy dishes I learned at the home-making class in middle school. If you have older children at home, this would be a fun dish to teach them. It’s a classic Donbori dish, where the beaten egg and chicken pieces are simmered in sweet soy dashi sauce and served over white rice.
10. Gyudon (Beef Bowl) 牛丼
Gyudon (Beef Bowl) is comfort food for the Japanese. Simple ingredients such as onion, sliced beef, and eggs, are tossed into a hot frying pan for a quick cook. In 15 minutes, you’d get to serve some delicious rice bowl for dinner.
11. Baked Tonkatsu 揚げないとんかつ
When you feel like you’re stuck in the usual dinner rut, this Baked Tonkatsu (Japanese pork cutlet) will shake things up a little. The best part is you don’t need to deep fry the meat to achieve the crispy crust and tender, juicy texture. You can also try Crispy Baked Chicken or Crispy Salmon in replace of pork.
12. Mapo Tofu 麻婆豆腐
Craving for some spicy food on the weeknight? This Japanese-version of Mapo Tofu is a lot milder than the Sichuan-style mapo tofu, yet it is flavorful enough that even both adults & children can enjoy it.
13. Honey Soy Sauce Chicken はちみつ醤油チキン
Marinated in sake, soy sauce, and honey, these Honey Soy Sauce Chicken can be prepped the night before. When you’re ready to cook, pop them into the oven while you prepare a simple salad or miso soup to serve along.
14. Ginger Pork (Shogayaki) 豚の生姜焼き
Although you can find Ginger Pork (Shogayaki) at most of the Japanese restaurants in the US, it is a simple dish to make at home. You want to use thinly sliced pork loin or sukiyaki meat to cook. The sweet garlic ginger sauce makes it a delicious savory dish to go with shredded cabbage.
15. Yakisoba Recipe 焼きそば
A classic Japanese stir-fried noodles – Yakisoba. You can literally add any ingredients to make your own version of Yakisoba.
MORE EASY JAPANESE RECIPES?
- 15 Easy Japanese Salad Recipes
- 26 Pantry-Led Japanese Recipes Everyone Can Make
- Meal Prep DIY Bowls
- Under 30-Minutes Recipes
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[…] this can be a great way to help them discover new cuisines and cultures. Imagine your loved one trying Japanese cuisine for the first […]
Hello Nami,
I just want to thank you for adding the email option to the way I can save and share your recipes. I noticed the option a while ago and didn’t take the time to thank you. I’m sure others will use the option as well.
Thanks for all the recipes and information you share. I always looks forward to your emails.
We’ve had a huge amount of snow here in Ottawa this winter – records have been set! I’m looking forward to spring. Hope you’re having a good winter. It will be a while before we see any cherry blossoms – or other flowers. Ottawa has a Tulip Festival that many people come to enjoy. Right now there’s a deep blanket of snow that I hope will melt gradually so there won’t be flooding.
We have a holiday on Monday – Family Day. Don’t know if you have a holiday weekend in the US but hope you enjoy it even if it’s just a two day one.
Best wishes,
Regina
Hi Regina! Yes, I remember your request! No, thank YOU for requesting it because I assume there are other people feeling the same way (in fact, there was another person asking for the same option). We had to give up on social media sharing counter (the button also shows how many times pinned or shared on facebook etc), but I thought I would give up that option for this email option. 🙂 Who cares how many times the recipe has been shared… it’s probably just me. LOL.
I’m glad to hear you enjoy my recipes and emails. Thank you for your kind words!
Happy Family Day on Monday! Here we have the President’s Day (not an official holiday) and kids’ schools are off for a week for mid-winter break. We’re heading to Utah State to ski. 🙂 Hope spring will come soon in Ottawa (I would love to visit one day!!!). xo
Thank you so much for the awesome recipes! I usually have a lot of work, and after which I also have to tend to my garden, so I rarely have time to cook a decent dinner. But your recipes make my life so much easier now. I can cook these in less than an hour, and my family like them lots. And these dishes are healthy too, so I don’t have to worry about my kids either.
Thanks for your kind words, Nancy! Hope you enjoy cooking these recipes. 🙂
YOU ARE VERY INTELEGENT YOUR FOOD LOOK VERY NICE EVERY THING LOOK VERY NEED AND CLEAN I LIKE IT VERY MUCH I AM PAKISTANI MY NAME DEEDAR ALI MY E- MAIL ADDRESS DOWN STAIRS
Thank you for your kind words, Deedar!
Do you have a recipe for beef Won Tons, Egg Rolls, Sukiyaki, one more please Curry Rice??
Hi Tracy! Yes, I do have all the recipes.
Wontons (Use ground beef): https://www.justonecookbook.com/shrimp-pork-wonton/
Egg Rolls (Harumaki): https://www.justonecookbook.com/harumaki/
Sukiyaki: https://www.justonecookbook.com/sukiyaki/
Japanese curry: https://www.justonecookbook.com/simple-chicken-curry/ (I have several curry recipes)
So delicious and easy. I had a Japanese exchange student stay for a week and she didn’t want to leave because of every night when it was dinner time.It was hilarious how she ate down that salmon fried rice. Hahahaha!!!!!
Isabelle
Hi Isabelle! Hahaha, she must have felt at home! I’m so happy to hear you all had a wonderful meal time every night! When being away from home, having a comfort food is really appreciated. You’re so sweet! I have my host-family experience, so it means a lot to me too! 🙂
I love Japanese meals. They’re healthy & delicious. Arigatou Nami san ^^
Hi じゅりあな! Thank you for reading my blog!
Thank you so much for all of these recipes! I have just come back from studying abroad in Japan for a year and am missing 日本料理 so much! I am thinking to try out the Tonkatsu recipe you have tonight :-).
Hi Monica! Oh wow, studying abroad in Japan for a year! I hope I can send my kids there one day too. I hope you had a wonderful time and got to try many different dishes. 🙂 Hope you enjoy(ed) the Tonkatsu recipe! xo
I love japanese food
Thanks Rema! I’m so happy to hear that!
These are amazing recipies.. My sister and I are huge japanese fans and ive always wanted to try yakisoba , okonomoyaki and udon since i read it in my manga all the time.. so thanks for the yummy ideas.. 😀
Thank you Chris! Hope you and your sister will enjoy recipes on my blog! Thank you for writing!
I just wanted to say thank you for sharing these recipes! As a working mom of 2 young kids (ages 1 and 2), and a husband who travels out of town each week, I love these recipes because I only have a few minutes to get food on the table when I come home. Plus, I like how you incorporate a lot of veggies (like in the chicken meatballs and korokke) so they get some extra nutrition too. Thank you for sharing this yumminess!
Hi Wendy! Thank you for reading my blog! I love veggies and Japanese food usually includes lots of veggies for balanced diet. I hope to share more quick and easy recipes for working moms/dads! Thank you for your kind words!
Hi Nami
Prior to your blog I’ve been recycling the same 10-12 recipes. Now I probably cook from your recipes about once or twice a week. My family loves your simple dishes. Almost everything has been a hit and given me more confidence in the kitchen.
I just wanted to say thanks and keep up the good work!
Jimmy
Hi Jimmy! Aww I’m so happy to hear you and your family enjoy my recipes! Thank you very much for taking your time to write such a kind feedback. I truly appreciate your encouraging words. 🙂
Hi Nami. I’m a subscriber to your newsletter and would like to know, can you recommend a Sake to use? There are so many to chose from. It would mainly be for recipes that call for it. Love your recipes. Good luck on your re-modeling……Koa
Hi Koa! Thank you for subscribing to my newsletter and for your kind words! I recommend a few here in my Pantry page: https://www.justonecookbook.com/pantry/sake/ Should be around $5 (sometimes on sales!).
Hi Nami, the info for the okonomiyaki and oyakodon are switched ^^
I really like this list, and have bookmarked the recipes. They’d make great leftovers for bento ideas too.
Hi Kiley! Ahhhh! Thank you so much for letting me know. I just fixed it. You’re so kind, thank you!! Yes I often need to make extra so that I can pack kids’ bentos. 🙂 Hope you enjoy!
Thank you for sharing your quick meal recipes and ideas! I think we’re all busy nowadays, and having something quick and nutritious to prepare helps in a big way!
Thank you Donna! Yes, I used to think ahead of time and defrost meat/seafood but sometimes I have to buy on the way home from somewhere because I don’t have enough defrosting time. =P Hope you have a wonderful week ahead, Donna!