My husband has traveled out of town for a few days now and he won’t be back for another week. Days like this I prefer cooking meals that do not require tedious food preparation. After all this is my little break from cooking multi-dish dinners! The kids and I have been eating one plate/bowl meals like soups, pasta and Japanese rice bowls (donburi) such Tekka Don (Tuna Bowl).
Since the main ingredient of this dish is the tuna, I hope you can buy good quality sushi/sashimi-grade tuna from a Japanese grocery store. You can buy a block of tuna and slice into thin pieces yourself for this recipe (use a very sharp knife to cut sashimi). For today, I bought pre-cut tuna pieces called Maguro Butsugiri (chopped tuna). Usually this part of tuna doesn’t look pretty enough to be used as sushi or sashimi. However, it’s just as tasty and more economical.
Serve with Clam Miso Sup, Pickled Cucumbers and Pickled Daikon.
The best part is that it’s not only easy to makes since there is no actual “cooking” involved, but it’s really delicious and quite filling. If you’re not a fan of tuna, try Salmon and Ikura Don.
If you are not a fan of raw fish then you can make other easy Rice Bowl dishes for quick dinner meals. So far on the blog, I have shared:
Unagi Don (Unadon)
Kakiage Don (Tempura Don)
Chicken Katsu Don
Pork Curry Don
Teriyaki Pork Loin Salad Donburi
Beef Donburi with Shiso Garlic Soy Sauce
Soboro Don (Ground Chicken Bowl)
Eggplant & Unagi Donburi
Crispy Tonkatsu Donburi
Oyakodon (Chicken & Egg Bowl)
Gyudon (Beef Bowl)
Chinese Style Karaage Don
Unagi Chazuke
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- ¼ lb sashimi-grade tuna (maguro) (¼ lb = 110 g) (thinly sliced or cut into small cubes/chunks)
- 1- 1½ cup cooked Japanese short grain rice
- 1 green onion/scallion
- white sesame seeds (roasted/toasted)
- Kizami Nori (shredded seaweed)
- 5 Shiso leaves (Ooba)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp mirin
- 1 tsp sake
Gather all the ingredients.
- In a bowl marinade the tuna with the seasonings for 3-5 minutes.
- Place the tuna on top of steamed rice that has been cooled down for 2-3 minutes.
- Sprinkle chopped scallions, shredded nori seaweed, and roasted white sesame seeds. You can put julienned shiso leaves on top (optional). Serve immediately.
Recipe by Namiko Chen of Just One Cookbook. All images and content on this site are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without my permission. If you’d like to share this recipe on your site, please re-write the recipe and link to this post as the original source. Thank you.
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Jen @ Savory Simple
If only I had this for dinner!
kat
mmm!
Hannah
Gorgeous, mouthwatering photos, Nami! This is on our dinner menu for this week. We are crazy for raw tuna in our house so I know it’ll be a hit. I look forward to your daikon pickles.
Lisa {AuthenticSuburbanGourmet}
What a lovely dish! My hubby would simply ADORE this and eat the entire thing. Happy New Year!!!!
Belinda @zomppa
No cooking deliciousness? I’m sold!
Ashley - baker by nature
Nami!!! This looks so gorgeous and refreshing; I want to eat it all up!
Hotly Spiced
What a colourful and pretty dish, Nami, and I just love your presentation – very appetising xx
Allison (Spontaneous Tomato)
This looks gorgeous, and so delicious! I love tekkadon, and I just recently found a great new-ish place in Santa Barbara to buy sashimi-grade fish, too! (I just bought some salmon for making maki-zushi tonight.) I will definitely try this out after one of my next visits to the seafood shop. 🙂
A_Boleyn
I wish I could access sashimi grade tuna like yours but in the meantime I’ll just have to admire your wonderful pictures.
nancy
Oishi Oishi
! So easy and so delicious. My six year old grandson loves maguro and thats what he wants when we go to dinner at our favorite Japanese restaurant. My granddaughter who is three loves inari and tomago. I will attempt your tomago recipe. Good thing there are pictures for that recipe. Thank you so much for wonderful recipes.
Nami
Hi Nancy! My kids love sushi and sashimi too. 🙂 Good luck with Tamagoyaki. It requires some practice. I’ve been making since high school but sometimes I fail if I don’t make it for a while. 🙂 There are so many things to watch out for while cooking. Don’t give up if first attempt is not good. You will know what to improve next time. 🙂 Thank you so much for your kind feedback, Nancy!
Sandra
This would not be quick and easy for me, I’d be a nervous wreck. Your dishes are always so gorgeous and tempting Nami.
Jenn and Seth
my mouth is watering looking at these photos – soooo yummy Nami!
Candice
I love tuna! Is this also the same marinade used to make tuna poki?
Nami
Hi Candice! No, it’s different, but this one is even simpler. 🙂
[email protected]
Such a lovely, simple dish! This must have wonderful flavor! I think I’ll have both a tuna and a salmon bowl. ; -) Great photos, great post – thanks.
Sandra's Easy Cooking
I don’t mind raw fish as you know, but it’s hard around here for me to find really good or better said really fresh tuna. Your dish looks mouthwatering and so tempting with the beautiful color. Great photos too!
Kristy
I was just telling my sister last night that I LOVE tuna. I could eat raw tuna every day if it weren’t for the mercury factor. My favorite maki rolls always involve tuna too. I have no doubts that I would love this dish. I hope time without the hubby is going well. I know how exhausting that can be! 🙂
Rowena @ Apron and Sneakers
That seriously makes me drool Nami! So simple yet so good!
Eri
Oh Nami, how beautiful is this plate, It;s truly amazing my friend!
Hugs and Kisses!
Eha
What a beautiful simple dish I believe I could eat every second day! Will file the recipe ’cause getting sashimi grade tuna 100 km into the Oz countryside is a wee bit of a dream 🙂 ! But friends do come from the city and ask what they can bring: go the Sydney Fishmarket, I’ll say :d !
Nami
Thank you Eha! You have a very sweet friend! Hope you get to enjoy this one day. 🙂
Yudith @ Blissfully Delicious
Hi Nami – happy Belated new Year! Sorry I have been MIA – and now I am just getting back to it. Gorgeous photos as usual, and delicious recipe. Take care.
Mel
Oh my, that bowl of easy tuna looking so inviting to me. I loves one bowl meal too because sometimes we tends to get lazy to cook up a storm. Good to have the hb away for a day or two so we can cook our favorites when our favorites is not the hb favorites.
Lorely @ Butter Love Affair
These look even better than those in restaurants! 🙂 Nami, may I ask what those leaves arereally for..when I eat sashimi over rice in Japanese restaurants, they have that and I have not even tried to eat them…haha! 🙂 Also, the soy sauce that will be used to marinate the tuna in, are they the sashimi soy sauce, or just soy sauce? 🙂
Nami
Hi Lorely! I know a lot of people don’t eat it when they see shiso leaf on sushi plate/bowl, etc, but that’s edible and has good nutrition too. Instead of eating it alone, try it with some food first. I like to roll shredded daikon with the leaf and eat it. Also about soy sauce, you can use sashimi soy sauce or regular soy sauce. 🙂
Barbara Leckstein
Absolutely gorgeous plating. How long does the tuna have to marinate? This recipe will be on the menu this week – we live by the ocean and fresh, fresh, fresh seafood is always available.
Nami
Hi Barbara! Thank you for noticing. I updated my recipe, but you just need to marinade 3-5 minutes. If you prefer to make it saltier maybe 30 mins at most? For my kids, I just mix it up and take it out. Hope this helps. I’m so jealous of your area which gets fresh seafood!!
Vicki Bensinger
Nami this looks wonderful and refreshing.
Malou | Skip to Malou
oh my oh my.. i wish i could reach out and grab a piece or maybe twoe pieces… or better yet, will have the entire bowl hihi.
lovely presentation as always Nami!
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
Such a gorgeous presentation, Nami! You are lucky to have access to such fresh tuna!
Shut Up and Cook
Oh my goodness…I am instantly craving this! Tuna bowls are one of my favorite things…I used to work right next door to this place that made delicious ones. Might be time to hike back across town tomorrow and go get another. Or even better…try this recipe and make my own!
Stephanie @ Eat. Drink. Love.
This looks so pretty! I love tuna. Gorgeous photos, as always!
Mandy - The Complete Cook Book
This is an incredible meal Nami.
🙂 Mandy
albertocook
I love this
Raymund
I may not crave for kastu like I said earlier but now I am craving for tuna.
hui
this looks so gorgeously yummy, i can’t help but drool! ^^
My Kitchen Stories
Oh yum. Nami this looks so good. So easy but so tasty
The Ninja Baker
Lovely light and healthy way to start off 2013! Thank you, Nami-san for sharing your tekka-don how-to =)
P.s. Great tip about buying maguro butsugiri.
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
Nami, you’ll laugh but I made something very similar to this for New Year’s Eve but it was a Mexican/Japanese dish! It was inspired by a restaurant’s food. I chuckled because the ingredients list is so similar 🙂
Jenny
brilliantly simple, Nami, like so many of your dishes. Looks wonderful!
CCU
That bowl looks like a gourmet dish my friend 😀
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Elizabeth @Mango_Queen
This is amazing. I didn’t realize it takes less time to prepare an easy tuna bowl. I’ll bookmark this and try it when I get good tuna from the market. Thanks for sharing, Nami!
Ramona
Most mother’s would buy pizza when their hubby is out of town.. but you make this beautiful dish and still say it’s an meal. I love how beautiful the tuna steak looks. I am sure you are enjoying your little “break”.
claire @ the realistic nutritionist
I wish I could find tuna that fresh around me! It’s so stunning!
Liz
Oh, gosh, I AM a ran of raw fish…especially tuna! I need hubby to go out of town so I can make this…LOL…
Monet
Look at those colors! Could you come make this for us?? Thank you for sharing with us. I hope you have a great start to your week. Stay healthy, happy, and warm!
Chef and Sommelier
Wow Nami! I love Japanese food because of the fresh seafood as ingredients… and this post just reaffirms that love!!!
Sissi
If my fish shop wasn’t far, I would go out straight away to buy some tuna! That is if I got such nice-looking piece… (They have been selling recently really disgusting looking brownish, although fresh, tuna). Tuna is my absolute favourite as raw fish and I usually prefer it raw than grilled. I also often prepare something on rice when I want to make a quick meal, but this idea is extraordinary! Oh, and there is also shiso! Definitely my kind of dish. I could have shiso in every single meal of the day.
Carolyn Jung
This is one of my fave go-to meals, too. So easy. And so good for you.
[email protected]
Love, love, love this dish Nami. I am a big fan of tuna like this. Great tip will have to look if I can get this more economical version. Even better then a cooked meal I say.
Patty
Hi Nami! I want this for lunch;-) It looks easy, now I have to find a beautiful piece of tuna and my dream lunch will be complete;-)
Kitchen Belleicious
well now doesnt that bowl look like a pot of wonder! The tuna perfect in color and size and love the added sesame seeds, scallions and shreds of seaweed! This looks fantastic
natalie
I love fresh tuna! This meal looks so delicious and healthy, my kinda meal!
Belinda @zomppa
I want this for dinner! Looks so fresh!
Lail | With A Spin
Looks delicious!
Dara
I am craving fish right now and this tuna bowl is not helping! Looks super yummy.
Feast Your Eyes!
Any brand of knives that are notorious for being sharp? I need a nice sharp knife anyway. I want to try and make this delicious meal!
Nami
I use a sashi knife from Japan when I cut raw fish. We have J.A. Henckels knives, but no matter what kind of knifes you use (sure we can buy very expensive one for great quality), I think most important thing to do is to sharpen. It makes SO MUCH difference when you sharpen your knife so I highly recommend you to get a knife sharpener too. Hope this helps!
[email protected]
This looks so good! Gorgeous pictures, too!
The Squishy Monster
This looks so incredibly fresh and beautiful, Nami!
Valerie Brunmeier
This is a beautiful dish! I love donburi and had no idea you had posted so many. I will have to go take a look. I have to admit, I’m not very adventurous when it comes to raw fish but my boys and my husband love it. They would go crazy for this!
Christine @ Cooking Crusade
What a fabulous light dinner – with such fresh flavours. Great for summer over here in Sydney at the moment!
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef
I wonder why women do this? I do the same thing. If my husband is away, it’s really simple cooking for me. I love to cook and when he’s gone I could cook anything – especially things he doesn’t enjoy but I don’t. I must investigate this. 🙂
Your one bowl delight is beautiful!
Mich Piece of Cake
Hi Nami, I have never tried raw tuna, only raw salmon… wonder what is the difference in texture/taste between the two types of fish. I guess I can make a salmon bowl too with this recipe.
Rhonda
That looks so delicious, I love salmon – raw or cooked! Have a great week!
mjskit
I love raw fish, tuna especially! One of the items we order at the sushi bar is a spicy tuna salad. It has large chunks of raw tuna like you’re showing here. What a great little rice bowl and I love the simple sauce. O.K. – now I definitely need to find me some sushi grade tuna! So good!
peachy @ The Peach Kitchen
I eat raw fish but not really a fan. Maybe just around a bite or two.
Linda | The Urban Mrs
Gulp – those must be big fat tuna. Love it! We sometimes have buffet so we can enjoy tuna and salmon sashimi. But now that you share the recipe here, I think we can limit our visits for sashimi buffet. 🙂
Rena
Hi Nami,most of your recipes include soya sauce
was wondering suppose to be Light Or Dark Soya
Sauce?
Thanks!
Nami
Hi Rena! Japanese soy sauce doesn’t have light or dark kind. We have Usukuchi soy sauce which is a weak flavor and light color one, but the consistency is about the same. You can use regular soy sauce (Koikuchi soy sauce) for this. Hope this helps! 🙂
Ella-Home Cooking Adventure
This is looking incredible. I don’t have access to fresh tuna but as soon as I have the chance I will definitely try the recipe:)
[email protected]
What a lovely little dish! This looks gorgeous! I am OK with eating raw tuna in a restaurant, but I am not as confident of it at home. But I would love to try this one. Now all I need are the rest of the ingredients.
I haven’t been able to locate a Japanese store closer to my home…nearest that I’ve found is about 35 miles. I am planning to visit that one soon.
Kristi Rimkus
My mom adores tuna. I’m sending this recipe along to her in hopes she’ll make it for me!
Eva Taylor
This is something I could eat every day. I adore the taste and texture of raw tuna and Salmon, and they taste so healthy too. Sashimi grade fish is never economical in our parts, so this would definitely be a special occasion meal or coarse.
Helene Dsouza I Masala Herb
I would love your tuna tekkadon right now Nami. Usually I don’t like fresh tuna meat, I have to confess I am used to the canned stuff, but I like the tuna marination and salad all together. I think so I ll tell my husband to get some fresh tuna next time.
donna mikasa
Oh, this is like our Hawaiian poké bowl! Such a healthy, nutritious all in one meal! Yum!
Nami
Yes very similar! Thank you Donna! 🙂
yummychunklet
I LOVE fresh, raw tuna. This looks delicious.
Kim Bee
Nami this is stunning. The photos are spectacular. You always make me so hungry.
nipponnin
I love it with lots and lots of shiso leaves like yours. I wish I have tekkadon right now. You make me hungry.
Juliana
Oh Nami, your tuna bowl looks so good, that I almost forgot that I am looking at the computer…beautiful shots.
Have a great week my dear!
Balvinder
My husband does not go out often but when ever he does I do the same.
This tuna bowl sounds delicious and simple. I have tried cured salmon in sushi but I don’t know what you mean by raw here?
Nazneen|Coffee and Crumpets
Your pictures are so beautiful that even though I am not a fan of seafood, I would try this in a heartbeat. The tuna looks so fresh and vibrant. Gorgeous! Why is that when our men go away we choose not to cook? I mean we write about food and obviously enjoy cooking…it’s strange isn’t it?
Nazneen xx
[email protected]
Nami…I saw this float by me on Google and just had to come by for a closer look! What a simple and satisfying dish….and such a beautiful presentation! You think this is a quick and easy meal….but to me….it looks like such a special treat! : )
Denise Browning
Beautiful dish, Nami! Its freshness and bright red color is very appealing plus how quick is prepared. xx
tigerfish
Ha, when my hb is out of town I am also more “relaxed’ as I find it easy to cook for myself. The only “danger” is I get so lazy that I tend to cook a lot of one-pot (eat for days) meals or one-dish or sandwiches. See, so predictable! ;p
Purabi Naha
You know Nami, this dish reminds me of those Japanese restaurants in Hong Kong where we had scrumptious seafood almost every weekend (we LOVE Japanese food). This tuna dish looks so inviting! Loved the pictures. I love eating tuna, but we only get canned tuna here in India. 🙁
Wonderful post! I agree with you, whenever my hubby is on a trip, I do the same. Simple one-pot meal and relaxing a bit.
Andrea
Nami, your Easy Tuna Bowl sounds just perfect for the days when food preparation needs to be streamlined somewhat – a perfect luch or dinner, healthy, fantastic looking and with ingredients that are rather easy to find in Asian stores and groceries stores! A wonderful recipe that is sure to make life a bit easier and taste delicious at the same time!
[email protected]
So pretty! I will be satisfied with just staring at your beautiful food!
Nancy/SpicieFoodie
Hi Nami! I am the same way when my husband travels. One pot or dish meals are great. This tuna bowl looks amazing!! Thanks for sharing:)
[email protected]
You sure know how to make us drool, Nami. I haven’t had fresh seafood for the longest time! Is that miso clam soup at the back? I can have a huge bowl of that too, along with this tuna bowl.
Katerina
Looks very appetizing Nami! I would love to try it! The color of the fish is amazing!
Giulietta | Alterkitchen
An easy, non cooking meal! Great!
Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet
Wow! Such a beautiful dish, Nami! And so easy too!
MaryMoh
Your dish looks really good but I still can’t put myself to eat raw fish……hmmm. The closest texture that I can get to is smoked salmon. Just how much I miss out! When I see people eat fresh oysters, my gosh….my whole tummy groans….haha.
Aunt Clara
Yes! Please. I totally love fish, and raw fish is one of my preferred choices. Can I come over for dinner?
[email protected]
What a beautiful dish, Nami, and it seems so easy to make! I can’t help but drool 🙂
ChopinandMysaucepan
Dear Nami,
This dish looks wonderful but these days we seem to be eating more salmon and other types of fish. Tuna has become pretty expensive and sashimi grade tuna at the Sydney Fish Market can cost up to A$65 per kilo while salmon is relatively a lot cheaper.
Mi Vida en un Dulce
You remind me when my husband went out…like you, as I’m alone with the kids, we used to eat less dishes, and everything much easy to prepare.
Sonia aka Nasi Lemak Lover
When my hubby travelling for business, i also like to prepare easy and simple meal. The other day, i just pretend like Japanese, cook Tonkatsu, miso soup and cabbage salad while my hubby is away (he doesn’t like deep fry meat so much) , my children were enjoying so much, hehehe..
Again it is quite hard to get this kind of fresh tuna here, let me just drool over your tuna bowl here..
Kimby
Simple and delicious! I enjoy “one bowl” meals, too, and this one looks very tasty!
Serena
I made this recipe for dinner with fresh scottish salmon. The seasoning is simply perfect, it gently ehances the taste of fish. It’s so easy to prepare but the result is “luxurious”. Thank’s Nami!
Nami
Hi Serena! Glad to hear you liked the recipe! Yes it’s true, very easy to make the meal and it’s a nice meal! 🙂 Thank you for your feedback!
Reem | Simply Reem
So Pretty!!!
Yummm……
I am in love with the pics Nami.
Hyosun Ro
This is my type of dish. So easy and delicious. Your photos are stunning!
Jeff
That is one beautiful photo, and definitely creates a craving for tuna! I think one of my favourite parts of Japanese cooking is the light and colour that is created in their dishes. You master it so well!
Food Jaunts
I’m a sucker for these types of meals in a bowl 🙂 It’s amazing what a bit of good quality marinated tuna can do with some simple rice.
Joris @ Sushi Recipes
Awesome photos, and mouth-watering recipe ! I’m definitaly gonna try this one !
Christine @ Cooking Crusade
Soooo good for a light dinner! I love sashimi and it would be soo good marinated! 🙂
Shirley
Love the color in this dish! The first time I tried sashimi in college years ago I was put off by the raw texture of the fish. But now when I eat sushi with tuna I love it! I would love to try this dish.
Lori Lynn
Looks so fresh!! Great shots too.
LL
[email protected]
Oh Nami I love this! So fresh and delicious 😀
Lynna
My roommate would LOVE LOVE this! She`s such a huge fan of tuna bowls! 🙂 This looks wonderful, Nami!
Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious
Love that there is no cooking involved in this! And I could have totally used this for dinner – I had a cereal dinner again!
Terra
Another dish my hubby would go crazy for, he loves raw tuna:-) This looks really easy, delicious, and perfect with my crazy schedule! Hugs, Terra
goboroot
This dish really makes me want to go back to Japan although I have just come back lol! 日本と言わず、こちらでやればいいのですね！インスピレーションありがとう。
Danielle Krammel
I just made this for dinner – it was soooo delicious! I am thankful I live in Japan and can get fresh, melt-in-your mouth tuna anytime!!
Nami
Hi Danielle! Oh you are so lucky! You have no problem getting ingredients. 🙂 I’m glad you enjoyed it. This is one of the easiest meal at home! Thank you so much for your feedback. 🙂
Sook
Can I use fresh salmon with this? I just bought some fresh salmon for sashimi and this recipe looks so good.
Nami
Hi Sook! Yes, you can make it with salmon. It’ll be like this donburi:
https://www.justonecookbook.com/recipes/salmon-ikura-don/
You don’t need to marinade the salmon. Just few drops of soy sauce should be added to the salmon when you eat it. 🙂
Vivi
Hi Nami,
I made this today and it was simply fantastic for entertaining during a summer lunch! This is definitely going to be a staple for the rest of summer/year!!
Thank you!!
Nami
Thank you so much for your feedback Vivi! When it’s hot day and too lazy to cook or eat, this is a really nice dish. 🙂 Thanks for trying this recipe!
Georgette Helton
I just love your site thanks so much for sharing
Nami
Thank you so much Georgette! 🙂
glenise
Hi hi, does this go well with cold soba?
Nami
Hi Glenise! Do you serve it on the side? Or on top? We don’t really serve raw fish/sashimi on top of soba noodles, but small plate of sashimi is often served as an appetizer before the main dish (soba). 🙂
Hope this helps!
Dee
Hi Nami! Thank you for posting this awesome recipe! My family loves sashimi. May I know if there’s a substitute for sake since I would prefer not to purchase a bottle due to the fact that I won’t be using it often.
Nami
Hi Dee! Are you planning to use mirin? If so, you can do equal amount of mirin and soy sauce. It shouldn’t be too different from the original recipe. 🙂 Hope you enjoy!