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.
To Prepare the Ingredients
- 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 once in a while, 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). 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.
- Peel and cut 1 russet potato in thirds.
- Then, cut each piece in half or quarters. Soak the pieces in water for 15 minutes (or until added to the pot later on) to remove the starch. Drain and set aside.
- Peel and cut 1 carrot diagonally while rotating it a quarter turn between 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. You could use stew beef since it‘s slightly more economical; however, it‘s made up of bits and pieces leftover from carving the chuck roasts, 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 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 the skillet is 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 cook all 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 release the flavorful browned bits (called the “fond“) that are stuck to the bottom of the pan. Turn off the heat and set aside this deglazed pan liquid temporarily.
To Cook the Curry
- By now, the onions in the pot should be caramelized and ready for the next step. Reheat the pot 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 has a great seal on the lid and prevents evaporation.
- Once boiling, skim off the scum and fat from the broth. I prepare a 2-cup measuring cup with water in it and clean my fine-mesh skimmer in the water. It’s easy to remove the scum/fat from the skimmer this way.
- 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), turn off the heat and discard the bay leaf.
- Now, add 1 package Japanese curry roux: Put 1–2 cubes of roux in a ladleful of cooking liquid, slowly let it dissolve with a spoon or chopsticks, and stir it into the broth to incorporate. Repeat with the rest of the roux, 2 cubes at a time. Adjust the amount to your taste. You may not need to use all of it; reserve 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 curry 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 curry on individual plates over 8 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice and top with optional fukujinzuke (Japanese red pickled vegetables) and rakkyo (Japanese pickled scallion).
To Store
- Keep the leftovers in an airtight glass container 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.
Hi Frieska! Thank you so much for following my website and I hope you enjoy this curry rice recipe! 🙂
Hi! Love how you provide homemade recipe for those of us who are trying to reduce use of processed ingredients. If I am to use the homemade roux, how much should I make or use?
Cheers
Siow Fong
So sorry for my late response! I just found your comment in my inbox! If you make homemade roux using my recipe, you need to use all of roux you make. 🙂 I apologize for my late response!
Thanks for sharing this recipe, and the video looks fabulous! =) I haven’t had curry in the longest time, and now I’m definitely craving some. I’ve never tried adding milk or grated apple at the very end (though I usually buy the “riingo” flavored curry roux), so I’m excited to see how that tastes the next time I make a big batch.
Hi Kimmi! Your roux must be Vermont Curry? 😀 In Japan it’s very common to add apples, yogurt, milk, honey, etc to make the roux/curry not so out of box. 🙂 Hope you give it a try! Thanks so much for your comment. 🙂 xo
You must know all the brands! 😉
Hey, nice recipe!
You mentioned here “For vegetarian option, you can add firm tofu right before you serve just to heat it through.” but it’s a bit misleading since store-bought roux typically contains lard or beef/chicken extract.
As a vegetarian, I was happy to find your home-made curry roux recipe! Will definitely try it!
Hi Lily! Thank you so much for your helpful input. It’s true, we should be careful with what’s in the store-bought roux. We love the homemade curry roux too! Hope you enjoy. 🙂
I love the addition of the grated apple at the end. My mouth is salivating! I love curry and this is the perfect recipe to introduce it to my family. Thank you for sharing!
Hi Terri! Thank you for your kind comment! In Japan, the addition of apple, honey, milk, yogurt, etc to the curry roux is very common as we don’t want to make the curry very commercialized curry that’s out of the box. I hope you enjoy this recipe! 🙂
I’ve always wanted to try this dish, but I can’t use potatoes (allergy–seriously). What would work as a substitute?
Hi Aquaria! Don’t include the potatoes. It’s okay without it. 🙂 If you want similar texture, you can add kabocha. But really, not necessary. 🙂 I hope you enjoy!
Hi Nami,
What kind of wine did you use? Red ? White? Sweet? Dry? I’m going to make this with chicken cause I have some in my freezer. Next time, I’ll definitely make beef cause beef curry is my favorite too 🙂
Thanks!
Hi Yuko! Thank you for letting me know – I updated with the wine info (Usually red is used for beef). For chicken recipe, I recommend the following recipes for chicken curry:
https://www.justonecookbook.com/recipes/simple-chicken-curry/
https://www.justonecookbook.com/recipes/chicken-curry/
Thank you! 🙂
Hi Nami!
I’m trying this curry because my husband loves japanese curry but I have a question regarding the meat. Instead of beef chuck, can I replace it with beef shabu shabu or beef sukiyaki? I’ve eaten japanese beef curry with really thin slices of beef before and I was wondering if I could just replace it in this dish or would it change the cooking process?
Thanks and hope to hear from you soon!
Hi Hui Fang! Sure! I also make with thinly sliced beef too (very fast to cook!). 🙂
Hi Nami! How woild recommend to prepare the shaved beef so as not to overcook or turn out bland?
Hi Christina, You can prepare it the same way in this recipe, but you can sear the meat shorter time. We hope this helps!
Hi….please help. i really want to try this, since my husband loves Japanese Curry.
Can i replace
Apple Sauce with grated apple?
Wine with Sake?
Can i freeze the left over (omitting the potato for sure)?
regards and many thanks
Mira
Hi Mira! Yes, you can use grated apple. And yes you can use sake. Yes, I always freeze leftover (minus potatoes). 🙂 Hope you and your husband enjoy this.
Why can’t you freeze potatoes?
Hi Bobby! The potato changes the texture when it’s frozen. 🙂
Dear Nami,
Really enjoyed yr foodblog.
I have 3 questions. (1) Why do use both the Japanese curry spicemix (rouge) & also another curry powder? (2) Can the wine be ommited? (3) How can I make a meatless curry gravy base that I can use for serving with different kinds of meats on different meals.
TQ& look forward to hear.from you.
Hi Hank! Thank you for your kind words. 🙂 Here are my answers to your questions.
1) Roux and curry powder are a bit different. Even though you use “spicy” level of roux, it still lacks the multiple layer of spice kicks. You don’t have to use curry powder, and it’s completely okay. But after you make the curry with same curry roux for a few times, you will want to make some changes by adding more complex flavor. Curry roux will always give the same flavor, if you know what I mean… 🙂 So, it’s optional. 🙂
2) Sure, you can omit the wine, and it won’t hurt. It adds bold flavor to the beef. But again, I’m trying to make the regular beef curry a bit more complex and go beyond regular curry with curry roux (meaning, someone else who makes with the same curry roux will have the same flavor… and I just want to make it more original).
3) You make the curry without meat. Then on the side, you cook beef/chicken/pork/seafood in a frying pan. You can either scoop some curry out to a small pot to cook with one kind of meat further, or you can just add the meat when you serve.
Hope that helps! 🙂
Hi Nami, when you boil it for 2 hours, are you cooking it with the lid on or off? I’m not sure if I’m supposed to let it evaporte
Hi Jessica! Put the lid on to keep the liquid. You can open the lid after you put curry roux and the liquid is too thin (let evaporate water so the curry will be thicken). Hope that helps! Thanks for trying this recipe! 🙂
Glad I stumbled upon this. I’m fairly new to cooking, but I really wanted to make Japanese beef curry. Thanks for this, Nami. I’ll get to work on it immediately. 🙂
Hi Ali! Thank you so much for writing. I need to update this bad picture so that it will look more delicious… though thank you for giving it a try! 🙂
Hi Nami,
Really like your recipes, tried it and it is delicious. Just one small question. How come your caramelized onion looked so white? I thought it should be brown.
Hi Ken! Thank you for your kind words and I’m happy to hear you enjoy my recipes. 🙂 I changed the word to “translucent”. The reason why they are not brown is that I did not let them alone enough to brown, meaning that I stirred them too often. I changed it to “translucent” because I think it doesn’t have to be brown, I want onions to be cooked long enough that they become soft and sweet before cooking other ingredients. Hope this helps. Thank you for noticing my incorrect choice of words. 🙂
Cooking is definitely my passion, and I followed this recipe of yours about a year ago. It was literally the most delicious dinner I’ve ever made. I grew up on my (Vietnamese) Father’s chicken curry, but it couldn’t hold a candle to this.
When my friends come home for the holidays, I’m planning on making this for them and also trying out your Nama Chocolate recipe!
Also, have you considered trying to recreate Royce’s Matcha or Strawberry Nama Chocolate flavors? The Matcha version intrigues me so much. Recipes like yours are the only way I can try something like that. I appreciate your blog soooo much! <3
Hi Aubrey! I’m so happy to hear you made this before and will make it again (especially my pictures are not so great…). Thank you for trusting the recipe and trying!
Matcha is always my favorite. Maybe one day I’ll try and share. There are so many other dessert recipes that I need to and want to share (and so little time!). Thank you for your suggestion. I put it down on my list. 🙂
Aubrey,
I love Vietnamese curry! Have you tried cooking it yourself? It is amazing!
This is my second time making Japanese curry. Cooking now in the instant pot! Waiting for it to finish! Can’t wait for dinner!
What kind of wine do you use? I have to admit I don’t know anything about wine. Can I use red or white cooking wine?
Hi Justin! Any red wine would be great but the general rule of thumb is to use something you are willing to drink. You can drink the same wine with the dish as well.
My suggestion is burgundy and zinfandel. It adds a deep flavor. A good cab, Pinot, Shiraz is also a good choice.
I’m not sure about white wine – usually beef with red wine. 🙂 Hope this helps!
I skipped the wine and couldn’t tell. Didn’t want to open a wine bottle for this when I was going to do a Japanese beer with it. Just add an extra spoon of the worcestershire sauce. DON’T use white wine, not the right profile
Tried this recipe and the homemade curry roux recipe. Turned out amazing! Will make this again. Your recipes are amazing. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Joy! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe with the homemade curry roux! Thank you for your kind feedback! 🙂