A bowl of Japanese Simmered Tofu and Egg Rice Bowl with fried tofu, egg, onions, and scallions sits on a tray next to red chopsticks, pickled ginger, a lidded bowl, and a cup of tea on a wooden table.

Recipe Highlights

If you’re a fan of oyakodon, you’ll love my Simmered Tofu and Egg Rice Bowl recipe. With simple ingredients and comforting flavor, this dish has everything I love about Japanese home cooking. It’s wholesome, nutritious, and comes together in a flash on a busy weeknight.

  • Deep, savory flavor in every bite
  • Ready in 15 minutes with one pan and simple pantry staples
  • Great for vegetarian and vegan friends who miss out on oyakodon

If you love Japanese rice bowls, try my Oyakodon, Gyudon, and Soboro Don recipes next.

A bowl of Simmered Tofu and Egg Rice Bowl with tofu, softly cooked eggs, and onions simmered in a savory sauce, then spooned over steamed rice—placed on a wooden tray with pickled ginger, chopsticks, and a miso soup bowl nearby.

What is Simmered Tofu and Egg Rice Bowl?

Simmered tofu and egg rice bowl is called atsuage tamagotoji don (厚揚げ卵とじ丼) in Japan. It follows the same comforting formula as oyakodon, but swaps chicken for tofu. This makes it a naturally vegan-friendly dish when paired with plant-based dashi and egg substitute. It is a quick home-cooked meal with with a deeply satisfying flavor.

Ingredients for Simmered Tofu and Egg Rice Bowl

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

Jump to Recipe

How to Make Simmered Tofu and Egg Rice Bowl

  1. Mix the broth. In a cold medium pan, combine dashi, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves. Do not turn on the heat yet.
  1. Add onion, scallion, and tofu. Scatter sliced onion and sliced green onion (white parts) in a single layer. Add cubed tofu on top and let it soak in the broth for 1–2 minutes. Flip once.
  2. Cook and add egg. Turn on to medium heat. Simmer, cover, and reduce to medium low. Cook for 3 minutes. Beat the eggs and slowly pour the beaten egg in a spiral pattern over the tofu. Sprinkle with the green onion tops.
  1. Finish and serve. Cover with the lid and cook until the egg is done to your liking. Spoon over rice in donburi bowls. Drizzle with extra broth. Top with shichimi togarashi if you like heat.
A person stirs bubbling caramelized sugar in a stainless steel pan on a stovetop using a wooden utensil, prepping the flavorful base for a Simmered Tofu and Egg Rice Bowl.
A hand uses chopsticks to cook slices of tofu and onions in a brown sauce on a stovetop, preparing the flavorful base for a Simmered Tofu and Egg Rice Bowl.
A pan filled with browned tofu and sliced onions on a stovetop, while beaten eggs are being poured over the ingredients from a glass bowl, ready to cook this Simmered Tofu and Egg Rice Bowl.
A hand holds a bowl of white rice topped with simmered tofu and onions, creating a delicious Simmered Tofu and Egg Rice Bowl, while a black spoon serves the tofu mixture from a pan in the background.
A bowl of Simmered Tofu and Egg Rice Bowl, a Japanese dish topped with fried tofu, egg, and green onions, sits on a wooden tray with chopsticks and a small yellow condiment container beside it.
Namiko Hirasawa Chen

Nami’s Recipe Tips

These simple tips will help you make Simmered Tofu and Egg Rice Bowl perfectly every time.

  • Let the tofu cutlet soak in the broth before the heat goes on. It absorbs more flavor this way.
  • Drizzle the egg in a slow, steady spiral. It gives you soft, even ribbons instead of clumps.
  • Use room-temperature eggs for more even cooking. I take the eggs out of the fridge and set them on the countertop for a bit.
  • Drizzle when simmering. Only drizzle the egg mixture when the broth is gently simmering (not a hard boil). This gives you those beautiful soft ribbons.
  • Do not overcook the egg. Pull the pan off the heat just before the egg looks fully done. It will finish cooking from residual heat.
A bowl of Japanese simmered tofu and egg rice bowl with tender onions, and scallions, garnished with spices, set on a tray with chopsticks and a flavorful side dish.
A close-up of a hand holding a wooden spoon with a bite of Simmered Tofu and Egg Rice Bowl—fried tofu, egg, and onions—a reminiscent of comforting classics like oyakodon.

Variations and Customizations

Looking to change things up? Try these easy and tasty ideas!

  • Vegan version. Use vegan dashi or Kombu Dashi and a plant-based egg substitute like JUST Egg.
  • Add vegetables. Boost color and fiber with carrots, mushrooms, turnips, potatoes, bean sprouts, daikon, or bamboo shoots.
  • Serve over hot noodle soup. Ladle the tofu and eggs on top of Udon Noodle Soup instead of steamed rice.
  • Use other tofu. Try baked tofu or super-firm tofu instead. Pan-fry it in a little oil, then let it soak up the flavorful simmering broth.
A bowl of Simmered Tofu and Egg Rice Bowl, similar to oyakodon, features seasoned fried tofu, eggs, and onions over steamed rice, garnished with sliced green onions. Chopsticks rest on the tray beside tea and soup in the background.

What to Serve with Simmered Tofu and Egg Rice Bowl

Boost color, flavor, and nutrition by serving these sides with your donburi.

Three kinds of vegetable miso soups; each served in a Japanese wooden bowl.
A white bowl containing Easy Chrysanthemum Salad.

Storage and Reheating Tips

To store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 days.

To reheat: Warm gently in a pan over low heat. Add a splash of dashi or water if the broth has thickened.

FAQs

Can I make simmered tofu and egg rice bowl ahead of time?

You can make the broth and cut the tofu in advance. Store them separately and combine when ready to cook. For best results, cook the egg fresh right before serving so it stays silky and soft.

What is tofu cutlet (atsuage tofu)?

Tofu cutlet or atsuage tofu is thick, deep-fried firm tofu with a crispy golden exterior and soft interior. It holds its shape well during cooking and soaks up broth beautifully. Find it at Japanese grocery stores, Asian supermarkets, and some regular markets in the refrigerated section.

Can I substitute regular firm tofu for tofu cutlet?

You can use extra-firm tofu for tofu cutlet. Press and drain it well, then pan-fry the tofu slices or bite-sized pieces in a little oil until golden on both sides. It won’t be quite the same as deep-fried tofu, but it will still absorb the broth and taste delicious.

I’d love to hear how yours turned out! 💛 Please leave a star rating and comment below to share your experience. Your feedback not only supports Just One Cookbook but also helps other home cooks discover recipes they can trust.

A bowl of Japanese simmered tofu and egg rice bowl with tender onions, and scallions, garnished with spices, set on a tray with chopsticks and a flavorful side dish.
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Simmered Tofu and Egg Rice Bowl

by Namiko Hirasawa Chen
Simmered Tofu and Egg Rice Bowl is pure Japanese comfort food. Fried firm tofu soaks up a sweet-savory broth and gets topped with silky ribbons of egg. It comes together in one pan with a handful of pantry staples for a quick and easy weeknight dinner.
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
Servings: 2

Ingredients  

For the Simmering Broth

For the Rice Bowl

Instructions

  • Gather all the ingredients.
    Ingredients on a wooden surface: a measuring cup of broth, soy sauce in a small bowl, a green onion, half a white onion, a plate with fried tofu, sugar, cooking sake in a bowl, and two eggs.

To Prepare the Broth

  • Prepare a cold, medium frying pan (about 10 inches/25 cm). Do not turn on the heat yet. Add ⅔ cup Vegan Dashi, 1½ Tbsp soy sauce, 1½ Tbsp mirin, and 1 tsp sugar to the pan. Stir to dissolve the sugar.
    Three-panel image showing the process of making sauce in a pan: pouring dashi broth, adding sugar and soy sauce, then stirring.

To Layer the Ingredients

  • Thinly cut ½ onion lengthwise into ¼-inch (6 mm) slices. Add the sliced onion to the broth in the frying pan in a single layer.
    A person slices onions on a wooden cutting board, then adds the sliced onions into a stainless steel pan filled with a dark liquid on a stove.
  • Thinly slice 1 green onion/scallion. Add the white parts to the pan. Set aside the green parts for later.
    A three-panel image shows hands slicing green onions on a wooden cutting board, then the sliced onions, and finally the onions cooking in a pan of broth or sauce.
  • Cut 1 block deep-fried firm tofu cutlet (atsuage) into thirds, then cut each piece crosswise into bite-sized cubes.
    Two side-by-side images show hands slicing a block of fried tofu on a wooden cutting board; the first image shows the initial slice, and the second shows several evenly cut tofu pieces.
  • Add the tofu cubes to the pan in a single layer. Let the tofu soak up the broth for a minute or two. Flip the tofu cubes once so the soaked side is now up.
    Two photos show tofu cubes and sliced onions cooking in a large stainless steel pan on a stovetop; in the second photo, a hand uses chopsticks to stir the ingredients in the pan.

To Cook

  • Bring the ingredients in the frying pan to a simmer over medium heat. Cover, reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer for 3 minutes.
    Split image: Left side shows a covered pan on a stovetop; right side shows tofu cubes and onions simmering in broth in an uncovered pan, with chopsticks stirring.
  • Meanwhile, beat 2–3 large eggs (50 g w/o shell). Uncover and check that the broth is actively simmering. Drizzle a thin stream of beaten egg in a spiral pattern over the tofu. Sprinkle with the green onion tops.
    Left: Hands whisking eggs in a glass bowl with chopsticks. Right: Whisked eggs being poured into a skillet with tofu and onions on a stovetop.
  • Cover and cook for 30–60 seconds, until the egg whites are just set but the yolks are still slightly glossy.
    Side-by-side images: On the left, a pot with a lid is cooking on a stove. On the right, the lid is removed, revealing a simmering dish with tofu, vegetables, and green onion in a sauce, ready to serve.

To Serve

  • Divide 2 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice among the individual donburi bowls. Serve the simmered tofu and egg over the steamed rice and drizzle with hot broth. Sprinkle with shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice), if desired.
    A person uses a black ladle to scoop a mixture of katsu, egg, and vegetables over a bowl of white rice, preparing a Japanese rice bowl dish. The food is served from a pan into a striped bowl.

To Store

  • Keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 days. Freezing is not recommended as the egg becomes rubbery when thawed. For best results, freeze the cooked ingredients and sauce without the eggs. Reheat the mixture and add freshly beaten eggs at the end.

Notes

Ingredient Notes
Steamed rice: Typically 1⅔ cups (250 g) per donburi serving. 1½ cups (300 g, 2 rice cooker cups) of uncooked Japanese short-grain rice yield 4⅓ cups (660 g) of cooked rice, enough for 2 donburi servings (3⅓ cups, 500 g). See how to cook short-grain rice with a rice cooker, pot over the stove, Instant Pot, or donabe.
Variations and Customizations
Looking to change things up? Try these easy and tasty ideas!
  • Vegan version. Use Vegan Dashi or Kombu Dashi and a plant-based egg substitute like JUST Egg.
  • Add vegetables. Boost fiber, color, and nutrition with carrots, mushrooms, turnips, potatoes, bean sprouts, daikon, or bamboo shoots.
  • Serve over hot noodle soup. Ladle the tofu and eggs on top of Udon Noodle Soup instead of steamed rice.
  • Use other tofu. If you can’t find tofu cutlet, try baked tofu or super-firm tofu instead. Pan-fry it in a little oil, then let it soak up the delicious simmering broth.
  • Try Japanese-style fresh tofu skin. Swap out the tofu cutlet and make Japanese Simmered Egg and Yuba Tofu Skin (Tamagotoji).

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