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Home » Bento

Bento

Discover delicious and practical Japanese bento recipes! These recipes all pack well for a lunch box. 

Some of my favorites include karaage chicken, tamagoyaki, rice balls, and Japanese egg sandwiches. From classic bento boxes to easy packable meals, find inspiration for a satisfying and beautifully arranged lunch!

Bento 101

Various bento boxes for children.

Your Guide to Bento Box Lunch お弁当の作り方

A Zojirushi lunch jar containing steamed rice, mapo tofu, fruits, and salad.

How to Pack Bento in 15 Minutes (6 Lunch Ideas!)

3 easy bento boxes filled with delicious meals.

Meal Prep Bento Recipes Ideas: 3 Dollar Bento Challenge

Meal Prep for Bento: Freezer-Friendly Bento Dishes

Meal Prep Freezer-Friendly Bento Dishes

3 easy bento boxes filled with delicious meals.

Food Safety Tips For Bento

Shio Koji Karaage in the bento box.

Frequently Asked Questions about Bento Making

Latest in Bento

Beautiful Japanese plates containing karaage, Japanese fried chicken, garnished with lemon wedges and kewpie mayo dollop sprinkled with shichimi togarashi.

Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken) (Video) 唐揚げ

4.77 from 408 votes
3 easy bento boxes filled with delicious meals.

Food Safety Tips For Bento

An oval plate containing 3 pieces of Onigiri (Japanese Rice Balls) placed on a bamboo leaf.

Onigiri (Japanese Rice Balls) (Video) おにぎり

4.76 from 234 votes
A white bowl containing Easy Chrysanthemum Salad.

Chrysanthemum Greens Salad 春菊のナムル

4.80 from 10 votes
Tamago Sando - Japanese Egg Salad Sandwich on a plate along with salad.

Japanese Egg Sandwich (Tamago Sando) たまごサンド

4.71 from 385 votes
A Japanese ceramic plate containing Salmon and Shio Kombu Onigiri served with daikon pickles.

Salmon and Shio Kombu Onigiri 鮭と塩昆布のおにぎり

4.77 from 13 votes
A bowl containing Soboro Don (seasoned ground chicken and scrambled egg over rice).

Soboro Don (Ground Chicken Bowl) そぼろ丼

4.77 from 153 votes
A white ceramic plate containing ramen eggs.

Ramen Eggs (Ajitsuke Tamago) (Video) 味付け玉子

4.75 from 543 votes
A Zojirushi lunch jar containing steamed rice, mapo tofu, fruits, and salad.

How to Pack Bento in 15 Minutes (6 Lunch Ideas!)

Meal Prep for Bento: Freezer-Friendly Bento Dishes

Meal Prep Freezer-Friendly Bento Dishes

A bizenware containing kinpira gobo, a classic Japanese side dish.

Kinpira Gobo (Braised Burdock Root) (Video) きんぴらごぼう

4.72 from 109 votes
A white oval plate containing Nikujaga (Japanese Meat and Potato Stew).

Nikujaga (Japanese Meat and Potato Stew) (Video) 肉じゃが

4.70 from 182 votes
A bizenware ceramic containing Chikuwa Isobeage and flake salt.

Chikuwa Isobeage ちくわの磯辺揚げ

4.89 from 18 votes
An oval ceramic plate containing Carrot Beef Rolls garnished with parley.

Carrot Beef Rolls

4.63 from 32 votes
An oval plate containing Japanese sweet rolled omelet.

Japanese Sweet Rolled Omelet (Tamagoyaki) – Midnight Diner Season 2 厚焼き玉子

4.53 from 105 votes
Blue and white Japanese bowls containing Green bean Gomaae.

Green Bean Gomaae (Sesame Dressing) インゲンの胡麻和え

4.68 from 68 votes
A ceramic bowl containing Japanese potato salad and cherry tomatoes.

Instant Pot Potato Salad ポテトサラダ (圧力鍋)

4.79 from 23 votes
Yakisoba Pan (Yakisoba Dog) served in a baking tray.

Yakisoba Pan (Yakisoba Dog) – Midnight Diner Season 2 焼きそばパン

4.68 from 31 votes
Plum rice balls on a light green plate served with nori seaweed.

Plum Rice Ball – Midnight Diner Season 2 小梅のおにぎり

4.66 from 32 votes
An oval plate containing Futomaki (Thick Maki Sushi).

Futomaki 太巻き (Maki Sushi)

4.72 from 25 votes
All-Purpose Miso Meat Sauce (Niku Miso) over steamed rice.

All-Purpose Miso Meat Sauce (Niku Miso) 肉味噌

4.88 from 86 votes
Tamagoyaki and grated daikon on a white plate.

Tamagoyaki (Japanese Rolled Omelette) 玉子焼き

4.63 from 285 votes
A white plate containing blanched broccoli tossed with sesame seeds.

Broccoli Blanched with Sesame Oil ブロッコリーの塩ごま油茹で

4.60 from 52 votes
A Japanese white plate containing ginger pork rolls with eggplant garnished with shiso leaves on top.

Ginger Pork Rolls with Eggplant 茄子の肉巻き生姜焼き

4.81 from 46 votes
Homemade instant miso soup served on the table.

Homemade Instant Miso Soup 即席味噌汁

4.93 from 26 votes
Carrot salad on a white plate with gray rim.

Easy Carrot Salad (Carottes Rapees) キャロットラペ

4.75 from 24 votes
Spinach and Bean Sprout Namul in blue flower pattern dishes

Spinach Namul and Bean Sprout Namul ほうれん草ともやしのナムル

4.50 from 14 votes
3 easy bento boxes filled with delicious meals.

Meal Prep Bento Recipes Ideas: 3 Dollar Bento Challenge

A white dish containing Chicken Meatballs with Sweet and Sour Sauce.

Chicken Meatballs with Sweet and Sour Sauce チキンミートボール甘酢和え

4.64 from 79 votes
Colorful thick Japanese sandwich, Wanpaku Sandiwch (Sando), shows the filling and piles up on the table.

Wanpaku Sandwich わんぱくサンド

4.84 from 24 votes
Miso Yaki Onigiri placed on a bizenware ceramic plate garnished with shiso leaf.

Miso Yaki Onigiri (Grilled Rice Balls) 味噌焼きおにぎり

4.79 from 70 votes
Rice with Mountain Vegetables (Sansai Gohan) served in a green ceramic bowl.

Sansai Gohan (Rice with Mountain Vegetables) 山菜ご飯

4.78 from 9 votes
Cherry blossom rice balls on a white plate.

Cherry Blossom Rice Balls 桜のおにぎり

4.78 from 9 votes
Chicken Tempura (Toriten) served in a bamboo basket.

Chicken Tempura (Toriten) とり天 (Video)

4.84 from 25 votes
A Japanese bowl containing Kinpira Renkon (Lotus Root).

Kinpira Renkon (Japanese Lotus Root Stir-Fry) きんぴら蓮根

4.76 from 45 votes
Simmered Kabocha Squash in a Japanese square bowl.

Japanese Simmered Kabocha かぼちゃの煮物

4.78 from 126 votes
Gluten Free Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken) on a white plate.

Gluten Free Karaage グルテンフリー唐揚

4.83 from 29 votes
Ceramic plates containing round Kabocha Croquettes (Korokke).

Kabocha Croquettes (Korokke) かぼちゃコロッケ

4.70 from 49 votes
Teriyaki Steak Rolls 野菜の牛肉巻き | Easy Japanese Recipes at JustOneCookbook.com

Teriyaki Steak Rolls 野菜の牛肉巻き

4.79 from 19 votes
A Japanese blue and white rice bowl containing Takikomi Gohan (Mixed Rice).

Takikomi Gohan (Japanese Mixed Rice) (Video) 炊き込みご飯

4.68 from 91 votes
Tenmusu 天むす (Shrimp Tempura Rice Ball) | Easy Japanese Recipes at JustOneCookbook.com

Tenmusu (Shrimp Tempura Rice Ball) (Video) 天むす

4.80 from 5 votes
Ginger Pork Onigirazu (Rice Sandwich) | Easy Japanese Recipes at JustOneCookbook.com

Ginger Pork Onigirazu 豚の生姜焼きおにぎらず

4.91 from 11 votes
A white p late containing Teriyaki Salmon Onigirazu wrapped in plastic and showing the cross section.

Teriyaki Salmon Onigirazu 照り焼きサーモンおにぎらず

4.91 from 11 votes
Spam Onigirazu

Spam Onigirazu スパムおにぎらず

4.90 from 38 votes
Pressure Cooker Instant Pot Nikujaga (Japanese Meat and Potato Stew) in a white bowl.

Pressure Cooker Nikujaga (Video) 肉じゃが (圧力鍋)

4.81 from 52 votes
A plate containing Chicken Katsu Onigirazu.

Chicken Katsu Onigirazu チキンカツおにぎらず

4.69 from 29 votes
A lunch box container containing Bulgogi Onigirazu.

Bulgogi Onigirazu プルゴギおにぎらず (Video)

4.87 from 15 votes
Piggy spam musubi in the two tier bento box.

Piggy Spam Musubi Bento (Video)

4.34 from 6 votes
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