Takikomi Gohan is a wonderful and comforting Japanese mixed rice recipe made with seasonal ingredients. It‘s a savory bowl of flavorful rice that‘s perfect to serve with simple meals. This recipe is also gluten-free!
One of the easiest ways to include more vegetables in your diet is to add vegetables to your rice. When your main course is a simple dish such as grilled fish, Japanese Mixed Rice or Takikomi Gohan (炊き込みご飯) brings up more flavors and varieties to the meal.
Table of Contents
What is Takikomi Gohan?
Takikomi Gohan is a Japanese rice dish in which we cook short-grain rice with vegetables, mushrooms, seafood, or meat. We usually season it with Japanese stock (dashi) and soy sauce.
Depending on where you are/live in Japan, this dish might be called Kayaku Gohan (かやくご飯) or Gomoku Gohan (五目ご飯), 5-ingredient mixed rice, which is loosely translated because there are roughly five ingredients.
There is also a very similar dish called Maze Gohan (混ぜご飯). Unlike Takikomi Gohan where we cook the uncooked rice and other ingredients in the same pot, Maze Gohan is cooked rice mixed with cooked and seasoned ingredients.
Do any of these names sound familiar to you?
Takikomi Gohan Ingredients
What are good ingredients to put in your Takikomi Gohan recipe? Let’s start with the most basic one, which is today’s recipe.
Basic Ingredients
You can make a simple Takikomi Gohan with white rice, carrots, burdock root (gobo), konnyaku (a wobbly jello-like slab made of taro/yam), deep-fried tofu pouch (aburaage), and shiitake mushrooms. These are the most common ingredients that you expect to see in Takikomi Gohan.
If you use kombu dashi, this dish is vegetarian and vegan.
Some variations include chicken thigh or breast adding more flavors to the dish, and I’ve made today’s recipe with chicken thigh.
Popular Takikomi Gohan Ingredients
Besides the basic ingredients I mentioned above, these are other popular and seasonal ingredients used in Takikomi Gohan.
- Bamboo shoots – spring
- Beef (thinly sliced or scraps)
- Canned tuna
- Chestnuts (recipe) – fall
- Clams or Asari (あさり)
- Hijiki seaweed
- Matsutake Mushrooms (recipe) – fall
- Mushrooms – king oyster, maitake, shimeji, etc
- Pacific saury or Sanma (秋刀魚) – fall
- Peas
- Sweet potatoes
Japanese enjoy making different Takikomi Gohan depending on the season, and I’ll be sharing them on my blog in the future.
3 Tips to Make the Best Takikomi Gohan
Here are some important tips and techniques to remember when you make Takikomi Gohan.
1. Keep portion in control
I tend to add too many ingredients when I make this dish and it doesn’t feel like a rice dish anymore. So, keep in mind that the ingredients should be roughly 20-30% of cooked rice when it’s done cooking (eyeball this, it doesn’t have to be perfect). If you put too many of these ingredients, they will absorb all the liquid in the rice cooker and the rice will not cook properly.
2. Soak rice in water
It’s very important to soak rice after washing it. It will help the rice to absorb the flavors from the ingredients and seasonings. It will also help the rice become fluffier and tender.
After proper soaking, make sure to drain the water for at least 15 minutes. This is very important so that when you add to the rice cooker bowl, you won’t incidentally add any extra water that’s not called for in the recipe that could dilute the seasonings. Also, be sure not to drain too long because the rice will crack when it gets too dry.
You might think soaking the rice in the seasoning adds more flavor to the rice. But that’s not true. Soy sauce and other seasonings prevent the rice from absorbing water. Plus, the seasoning will separate into layers if you leave it too long. Therefore, it’s best to start cooking immediately after you add the seasonings and toppings.
3. Do not mix rice and other ingredients before Cooking
Make sure to mix the rice and ingredients together only after the rice is cooked. The rice gets cooked properly (due to the circulation of heat and water) when it’s cooked at the bottom of the rice cooker bowl (or even pot).
When you are adding ingredients on top of the rice, place hard ingredients like root vegetables first, then gradually to softer ingredients on top.
Immediately after Takikomi Gohan is done cooking, fluff up the rice with a rice paddle as if you are cutting the rice and then scoop over to gently mix the rice and ingredients all together.
Takikomi Gohan vs. Maze Gohan
Remember, Takikomi Gohan is the rice COOKED WITH ingredients. Maze Gohan is the cooked rice MIXED with cooked ingredients. Some of you might wonder which method is better, and here are my thoughts.
When you cook together, the rice absorbs more flavors from the ingredients. However, it also means that the ingredients are cooking for the same amount of time as the rice, so the ingredients can become harder and tougher.
Therefore, if you use ingredients that you want to keep tender and don’t want to lose the texture, I recommend cooking it separately and mix it with rice later. Scallops are a good example: they don’t need to be cooked for a long time. If you cook with rice, the scallops will overcook and become dry.
On the other hand, if the ingredients are dry (like hijiki seaweed and dried shiitake mushrooms) and it takes time for them to release the flavors, cook it together with rice. Also if the ingredients you use are flavorful, cook together with rice.
Do you have an Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker)?
No rice cooker? You can make Takikomi Gohan in your Instant Pot too! Check out the detailed recipe here: Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Takikomi Gohan.
Use Gluten-Free Soy Sauce for GF Takikomi Gohan
This Takikomi Gohan recipe can be easily converted to a gluten-free dish if you use gluten-free soy sauce.
Kikkoman offers this gluten-free tamari soy sauce. If you want to know more about this product, please click here.
If you’re gluten intolerant, check out my Gluten-Free Recipes for additional recipe ideas.
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.
Takikomi Gohan (Japanese Mixed Rice)
Video
Ingredients
- 1½ cups uncooked Japanese short-grain white rice (or 2 rice cooker cups)
- 3 dried shiitake mushrooms (0.5 oz, 15 g)
- ½ cup water (for soaking the shiitake and making shiitake dashi)
- ⅓ package konnyaku (konjac) (3 oz, 85 g)
- 1 piece aburaage (deep-fried tofu pouch) (¾ oz, 20 g)
- 1 oz gobo (burdock root) (4 inches, 10 cm)
- 2 oz carrot (3 inches, 7.5 cm)
- 1 boneless, skinless chicken thigh (4.8 oz, 135 g)
- 1½ cups dashi (Japanese soup stock) (use the shiitake dashi you made from soaking the mushrooms plus standard Awase Dashi, dashi packet or powder, or Vegan Dashi)
- 1½ Tbsp mirin
- 1½ Tbsp soy sauce
For the Garnish
- mitsuba (Japanese parsley) (or substitute green onion/scallion)
Instructions
- Prepare all the ingredients. For the Japanese short-grain rice, 1½ US cups or 2 rice cooker cups (360 ml, 300 g) of uncooked rice yields roughly 4 servings (3½ US cups, 660 g) of cooked rice.
To Prepare the Ingredients
- Wash 1½ cups uncooked Japanese short-grain white rice in a large bowl. Rice absorbs water very quickly when you start washing, so don‘t let the rice absorb the opaque water. Gently wash the rice in a circular motion, add water, and discard it. Repeat this process about 3–4 times.
- Let the rice soak in water for 20–30 minutes. Then, transfer the rice into a sieve and drain completely for at least 15 minutes. Tip: It's important to soak the short-grain rice. Why not soaking in the seasoning? Soy sauce and other seasonings actually prevent the rice from absorbing water.
- Soak 3 dried shiitake mushrooms in ½ cup water for 15 minutes. I place a smaller bowl on top to keep the mushrooms submerged in the water at all times.
- In a small saucepan, bring 2 inches (5 cm) of water to a boil. Place ⅓ package konnyaku (konjac) in the boiling water and cook for 1 minute to get rid of any odor. Transfer the konnyaku to a plate to cool. Add 1 piece aburaage (deep-fried tofu pouch) to the same pot of boiling water and cook for 1 minute. This removes the excess oil from the aburaage. Transfer the aburaage to a plate to cool. Discard the water.
- Scrape the skin of 1 oz gobo (burdock root) with the back of your knife. The earthy flavor and aroma of the gobo is right underneath the skin; therefore, you only need to scrape off the outer skin. Do not use a peeler. Then, make a cross incision at the thick end of the gobo about 1 inch (2.5 cm) deep. This helps make shaving the gobo easier.
- Shave the gobo from that end while constantly rotating the root with the other hand, as if you were sharpening a pencil with a knife. Soak the shaved gobo in a bowl of water to prevent discoloration.
- Cut 2 oz carrot in half lengthwise and cut diagonally into thin slices. Then, cut the slices into julienned or smaller pieces.
- Cut the aburaage and konnyaku into thin small strips.
- Cut 1 boneless, skinless chicken thigh into ¾-inch (2-cm) slanted pieces. Hold your knife at 45-degree angle and slice the chicken. This sogigiri cutting technique gives the chicken more surface area so it will cook faster and soak up flavors quickly.
- Squeeze the liquid from the rehydrated shiitake mushrooms and save the soaking liquid (this is called Shiitake Dashi). Remove the stems and cut the caps into thin slices.
- Strain the shiitake dashi into a bowl through a fine-mesh strainer to get rid of any dirty particles. In a measuring cup, add all the shiitake dashi plus enough additional dashi to make 1½ cups dashi (Japanese soup stock).
To Cook the Takikomi Gohan
- Now your ingredients are ready to cook.
- Place the drained rice in the rice cooker. Add 1½ Tbsp mirin and 1½ Tbsp soy sauce to the rice in the rice cooker pot.
- Pour the dashi and shiitake dashi mixture into the rice and mix well. Level the rice with your fingers or chopsticks.
- Next, place the chicken pieces evenly on top of the rice. Do NOT mix the chicken or other ingredients into the rice. (Tip: The rice won‘t cook properly if you mix in the ingredients at this stage. It won‘t absorb enough water and will end up with a hard texture.) Continue scattering the rest of the ingredients on top of the rice, starting with the hard ingredients and ending with the softer ingredients. Without mixing it all up, close the rice cooker lid. Tip: The seasoning will separate into layers if you leave it too long; therefore, it's best to start cooking immediately after you add the seasonings and toppings.
- Start cooking the rice. Use the Mixed Rice setting if your rice cooker has that option (see Notes below). Once the rice is done cooking, use a rice paddle to stir the rice and vegetables with a light slicing and tossing motion to distribute the ingredients evenly into the rice. The rice at the bottom of the pot gets slightly caramelized; this is called okoge and it‘s especially tasty.
To Serve
- Serve the rice hot or at room temperature. Sprinkle chopped mitsuba or green onion on top.
To Store
- You can keep the leftover rice in the freezer for up to a month. I don‘t recommend storing it in the refrigerator as the rice gets too dry and hard.
Hi Nami, what is the difference between this Takikomi Gohan and Kamameshi?
Hi Mareen, Thank you for reading Nami’s post and trying her recipe.
The Kamameshi is the dish served in the Kama (https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%87%9C), and it doesn’t cook in the rice cooker.
However, the ingredients can be the same.
We hope this helps!
Just wanted to say thank you for this easy recipe… it’s my go-to recipe when I make takikomi gohan for my husband and as part of our Osechi Ryori meal.(夫はUKの白人と私は日系カナダ人の3世… 夫は炊き込みご飯がとても大好きです)
These days, I’ve been switching out the julienne carrot and instead slicing the carrot into thin discs (ベンリナーを使って) and then using a size appropriate vegetable cutter, cutting the discs into sakura blossom shapes… the carrot still cooks as required and I think that it makes the dish look pretty in my ohitsu..
Hi Kate G (加藤 直美)! Thank you for trying Nami’s recipe and sharing your experience with us!
Your Takikomi Gohan sounds very pretty! 🥰 Happy Cooking!
[…] process. Primarily used in southern Kansai cuisine, it is used for cooking dishes such as Takikomi Gohan and braises. The light color won’t darken the final dish like regular soy […]
Hi Namiko! I have the same rice cooker as you and tried the mixed rice version, but there wasn’t the burnt bottom, any idea why?
Hi Lisa! Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe!
We are not sure why your rice cooker didn’t burn the bottom of the rice….🤔 Next time, please don’t turn off or unplug the rice cooker, and try leaving the lid closed for extra 5 minutes after it finished cooking. It should burn the bottom for sure.
We hope this helps!
Wow! Many months ago I tried to make this in my Instant Pot and got the “BURNED“ message. Recently we bought a new Zojirushi rice cooker that had my dream setting of Mixed Rice.
Just used your recipe tonight for the first time with the mixed rice settingt, O My Goodness! So fragrant, delicious, and surprisingly filling (we made it our entire meal)
Hi Tina! We are glad to hear you enjoyed Takikomi Gohan!
Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe and sharing your cooking experience with us!
Hi Nami, maybe I am mistaken, but I think you had a recipe for mushroom rice with just a mix of different mushrooms . Am I wrong? Do you have a recipe? If not, and I use only mushrooms, can I use the water of the shitake dehydration? and how else should I season the rice? mirin? sake? soy sauce? Dashi? Thank you for your amazing blog. I keep cooking Japanese with your recipes, slowly, little by little. What’s sad is that Japanese ingredients are very expensive. There is one shop in another city that makes deliveries, and to me a Japanese meal is pricey-but I treat this a gourmet-which it is for me. Thank you so much. You are amazing 🙂
Hi Nanny, Thank you for your kind feedback! Nami is very happy to hear that you are trying much Japanese cooking using our site even though it is challenging to procure Japanese ingredients. Thank you. 🥰
Currently, We have Matsutake Gohan (Wild Pine Mushroom Rice) rice on our site. https://www.justonecookbook.com/matsutake-gohan/
This recipe is not a mix of different types of mushrooms, but it can be a guide, and yes, you can use Shiitake Dashi, Awase Dashi, or Kombu Dashi to make it. We hope this helps!
Hi Nami:
I am interested in making this Takikomi Gohan recipe, but for my family it needs more chicken. I am thinking of adding 4 chicken thighs. If I add more chicken, can I just double the recipe of everything else, except the rice and dashi? or should I also dd an additional 2 cups of rice and dashi.
thanks for your help.
blessings,
Kirie
Hi Kirie, Thank you very much for trying this recipe!
If you add 4 chicken thighs and don’t need additional rice, you may skip doubling rice, dashi, and water. We hope this helps!
Hi Nami-san,
Wow! I was surprised at the number of comments you received for this recipe but I can understand since this dish is fairly simple, easy and delicious! Prior to seeing this blog, I tried making this several ways, some of which didn’t turn out ideally although still okay but that’s what I enjoy about cooking new things. Trying different things, using different ingredients or combinations of such, is part of the joy to me. I once tried using sushi rice su instead of water but that didn’t work quite right although still okay but this is just an example — no harm in simply trying or experimenting.
I’d like to say that your recipes and tips are really good and helpful. I.e. not mixing the rice with all the ingredients before cooking; putting the tougher ingredients first and then softer ones on top, etc., things that I didn’t think of while first trying to make takigoma rice.
I enjoy looking at your blogs/recipes and now, even the comments of others. Thank you.
Hi Dan, We are glad to hear you enjoy Nami’s recipes and tips! Thank you very much for your kind feedback!❤️
Hi Nami-san again.
I know that you didn’t recommend keeping leftovers in the refrigerator since the rice tends to get drier or hard (or something to that effect) and I wanted to make a suggestion that I got from my Mom: For any rice dish such as takikomi gohan, maze gohan, inari sushi, etc., keep it in a plastic, glass container, or clear plastic wrap, then wrap the entire thing in cloth such as a cotton dish towel to keep it from drying out. It should be fine the next day or two.
Happy eating.
Hi Dan, Thank you very much for sharing your mom’s tip with us! Happy eating!😊
That is what I started doing. ( esp with sushi rolls ). Wrap well and then wrap again in a towel and leave out on the counter overnight.
Hi Nami,
Can I cook this dish in Instant pot?
Hi Nancy, Yes! Nami has a recipe!
https://www.justonecookbook.com/instant-pot-takikomi-gohan/
We hope you enjoy it!
I enjoyed the recipe. But, I may leave the konnyaku out next time, as it didn’t, in my opinion, seem to add a great deal to the recipe, other than another texture. I did, however, like the addition of the water chestnuts that I added, as it was nice counterpoint (crunchy texture) to the soft rice. Thank you for the suggestion. The flavours were good & I think this would be a nice fall/winter meal.
Hi Peckish! Takikomi Gohan typically includes konnyaku as a part of ingredients, but I understand it might be such a strange ingredient to some people. 🙂 I think Chinese cuisine uses water chestnuts but they not a common ingredient in Japanese cooking (maybe hard to buy? I’m not too sure why). I’m glad you found a good ingredient to add to this recipe!
Hi Nami, I would like to use some seafood for this recipe. You have mentioned that seafood should be cooked separately before mixing together with the rice later. May I ask how should I book the seafood separately?
Hi Rayna! What type of seafood you’re interested in adding? You can season lightly with salt, sake, or even soy sauce. We usually mix in together. 🙂
Hi Nami, thank you for your reply in the midst of your busy schedule.
I would like to add Salmon and Prawn, perhaps with some fresh or dried scallops. How should I prepare them?
Thank you
Hi Rayna! That sounds delicious. I would cut the salmon into chunks and saute with fresh or rehydrated dried scallops in a frying pan. Season it with soy sauce and a tiny bit of butter. Do this around the time your rice is done cooking, and add to the steamed rice. You can still cook vegetables only in the rice (just follow the recipe) and add the seafood to make it more like a all-in-one meal. 🙂
This recipe looks SO good. I have ordered a ceramic stove top rice cooker with a domed glass lid from Hario. Do you know if I can make takikomi gohan in this style rice cooker?
Thank you!
Hi Heather! Yes, you can cook in Donabe (Japanese earthenware pot – I think that’s what you have?). 🙂
Thank you! This is one of my son’s favorite dishes and the next time I make it I will have him help me with it so that he can learn how to make it for himself. I love the idea that when he goes off to college he can cook something healthy for himself and remember his mom too😜
Great idea to involve your son! It’s the best feeling when you know how to make your favorite dish at home! I feel the same way about my favorite food Korokke that I learned from my mom and I still think about her (she’s in Japan) when I make korokke at home. 🙂
Can i substitute japanese rice with brown rice?
Hi Jane! You can, but in Japan, we soak short-grain brown rice for 6 hours (at least) to 12 hours before cooking to get the right texture. That’s the only difference you need to do compared to white rice. 🙂
Hi Nami,
I wonder if it’s a typo in the ingredients list:
“2 rice cooker cups uncooked Japanese short-grain rice (½ cup, 360 ml)”
I believe it’s should be 1-½ cup instead of ½ (US) cup?
Anyhow, I did make this with 2 rice cooker cup of rice, and it was perfect!
Hi Olivia! Thank you so much for finding my typo. I think “1” got erased when I was editing 1/2 to ½ before. Oops! Thanks for noticing! I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you for your kind feedback!
Hi Nami,
Thanks for the takikomi gohan recipe. Can I substitute konnyaku with shirataki rice? How many will I need and is there any difference in cooking method if i use shirataki rice?
Thank you!
Hi Mita! I’ve never used shirataki rice so I’m a little uncomfortable giving advice. I don’t think shirataki rice needs to cook as long as raw rice… so I don’t think it’s the same cooking time. Not sure what’s the best way to flavor the shirataki rice. Rice absorbs flavors, but in general konnyaku/shirataki doesn’t absorb flavor much. Maybe there is a better way to enjoy it?