If you are not familiar with the Japanese dish hambagu (ハンバーグ), it’s not your typical grilled hamburger served on a bun. On the contrary, Japanese hambagu is a thick, ground meat hamburger steak that’s cooked in a frying pan, then served with some kind of sauce and eaten with a knife and fork.
I’ve already shared the classic Hambagu recipe with a thick, luxurious sauce that includes butter, ketchup, red wine, and tonkatsu sauce (or Worcestershire sauce). Today, I’ll introduce you to Wafu Hambagu (和風ハンバーグ) with a thin and light sauce that has a decidedly Japanese flavor profile. You’ll love its refreshing and satisfying taste!
What is Wafu Hambagu?
Wafu hambagu is a pan-fried hamburger steak served with grated daikon and shiso leaves on top. It’s drizzled with a thin, Japanese style sauce that comes in a few variations such as dashi + soy sauce, mentsuyu, or ponzu.
Today, I used a ponzu base because its aroma and citrus flavor works really well with refreshing daikon. Together, they refresh your palate while you enjoy the succulent meat. I love this sauce quite a bit! You can also use this sauce for steak and other meaty dishes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- juicy and scrumptious patty – the secret is in the combination of ground meats
- refreshing flavors – grated daikon and citrus-soy sauce are a bright contrast to the meat’s richness
- versatile sauce – goes well with many other types of protein!
Secret to Great Tasting Wafu Hambagu
The key for Japanese hamburger steak is always to use the combination of both ground beef and pork. This is the secret for juicy and flavorful meat patties.
If you use only ground beef, you will definitely taste the difference. Beef only patties are drier and has less flavor compared to ones that also includes ground pork.
Ingredients for Wafu Hambagu
For the Hamburger Patty
- onion
- neutral oil – divided, for cooking the onion and hamburger steaks
- panko bread crumbs
- milk
- ground beef
- ground pork
- large egg
- garlic clove – crushed or minced
- nutmeg
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
For the Toppings
- daikon radish – use the top green part that‘s sweet and less bitter
- shiso leaves (perilla/ooba) – or scallion/green onion
For the Sauce
- ponzu – store-bought or make Homemade Ponzu Sauce
- sugar
- yuzu kosho (Japanese citrus chili paste) – optional, for a citrusy, spicy kick
How To Make Wafu Hambagu
- Mince the onion and sauté in a frying pan until golden brown. Transfer to a large bowl and let it cool.
- Add the rest of the patty ingredients to the cooled onions. Knead the mixture until pale and sticky.
- Shape into thick, oval patties that are rounded on top. Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes so that the meats meld together.
- Grate the daikon and julienne the shiso leaves.
- Make the sauce by whisking the sauce ingredients until the sugar dissolves.
- Cook the patties in a frying pan over medium heat. Flip when they are browned on the bottom. Cover to cook on medium-low heat until the meat inside is cooked through.
- Add the sauce to the pan over medium-high heat. Braise the patties for 2 minutes, then move them to individual plates. Reduce the sauce a bit and skim off the rendered fat.
- Garnish the burger patties with grated daikon and shiso. Pour the extra sauce on top at the table.
Other Hambagu Recipes You’ll Love
- Classic Japanese Hamburger Steak (Hambagu)
- Stewed Hamburger Steak (Nikomi Hambagu)
- Cheese-stuffed Japanese Hamburger Steak
- Hamburger Steak Bento
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Wafu Hambagu (Japanese Hamburger Steak)
Ingredients
- ½ onion
- 1½ Tbsp neutral oil (for cooking the onion)
- ¼ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
- 2 Tbsp milk
- ½ lb ground beef
- ½ lb ground pork
- 1 large egg (50 g each w/o shell)
- 1 clove garlic (crushed or minced)
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
For Cooking the Patties
- 1½ Tbsp neutral oil
For the Toppings
- 3 inches daikon radish (use the top green part that‘s sweet and less bitter)
- 2 shiso leaves (perilla/ooba) (or scallion/green onion for garnish)
For the Sauce
- ½ cup ponzu (you can make Homemade Ponzu Sauce)
- 1 tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp yuzu kosho (Japanese citrus chili paste) (for a citrusy, spicy kick; optional)
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients. If doubling the recipe, please cook one batch at a time in the pan.
- Mince ½ onion.
- Heat 1½ Tbsp neutral oil in a frying pan and sauté the onion until golden brown. Transfer to a large bowl and let it cool.
- Mix ¼ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) and 2 Tbsp milk together.
- When the onion is cool, add the panko mixture, ½ lb ground beef, ½ lb ground pork, 1 large egg (50 g each w/o shell), 1 clove garlic (minced or crushed), ¼ tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
- Mix all the ingredients together. Knead the mixture until sticky and pale in color.
To Shape the Patties
- Divide the mixture into 4 portions. Put a little bit of oil on your hands to keep the meat from sticking to them.
- Toss each portion of the mixture between your hands about 10 times to release the air inside the mixture (this will prevent the patties from breaking while cooking).
- Make oval-shaped patties. Make the top of the patties more round compared to typical hamburger patties that are flat on top. Cover the patties with plastic wrap and keep them in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before cooking so that the meat combines together.
To Prepare the Toppings and Sauce
- Meanwhile, peel 3 inches daikon radish and grate it finely. Squeeze most of the liquid out of the grated daikon (but leave some for moisture).
- Cut off the stem of 2 shiso leaves (perilla/ooba) and roll them up. Cut into julienned pieces. If you use scallion instead, slice it thinly.
- Now, make the sauce. (Keep the batches of sauce separate if you‘re doubling the recipe.) In a small bowl, combine ½ cup ponzu, ¼ tsp yuzu kosho (Japanese citrus chili paste), and 1 tsp sugar (per batch). Whisk it all together until the sugar is dissolved.
To Cook the Wafu Hambagu
- Heat 1½ Tbsp neutral oil in a frying pan over medium heat. (Cook one batch at a time if you‘re doubling the recipe.) When it‘s hot, gently place the patties in the pan. Indent the center of each patty with your fingers because they will rise and expand when heated. Cook the patties for about 3–4 minutes and do not flip until they are nicely brown.
- Flip the patties and cover to cook on medium-low heat for 4–5 minutes, or until the meat inside is cooked through.
- Add the sauce to the pan and increase the heat to medium high. Scoop the sauce over the meat with a spoon while cooking for about 2 minutes.
- Move the patties to serving plates. Reduce the sauce a little bit while skimming off the fat (to make a clear sauce). Pour the sauce into a small serving bowl.
To Serve
- Serve the Wafu Hambagu with grated daikon on top and garnish with shiso (or scallion). Pour the extra sauce on top at the table.
Nutrition
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