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A baked Yaki Keema Curry casserole topped with melted cheese and parsley sits in a white dish on a wooden table, surrounded by plates, utensils, a napkin, and a glass of water.

Yaki Keema Curry (Japanese Baked Curry with Egg & Cheese)

by Namiko Hirasawa Chen
Yaki Keema Curry is a cozy Japanese baked curry rice casserole layered with savory ground meat, fluffy rice, a soft egg, and bubbly melted cheese. If you love Japanese curry rice, this baked version is a must-try. It’s hearty, comforting, and perfect to make at home.
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 2

Ingredients

For the Keema Curry

For Baking

  • 2 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice (about 2 large rice bowls)
  • 1 large egg (50 g w/o shell)
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1 Tbsp butter (for greasing the dish)
  • a few sprigs Italian parsley (for garnish)
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Gather all the ingredients. Start preheating the oven to 400°F (200°C).
    Top-down view of Yaki Keema Curry ingredients on a wooden surface: cooked rice, ground beef and pork, water, half an onion, sliced red bell pepper, egg, parsley, shredded cheese, pepper, bouillon, ketchup, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce.

To Prepare the Ingredients

  • Finely dice ½ onion: Place it cut-side down and make ¼-inch horizontal cuts toward the root, then vertical cuts, and finally slice crosswise evenly.
    Three side-by-side images show hands preparing onions for Yaki Keema Curry: first slicing in half, then making vertical cuts, and finally dicing into small pieces on a wooden cutting board.
  • Cut 3 inches carrot into ⅛-inch thin slices. Cut the slices into thin sticks, then slice crosswise into a fine dice.
    Three side-by-side images showing hands using a knife to cut carrots for Yaki Keema Curry: first into sticks, then thinner strips, and finally into small diced pieces on a wooden cutting board.
  • Finely chop the leaves of a few sprigs Italian parsley.
    Two images side by side show hands chopping fresh parsley on a wooden cutting board with a large kitchen knife—perfect preparation for garnishing Yaki Keema Curry. The left image shows the parsley being held, the right shows it being finely chopped.

To Cook the Keema Curry

  • Heat a stainless steel pan over medium heat. When it's hot, add 1 Tbsp neutral oil and swirl to coat. Add the onion and sauté, stirring occasionally.
    Nami's Tip: To test if your stainless steel pan is hot enough, add a drop of water. If it beads and glides, you're good to go. Wipe it dry before adding oil. If the water evaporates or scatters, it’s not ready.
    A three-panel image shows oil being poured into a skillet, chopped onions being added, and then the onions sautéing with small pieces of red and orange pepper—a flavorful start to Yaki Keema Curry.
  • Add ¾ lb ground meat (I used beef and pork). Cook, breaking up the chunks with a wooden spatula, until the meat is no longer pink.
    Triptych shows diced onions and peppers sautéing in a pan, raw ground meat for Yaki Keema Curry being added and stirred in, then the meat browning and mixing thoroughly with the vegetables in the final stage.
  • Add the carrot.
    Two side-by-side photos: On the left, diced carrots are added to a skillet of cooked ground meat and onions for Yaki Keema Curry. On the right, the mixture is stirred, blending carrots with savory meat and onions.
  • Add 1 cup water. Season with ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
    Two images show minced meat, diced carrots, and onions cooking in a skillet for Yaki Keema Curry. In the first, water is poured in; in the second, hands sprinkle seasonings or herbs into the simmering mixture.
  • Cover and cook for 3 minutes.
    Side-by-side images show a pan with a metal lid covering simmering food, and on the right, the same pan uncovered, revealing chopped onions, carrots, and ground meat for Yaki Keema Curry being cooked on a stovetop.
  • Add 1 cube Japanese curry roux and let it dissolve.
    Two side-by-side images: On the left, a hand adds spice mixture to a pan of sautéed onions and carrots; on the right, a wooden spatula stirs browned ground meat and veggies for Yaki Keema Curry in the same pan.
  • Add 1 Tbsp ketchup and 1 Tbsp tonkatsu sauce and stir to combine. Bring it back to a simmer for 1–2 minutes. If it's watery, continue to simmer and reduce the sauce until you can draw a line through it with a spatula and see the bottom of the pan for 2 seconds.
    Two images: On the left, hands add small bowls of ketchup and sauce to a pan with minced meat and diced carrots for Yaki Keema Curry. On the right, a spoon stirs the saucy mixture in the pan on a stove.

To Assemble and Bake

  • Spread 2 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice evenly in a buttered 6 × 8-inch (15 × 20 cm) baking dish. Ladle the keema curry on top in an even layer and make a well in the center. Crack 1 large egg (50 g w/o shell) into the well.
    A three-panel image shows white rice being spread in a baking dish, topped with a savory Yaki Keema Curry mixture of ground meat and vegetables, and then finished with a raw egg placed in the center.
  • Sprinkle 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese all over the top. Bake in a preheated 400°F (200°C) oven for 15 minutes or until the egg is cooked to your liking and the cheese is bubbling and lightly browned on top.
    A white baking dish filled with Yaki Keema Curry casserole topped with shredded cheese sits on a counter (left) and is then placed in an oven for baking (right).

To Serve

  • Remove from the oven. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley. Serve hot (or warm) directly from the baking dish.
    Nami's Tip: In Japan, we serve the dish piping hot, right out of the oven while it’s still bubbly. If you'd like, you can let it rest for a few minutes and enjoy it warm.
    A casserole dish with baked lasagna is shown in an oven on the left, and on the right, it is being removed and placed on a green mat, topped with melted cheese and parsley, reminiscent of the flavorful layers found in Yaki Keema Curry.

To Store

  • Keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and in the freezer for up to a month.
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