Japanese Curry: 13 Cozy One-Pot Dinners Even Picky Eaters Will Love

Japanese curry is the mild, thick, slightly sweet curry that families in Japan eat almost every week, and Americans cannot stop cooking it right now. Japanese ground beef curry is one of the most popular recipes on NYT Cooking this week, and searches for authentic Japanese curry recipes have doubled. It is not spicy and it is not complicated. Most versions are one pot of meat and vegetables thickened with a curry roux and served over rice. Below you will find the classic beef curry, a homemade roux, katsu curry, curry udon, baked doria, curry bread and more. Which bowl are you making first..

Japanese Curry: Why Everyone Is Making It This Week

It is not spicy, it is not complicated, and it is the most loved weeknight dinner in Japan. Here is why Americans cannot stop cooking it this week. The sauce is thick and glossy, the vegetables are soft, and it tastes a little sweet from a grated apple. Popular versions have thousands of ratings on NYT Cooking. Start with this simple chicken and vegetable pot..

You will need: 1 1/2 lbs chicken thighs or beef (bite size), 1 tbsp oil, 2 onions, 2 carrots, 2 potatoes, 1 grated apple, 4 cups water, 4 oz Japanese curry roux, cooked short grain rice, red pickles to serve.

How to make it: 1. Brown the meat in oil. 2. Add the onions and cook until soft. 3. Add carrots, potatoes, apple and water and simmer until tender, 20 to 40 minutes. 4. Turn off the heat and stir in the roux until melted. 5. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes until thick and glossy. Serve beside rice with pickles.

Classic Japanese Curry Rice With Beef, Carrots and Potatoes

This is the one every Japanese family knows. Beef, onions, carrots and potatoes simmered in a thick, glossy brown sauce, spooned next to a mound of short grain rice. It came to Japan through the British navy in the late 1800s and became a weekly home staple. It is mild enough for kids and tastes even better the next day.

You will need: 1 lb beef chuck (cut into 1 inch cubes), 1 tbsp oil, 2 onions (sliced), 2 carrots (chunks), 2 potatoes (chunks), 4 cups water or stock, 1 small apple (grated), 4 oz Japanese curry roux (store-bought or slide 2), cooked short grain rice.

How to make it: 1. Brown the beef in oil, then add onions and cook 10 minutes until soft. 2. Add carrots, potatoes, water and grated apple. 3. Simmer covered 40 minutes until the beef is tender. 4. Turn off the heat, stir in the roux until melted. 5. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes until thick. Serve over rice.

Homemade Japanese Curry Roux From Scratch

You do not need a box. Japanese curry roux is just butter and flour cooked slowly until it smells like toasted cookies, then curry powder and garam masala stirred in. Make it once and freeze it in cubes. It also lets you control the salt and spice. A spoon of ketchup and honey gives that classic gentle sweetness.

You will need: 6 tbsp butter, 1/2 cup flour, 2 tbsp curry powder, 1 tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp cayenne (optional), 1 tbsp ketchup, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp honey, 1 tsp soy sauce.

How to make it: 1. Melt the butter over low heat. 2. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring, 10 to 15 minutes until light brown. 3. Stir in curry powder, garam masala and cayenne for 30 seconds. 4. Turn off the heat and stir in ketchup, Worcestershire, honey and soy. 5. Use right away or chill in an ice cube tray and freeze.

Japanese Ground Beef Curry in 30 Minutes

Ground beef Japanese curry is one of the most popular recipes on NYT Cooking this week, with more than 5,000 ratings. Ground meat cooks in minutes, so this weeknight version is on the table in half an hour. Finely chopped carrots and onions melt into the sauce. Serve it over rice with a soft egg on top.

You will need: 1 lb ground beef, 1 onion (finely chopped), 1 carrot (finely chopped), 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp grated ginger, 2 1/2 cups water, 3 oz Japanese curry roux, 1 tbsp ketchup, 1 tsp soy sauce, frozen peas, rice, soft-boiled eggs.

How to make it: 1. Brown the beef, breaking it up, then add onion and carrot and cook 5 minutes. 2. Add garlic and ginger for 1 minute. 3. Pour in the water and simmer 10 minutes. 4. Off the heat, stir in the roux, ketchup and soy until smooth. 5. Add peas and simmer 5 minutes. Serve over rice with an egg.

One-Pot Japanese Chicken Curry and Rice

This is the version with the most fans online, with more than 7,800 ratings on one popular recipe. Chicken thighs stay juicy, and everything cooks in one pot, so there is almost nothing to wash. If your family is nervous about spicy food, this is the curry to start with. Mild, a little sweet and very cozy.

You will need: 1 1/2 lbs boneless chicken thighs (bite size), 1 tbsp oil, 1 onion, 2 carrots, 2 Yukon gold potatoes, 3 1/2 cups water, 4 oz Japanese curry roux, 1 tbsp honey, cooked rice, pickled ginger or sliced green onions.

How to make it: 1. Brown the chicken in oil 5 minutes. 2. Add the onion and cook 5 minutes. 3. Add carrots, potatoes and water and simmer 20 minutes. 4. Off the heat, stir in the roux and honey until melted. 5. Simmer 5 minutes until thick. Serve with rice.

Crispy Pork or Chicken Katsu Over Rice

Katsu curry is the restaurant favorite. A thin cutlet is breaded in panko, fried until golden, sliced and laid over rice with curry poured around it, so it stays crunchy. One katsu curry video has more than 6 million views on YouTube. It is a weekend treat that is easier than it looks. Pork or chicken: which is your pick?

You will need: 2 boneless pork chops or chicken breasts (pounded 1/2 inch thick), salt and pepper, 1/2 cup flour, 1 egg (beaten), 1 cup panko, oil for frying, 4 cups prepared Japanese curry (slide 1 or 4), cooked rice.

How to make it: 1. Season the meat, then coat in flour, egg and panko. 2. Heat 1/2 inch of oil to 350 F. 3. Fry 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through (165 F for chicken, 145 F for pork). 4. Drain and rest 3 minutes, then slice. 5. Lay over rice and spoon curry around it.

Thick Udon Noodle Soup for Rainy Nights

Leftover curry turns into a whole new meal. Thin it with dashi or chicken broth and simmer thick udon noodles in it until they soak up the flavor. Top with green onions and a sprinkle of nori. It is the coziest bowl on a rainy night. Just wear a dark shirt, it splashes. Rice or noodles with your curry?

You will need: 2 cups leftover Japanese curry, 2 cups dashi or chicken broth, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp mirin, 2 packs (7 oz each) frozen udon noodles, sliced green onions, shredded nori.

How to make it: 1. Bring the curry, broth, soy sauce and mirin to a simmer, stirring until smooth. 2. Cook the udon as the package says and drain. 3. Add the noodles to the curry and simmer 2 minutes. 4. Pour into bowls. 5. Top with green onions and nori.

Baked Japanese Curry Doria With Melted Cheese

Doria is a Japanese casserole: rice topped with curry and a thick layer of cheese, baked until bubbly and golden. It is a great way to use leftover rice and curry, and kids love the cheesy top. Crack an egg into the middle before baking for an extra treat. It is comfort food, plain and simple.

You will need: 3 cups cooked rice, 2 cups prepared Japanese curry, 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, 1 tbsp butter, 2 eggs (optional), parsley.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 425 F and butter a baking dish. 2. Spread the rice in the dish. 3. Spoon the curry over the rice. 4. Make two wells and crack in the eggs if using. 5. Cover with cheese and bake 12 to 15 minutes until bubbly and golden.

Keema-Style Ground Meat Over Rice

Dry curry is a quick, thick ground meat curry that is popular in Japanese cafes. There is almost no sauce, so it sits on top of the rice like a meaty topping. Finely chopped vegetables, raisins and a little ketchup give it a sweet and savory taste. Top with a fried egg for a full meal.

You will need: 1 lb ground pork or beef, 1 onion, 1 carrot, 1 green bell pepper (all finely chopped), 2 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp curry powder, 2 tbsp ketchup, 1 tbsp Worcestershire, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp raisins, 1/2 cup water, rice, fried eggs.

How to make it: 1. Brown the meat and drain any extra fat. 2. Add the vegetables and garlic and cook 6 minutes. 3. Stir in curry powder for 1 minute. 4. Add ketchup, Worcestershire, soy, raisins and water. 5. Cook until almost dry, about 8 minutes. Serve over rice with an egg.

Vegetable and Spinach Japanese Curry

For meatless nights, load the pot with vegetables. Sweet potato, pumpkin, mushrooms, carrots and a big handful of spinach make a hearty curry that does not miss the meat. Add a can of chickpeas for protein. Use a vegetable broth and check that your roux is vegetarian if that matters to you.

You will need: 1 tbsp oil, 1 onion, 1 small sweet potato or wedge of kabocha (cubed), 2 carrots, 8 oz mushrooms, 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas (drained), 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth, 4 oz Japanese curry roux, 3 cups baby spinach, rice.

How to make it: 1. Cook the onion in oil 5 minutes. 2. Add sweet potato, carrots, mushrooms, chickpeas and broth. 3. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes until tender. 4. Off the heat, stir in the roux. 5. Simmer 5 minutes, then stir in the spinach until wilted.

Slow Cooker Japanese Beef Curry

Let the slow cooker do the work. Put in beef chuck and vegetables in the morning, and the beef is fall-apart tender by dinner. Stir in the roux at the end so it thickens. This makes a big pot, perfect for a busy week. Freeze the extra in portions for later.

You will need: 2 lbs beef chuck (cubed), 2 onions, 3 carrots, 3 potatoes (all in chunks), 1 grated apple, 4 cups beef broth, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 6 oz Japanese curry roux, rice.

How to make it: 1. Put the beef, vegetables, apple, broth and soy in a slow cooker. 2. Cook on low 7 to 8 hours or high 4 hours. 3. Ladle 1 cup of hot liquid into a bowl and whisk in the roux until smooth. 4. Stir it back into the cooker. 5. Cook 20 to 30 minutes more until thick.

Kare Pan, the Bakery Favorite

Kare pan is a favorite in every Japanese bakery: soft bread dough wrapped around thick curry, rolled in panko and baked or fried until golden. It is a fun weekend project and a great use for leftover curry. Make the curry extra thick so it does not leak. Have you ever tried curry inside bread?

You will need: 1 lb pizza or bread dough (room temperature), 1 1/2 cups very thick leftover Japanese curry (chilled), 1 egg (beaten), 1 cup panko, oil for brushing or frying.

How to make it: 1. Divide the dough into 8 pieces and roll into 4 inch circles. 2. Put 3 tbsp cold curry in the center, fold and pinch tightly closed. 3. Brush with egg and roll in panko. 4. Rest 20 minutes. 5. Brush with oil and bake at 400 F for 15 to 18 minutes, or fry at 340 F until golden.

Leftover Curry Omurice With a Soft Omelet

Day two curry is the best curry, and this is how many families in Japan eat it. A soft, runny omelet slides over a mound of rice, then warm curry goes around it. Add a few toppings like red pickles, a spoon of grated cheese or a drizzle of cream. For more Japanese favorites, see our easy Japanese dinners at home.

You will need: 2 cups cooked rice, 2 cups leftover Japanese curry, 3 eggs, 1 tbsp milk, 1 tbsp butter, salt, red pickles (fukujinzuke) or pickled ginger, chopped parsley.

How to make it: 1. Warm the curry. 2. Pack rice into a bowl and turn it onto a plate. 3. Whisk the eggs, milk and salt. 4. Cook in butter over medium heat, stirring, until just set but still soft. 5. Slide the omelet over the rice, spoon curry around and add pickles.