Prepare a delightful Hayashi Rice featuring a rich and creamy demi-glace sauce any night of the week. This family favorite is made with a convenient pre-made sauce mix, tender beef, and savory mushrooms. Experience the essence of Japanese comfort food!
During my college days, Hayashi Rice, a comforting Japanese beef stew, was a staple in my meal rotation. Fast forward to today, and it has become one of my son’s favorite Japanese dishes that he now prepares for himself! I encourage you to try this delicious and satisfying Hayashi Rice recipe, which could easily become a beloved dish in your family as well. You’ll appreciate how quickly and effortlessly it comes together using a pre-made sauce mix.
If you’re in the mood for more stew recipes, consider trying my Japanese Chicken Curry, Nikujaga, or Japanese Cream Stew!
What is Hayashi Rice?
Hayashi rice (ハヤシライス) or hashed beef (ハッシュドビーフ) is a classic and beloved Western-style dish in Japan. Interestingly, it is a uniquely Japanese creation that is not found in Western countries. To prepare the sauce from scratch, we combine demi-glace, red wine, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, garlic cloves, tomato paste, and bay leaf. This rich sauce forms the flavorful base for stewing sliced beef, onions, and button mushrooms, served alongside cooked rice.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Convenient instant sauce mix: With minimal prep and cooking time, using a pre-made roux is much easier than making the sauce from scratch. It’s similar to using boxed Japanese curry roux, which you can find at Japanese or Asian grocery stores or online.
- Authentic home-cooked flavor: This is how households across Japan prepare hayashi rice. I’ve been making this recipe for my own family for decades.
- A comforting classic: With tender beef and mushrooms enveloped in a velvety, gravy-like sauce served over hot steamed rice, this dish is a beloved staple of Japanese home cooking.
Ingredients for Easy Hayashi Rice
- Hayashi rice sauce mix (pre-made roux) and water
- Thinly sliced beef (chuck or ribeye)
- Cremini mushrooms
- Onions
- Unsalted butter
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Cooked Japanese short-grain rice – for serving
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
Substitutions
- Sliced beef: Look for packages of paper-thin beef at Japanese grocery stores, often labeled “for shabu shabu.” If you can’t find it pre-sliced, you can cut it yourself at home. For tips, check out my tutorial on how to slice meat thinly.
- Cremini mushrooms: White button mushrooms can be used in place of brown mushrooms.
How to Make Easy Hayashi Rice
Preparation
Step 1 – Cut: Slice the onion into wedges, the mushrooms into thin slices, and the beef into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces.
Cooking
Step 2 – Sauté the onions and beef: In a medium pot, melt a pat of butter over medium heat, then cook the onions until softened. Add the beef, season, and cook until no longer pink.
Step 3 – Add the mushrooms and water: Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 20 minutes. Skim off any scum and fat to keep the broth clear.
Step 4 – Add the roux: Turn off the heat. Dissolve one or two cubes of the roux in a ladleful of hot broth, then stir it into the pot.
Assemble
Step 5 – Heat through and plate: Cook on medium heat for an additional 5 minutes. Serve steamed rice on one side of a deep plate or shallow bowl and ladle the hayashi sauce on the other side.
Step 6 – Serve: In Japan, hayashi rice is typically enjoyed with a spoon.
Nami’s Recipe Tips
- Sauté the onions until softened: Make sure to cook the sliced onions until they wilt and turn slightly golden to enhance their flavor and make it easier to brown the beef in the next step.
- Skim off the scum and foam: For a clear and velvety sauce, remove the debris that forms on the surface of the broth.
- Dissolve the sauce cubes before adding to the pot: The solid roux cubes are highly concentrated, so it’s essential to dissolve them first in some cooking liquid before stirring them into the broth.
- Turn off the heat when adding the sauce mix: This prevents the mix from clumping or burning on the bottom of the pot. Once fully incorporated, you can turn the heat back on to gently thicken the stew.
Variations and Customizations
- Make tomato hayashi rice: A popular variation in Japan includes adding chopped fresh tomatoes and tomato ketchup for extra sweetness and flavor.
- Use mixed mushrooms: Incorporate a variety of mild mushrooms like shimeji, eringi, or enoki for added depth.
- Add veggies: Consider adding sweet bell peppers, carrots, green peas, or chopped parsley for extra nutrition and color.
- Top it with cheese: Sprinkle your favorite grated or shredded cheese on top for a delightful twist.
- Repurpose leftovers: Serve it over Omurice (Japanese omelette rice) or Japanese Hamburger Steak (hambagu). The combination of Omurice and hayashi sauce is affectionately known as Omuhayashi!
What to Serve with Easy Hayashi Rice
Storage Tips
To store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to a month.
Frequently Asked Questions
The instant sauce roux already contains thickener, so there’s no need to create a slurry with flour and broth. If the sauce is too watery, leave the pot uncovered and simmer on low for 5–10 minutes.
