Sukiyaki is a Japanese shared-pot meal in which thin beef, tofu, vegetables, and noodles simmer in a sweet-savory sauce.
This home version organizes the ingredients in sections and adds the beef gradually so it stays tender.
Keep the pot at a gentle simmer and replenish the sauce only as the ingredients absorb it.
Serving Suggestions
Serve from the shared pot into small bowls with hot Japanese rice.
Recipe Notes
Prepare the sauce and cut the vegetables ahead; slice and cook the beef just before eating.
Japanese Sukiyaki
Japanese sukiyaki with thin beef, tofu, napa cabbage, mushrooms, scallions, shirataki, and sweet-savory warishita.
Equipment
- Shallow cast-iron pot or large skillet
- Small saucepan
- Tongs
- Four serving bowls
Ingredients
Warishita Sauce
- 1/2 cup Japanese soy sauce
- 1/2 cup mirin
- 1/4 cup sake
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
Hot Pot
- 1 lb well-marbled beef sliced very thinly across the grain
- 14 oz firm tofu drained and cut into large cubes
- 1/2 large head napa cabbage cut into broad pieces
- 8 oz shiitake mushrooms stems removed
- 7 oz enoki mushrooms root end trimmed
- 8 oz shirataki noodles rinsed and drained
- 4 whole scallions cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 2 cups cooked Japanese short-grain rice for serving
Instructions
Prepare:
- Combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, and water in a saucepan. Warm just until the sugar dissolves, then set aside.
- Arrange the beef, tofu, cabbage, mushrooms, noodles, and scallions on separate sections of a tray so they can be added in stages.
Cook the Sukiyaki:
- Heat the shallow pot, add oil, and sear a few beef slices for 30 seconds. Pour in one-third of the warishita.
- Add tofu, napa cabbage, shiitake, enoki, shirataki, and scallions in loose groups. Simmer gently for 6 to 8 minutes, adding more sauce as needed.
- Add remaining beef in broad loose slices and cook only until no longer pink. Spoon into bowls with rice and continue replenishing the shared pot.
Notes
- Do not crowd all the beef into the pot at once; thin slices cook in less than two minutes.
- Keep leftover ingredients and sauce separate and cook fresh; refrigerate cooked leftovers for up to two days.
Nutrition
Calories: 690kcalCarbohydrates: 57gProtein: 38gFat: 33gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 105mgSodium: 1680mgFiber: 5gSugar: 24g