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A closeup of a blue and white bowl with gyudon, Japanese beef and rice bowl topped with red pickled ginger and sliced green onions.
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4.92 from 12 votes

Gyudon (Japanese Beef Bowl)

Discover a healthy twist on the classic Japanese Gyudon: tender slices of beef and onions simmered in a savory-sweet sauce, served over steamed cauliflower rice. It's a quick and healthy weeknight meal!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: gluten-free, gyudon, Japanese beef bowl, low carb, nom nom paleo, nomnompaleo, paleo, Whole30
Servings: 4
Author: Michelle Tam

Ingredients

  • 1 pound thinly sliced beef chuck or ribeye sold for sukiyaki or shabu shabu are best
  • 1 large yellow onion
  • 1 cup All Purpose Stir Fry Sauce
  • 1 cup dashi or chicken broth
  • 1 pound cauliflower rice cooked
  • 2 scallions thinly sliced
  • toasted sesame seeds optional garnish
  • shichimi togarashi optional garnish
  • pickled red ginger optional garnish

Instructions

  • Grab the thinly sliced beef and use a sharp knife to cut it in half if the slices are overly large.
  • Trim the stem and root ends off of the onion and peel off the dry outer layers. Cut the onion in half, through the poles of the onion, and then thinly slice the onion.
  • Pour the All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce and dashi or chicken broth in a large skillet. Separate the onion slices into half-rings and arrange them in a single layer in the skillet.
  • Turn the heat to medium high and bring the sauce to a simmer. Then, lower it to medium heat to maintain a simmer and cook the onions until mostly tender, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the beef and continue simmering the sauce, stirring occasionally. When the beef is no longer pink, about 3 to 5 minutes later, take the skillet off the heat.
  • Scoop some cauliflower rice (or white rice) into individual bowls and ladle some beef, onions, and sauce on top. Sprinkle on some scallions, sesame seeds, togarashi, and pickled red ginger if desired!

Video

Notes

  • Head to your neighborhood Asian market and buy pre-sliced beef! I buy pre-sliced ribeye or chuck for shabu shabu (hot pot) or sukiyaki. The thin slices are pretty large, so I cut them in half crosswise for this recipe. You can also thinly slice the beef yourself—freeze it until it is semi-solid and cut thin slices against the grain. You can also ask your neighborhood butcher to slice the beef like they would for cheesesteak sandwiches.
  • Make sure the beef is well-marbled and super thin. The meat cooks quickly so you need a fatty cut for flavor and thin slices so the beef doesn’t get too chewy.
  • Don’t skimp on the sauce ingredients! The traditional sauce ingredients are already replaced with my All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce, so don’t change anything else up! The reason this paleo gyudon still tastes like the real thing is the sauce, people! Also, to keep things paleo, make sure you make a traditional dashi broth with just kombu and bonito flakes or use a compatible chicken broth. Instant dashi is almost always not Whole30-compatible.
  • Go nuts with the garnishes! The beef, onion, and sauce taste fantastic on a bed of cauliflower rice—but sprinkling on some scallions, sesame seeds, spicy shichimi togarashi, and/or sour and spicy red pickled ginger takes this humble dish to another level!

Nutrition

Calories: 337kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 19g | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g