• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
A Day in the Kitchen
  • RECIPES
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
menu icon
go to homepage
  • RECIPES
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • RECIPES
    • ABOUT
    • CONTACT
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Asian » Japanese Butadon Pork Bowls

    Japanese Butadon Pork Bowls

    Published: May 6, 2018 · Modified: May 29, 2019 · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads.

    JUMP TO RECIPE

    Butadon pork bowls are an easy way to bring a humble, homey Japanese meal to your table. Tender flavorful pork over hot steamed rice, it's a simple and delicious bowl of satisfying comfort.

    Japanese Butadon Pork Bowl containing pork, onions, green onions, and rice

    I am a big fan of one-dish meals. So is my husband since I cook and he cleans. Therefore, the fewer dishes he has to wash, the better. 😉

    Japanese Butadon Pork Bowls is a favorite in our house because it is a simple and comforting meal, all in one bowl. It is also a great weeknight dish, perfect when I don't always have a lot of time or I don't really feel making anything more complicated!

    A white round plate containing raw pork belly slices

    "Butadon", by the way, is a Japanese word that literally means "pork rice bowl", a very simple dish despite its fancy sounding name!

    Thin sliced pork is slowly simmered in a flavorful braising concoction of dashi broth, tamari (or soy sauce), mirin, and honey. Onions are added in the last 10-15 minutes of cooking.

    A pot containing pork and onions in a brown liquid for butadon pork bowls

    What do you end up with? Really flavorful and tender pork that you then pile high on a bowl of hot steamed rice. So good!

    My favorite, though, is to take it a step further and top it with some pepper mix, green onion, and pickled ginger! Perfection!

    A pair of black chopsticks resting on a round grey dish containing butadon pork bowl

    By the way, butadon pork bowls also make great leftovers! It's so easy to reheat in the microwave for a meal the next day, and especially makes for great school lunches. My boys love getting this as a hot lunch!

    And if you prefer beef over pork, try my Japanese Gyudon Beef Bowls which are just as delicious and comforting!

    If you're looking for a simple way to bring a taste of Japan to your table, these butadon pork bowls may be just the ticket! Flavorful and satisfying, it may become a regular in your weekly menu!

    ~ Lisa.

    Japanese Butadon Pork Bowl with chopsticks

    Japanese Butadon Pork Bowls

    Japanese Butadon Pork Bowls are a simple way to bring a homey Japanese meal to your table. Flavorful and tasty, it's comfort in a bowl.
    4.43 from 14 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Japanese
    Keyword: butadon, pork bowls, rice
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour
    Makes: 6 servings
    Calories: 342kcal
    Author: Lisa from A Day in the Kitchen

    Ingredients

    • 1.5 lbs thinly sliced pork belly
    • 1 small onion, cut into chunks
    • 3 tbs dashi broth granules (Japanese fish soup stock granules, found in Asian grocery stores)
    • 3 cups water
    • ½ cup tamari (or soy sauce if don't have gluten allergies)
    • ⅓ cup mirin
    • 2 teaspoon honey

    Optional garnishes:

    • Chopped green onions
    • Pickled ginger
    • Shichimi Togarashi Japanese mixed chili pepper seasoning

    Instructions

    • In medium pot over medium heat, combine water, dashi granules, tamari, mirin, and honey.
    • Cut pork belly strips into bite-sized pieces, about 2-3 inches in length.
    • Add pork to the pot, stirring to separate meat slices. Bring to a gentle boil.
    • Cover pot with lid, leaving a slight gap and reduce heat to a low. Simmer for at least 30 minutes (45 minutes is best).
    • Remove lid and add onions. Mix well and simmer uncovered for another 15 minutes.
    • Serve over hot rice, spooning some of the braising liquid over the meat.
    • Garnish with chopped green onions, Shichimi Togarashi (Japanese pepper mix) and pickled ginger, if desired.

    Notes

    • This the brand of dashi granules I use and what they look like. Compared to some other brands, I find this one to have the simplest list of ingredients:
    • Alternatively, look for dashi bags, which are like tea bags that you soak in water to get the dashi broth.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 342kcal
    Have you tried this recipe?Mention @dayinthekitchen or tag #adayinthekitchen!

    If you make this dish, share your photo on Facebook or Instagram and tag me @dayinthekitchen!


    You might also like:

    Broiled Miso Salmon Filets
    Broiled Miso Salmon Filets
    Poached Salmon Tobiko Bowls
    Poached Salmon Tobiko Rice Bowl
    Japanese Beef Gyudon Bowls

    A pair of black chopsticks next to a grey round dish containing butadon pork bowl

    Recipe notes regarding dashi broth granules updated April 15th, 2019.


    More Asian

    • Korean Stir-Fried Rice Cakes
    • Black Bean Garlic Pork Belly Stir-fry
    • Sunomono Noodle Salad
    • Steamed Egg & Minced Pork Patty

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Comment Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Heidi

      August 16, 2019 at 3:28 pm

      Hi Lisa, any alternative in place of dashi to cook this dish..? Have all ingredients except dashi 😩

      Reply
      • Lisa

        August 16, 2019 at 3:42 pm

        Thanks for your question, Heidi. Dashi is a tough ingredient to substitute, but the closest thing I can think of is to use fish sauce. Soy sauce could also be a substitute, but there is already soy sauce in the recipe, so I don't know if adding another tablespoon would make that much of a difference. Let me know what you end up doing and how it turns out!

        Reply
      • C. Chow

        May 05, 2020 at 2:30 pm

        actually i used half a cube of chicken stock thinking it wouldn't work (no 'fishiness' flavour) but hey it turned out so good! I found the sauce a bit bland for my liking so I added a tablespoon of terriyaki sauce to boost the flavour. It was sooooo good!

        Reply
        • Lisa

          May 06, 2020 at 11:35 am

          Glad you liked it!

          Reply
    2. Rina

      August 11, 2019 at 8:24 am

      Is there a reason you use honey instead of sake and sugar other similar recipes call for? Is it to make it healthier? Or does it give a better flavor? Just wondering. Looking forward to making this recipe soon. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Lisa

        August 11, 2019 at 10:20 pm

        Thanks for the question, Rina! I use honey because I try to avoid cooking with refined white sugar whenever possible. Another reason is that many people already have honey in their cupboards, so this dish is easy to put together without having to buy unfamiliar ingredients. I hope you like the dish!

        Reply
    3. Nancy

      April 14, 2019 at 10:54 pm

      I find it ironic that you suggest staying away from dashi with high amounts of salt and MSG, yet the example you use has salt in the first ingredient a swell as MSG (Yeast extract) 😂

      Reply
      • Lisa

        April 15, 2019 at 12:03 am

        I actually did not realize yeast extract is also known as MSG, and I have updated my notes. I appreciate the lesson, Nancy! Thanks!

        Reply
    4. Andrew Daniels

      March 14, 2019 at 11:56 pm

      Good recipe, but ingredients list is missing some of the key flavours!: green onions and shichimi togarashi - I'm sure that's what you meant by pepper mix. We can figure it out tho! Great job!

      Shame this site can only display imperial measurements, rather than a logical system based on base 10 (metric)

      Reply
      • Lisa

        March 15, 2019 at 10:18 am

        Thanks for your comment, Andrew. I did, indeed, forget to include the garnishes that I often I use myself when I eat this! I have updated the ingredient list to include them!

        Reply
    5. Leanne | Crumb Top Baking

      February 15, 2019 at 8:39 am

      5 stars
      That thinly sliced pork belly looks delicious Lisa! What a great recipe! My hubby does most of the dishes too, so he appreciates one-dish meals as well!

      Reply
    6. Kim @ The Puffy Biscuit

      February 13, 2019 at 9:54 pm

      I love a one pot meal, too! I have never heard of this before but it sounds (and looks!) amazing. It would be perfect for busy weeknights.

      Reply
      • Lisa

        February 14, 2019 at 9:56 am

        Yes, it is a great simple meal on weeknights...no fussing and very satisfying!

        Reply
    7. Colleen

      February 13, 2019 at 3:22 pm

      5 stars
      Lisa, I'm loving your recipes! We've visited a few places in different parts of Asia, and love all of the various foods and cultural dishes, but the food is always in a restaurant. I love that you're in your kitchen showing me delicious one pan, easy meals in Hong Kong! Thank you ♥

      Reply
    8. CannacatNyuu

      February 13, 2019 at 4:37 am

      How thick should I ask my butcher to cut the pork belly?

      Reply
      • Lisa

        February 13, 2019 at 6:21 am

        Ask the butcher to slice the pork belly as thin as he can without it falling apart. Cutting as thin as bacon might be a good reference. Hope that helps!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube

    Welcome to A Day in the Kitchen! This is your one stop kitchen for loads of easy gluten-free recipes for baking and cooking, as well as traditional home-cooked Chinese dishes! Whether you want to try gluten-free baking, are feeling nostalgic for Chinese dishes you had as a kid, or you simply want easy meal ideas, my kitchen cooks it all! It's a great day to cook!

    Read more...


    Quote for the Day

    "The secret of good cooking is, first, having a love of it." - James Beard.


    Never Miss A Recipe!


    Trending Recipes

    • Easy Homemade Sandwich Deli Meat
    • How To Cook Eggs In A Rice Cooker
    • Easy Iced Milk Tea
    • How To Peel and Cut A Mango
    • Japanese Butadon Pork Bowls
    • Soft Homemade Gluten-Free Bread
    • Korean Sweet Potato Noodles (Japchae)
    • Pan-Fried Crispy Enoki Mushrooms

    Recently Posted!

    • Gluten-Free Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
    • Easy Ciabatta Bread
    • Sweet & Nutty Chocolate Coated Dates
    • Dry Rub Wings with Creamy Feta Dip

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact Us

    Related

    • A Day Out
    • A Day in the Life

    Never Miss A Recipe!

    A Day in the Kitchen participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you purchase any item from Amazon by clicking to their site via the affiliate link, it will cost the same to you, but I will receive a small commission.

    Copyright © 2022 A Day in the Kitchen.

    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok