Japanese Beef Curry Recipe – Easy & Delicious

This delicious Japanese Beef Curry recipe is an umami-packed beef stew with carrots and potatoes simmered in a subtle but savory Japanese curry sauce.

Let me introduce you to this easy-to-make comfort food recipe you want to add to your kitchen repertoire. This savory, comforting stew recipe is easy to make and tastes even better the next day.

Japanese curry is very different from its Indian counterparts. Its flavor is more subtle and has a deep flavor that is velvety, subtly sweet, and savory. The heat will vary depending on which curry roux you buy.

Beef Curry is one of Japan’s most popular dishes. It’s so popular it’s considered a national dish.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Let’s talk about ingredients. Japanese beef curry is a beef stew that uses many of the same ingredients you are familiar with in a traditional American beef stew. The most significant difference is the Japanese curry roux, an essential ingredient in this Japanese recipe.

WHAT IS JAPANESE CURRY ROUX?

Curry roux is a golden curry powder mixed with oil and flour and then set in bricks. You can find curry roux at any Asian grocery store and in the Asian section of your local grocery store.

A few popular brands of curry roux to look for are:

• S&B Golden Curry
• Java Curry
• Vermont Curry

Homemade Curry Roux Recipe

You can also make homemade curry roux with Japanese curry powder, butter, and flour. I’ve used a recipe for many years that also includes garam marsala and cayenne.

This recipe is adapted from Just One Cookbook’s Curry Roux Recipe. I’ve used this homemade roux recipe before to make a batch of curry roux. I usually don’t store it as blocks because I use the curry sauce mix right away when I make beef curry.

I’ve reduced the amounts a little so that they work with one batch of curry beef stew.

• 5 tablespoons of Plain flour
• 5 tablespoons of Unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons of S&B Oriental Curry Powder
• 3 teaspoons Garam Masala
• ¼ to ½ tsp cayenne pepper

Melt the butter and then whisk in the flour and spices. It will be a thick paste. You can add this mixture just as you would the curry roux blocks.

NOTE: the is no salt in this Japanese curry roux recipe. Packaged curry bricks have a lot of salt so remember to adjust your seasonings accordingly.

Other Ingredients You’ll Need

• Beef. Preferably chuck roast of chuck steak.
• Potatoes. Yukon gold potatoes will stay firmer in this stew.
• Carrots
• Onion
• Mushrooms (optional)
• Green peas (optional)

WHAT CUT OF BEEF IS USED FOR JAPANESE BEEF CURRY?

I think beef Chuck Roast or Check Steak is the best cut for any beef stew. I usually steer clear of pre-cut stew beef. If you buy a chuck roast, you will get a better cut of beef, and it only takes a few minutes to break it down and trim it.

THE VEGETABLES

Different curry recipes call for different veggies. The agreed-upon must-have veggies are potatoes and carrots and yellow onion.

Other vegetables that can be added to beef curry are mushrooms and green peas.

HOW TO MAKE JAPANESE BEEF CURRY

1. Dice the beef into bite-sized pieces. Trim any excess fat. Season the beef with salt and pepper.
2. Dice the vegetables. Peel and dice the carrots. Quarter the yukon gold potatoes. The vegetables should be approximately the same size as the cubes of beef. Set them aside.
3. Peel and slice the onion. Set the vegetables aside until you are ready to add them to the pot.
4. Brown the beef chunks. Add a few tablespoons of oil to the dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches. Set the browned beef on a plate until you are ready to add it back to the stew.
5. Add the sliced onion to the pot and cook for about 5-8 minutes, until the onion is soft and transparent.
6. Add the diced carrots. Sauté the carrot for a few minutes and allow them to caramelize slightly.
7. Add the browned beef and the potatoes back to the pot.
8. Add curry roux blocks and 5 cups of water.
9. Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer.
10. Cover the pot and cook for about 20 minutes until the beef is tender.
11. Reduce the sauce. Remove the lid and allow the curry to simmer on medium low heat. The sauce will thicken and reduce.
12. Serve with steamed white rice, if desired. I like to use short-grain Japanese rice.

How To Serve Japanese Beef Curry

You can always eat a bowl of this delicious Japanese curry on its own. However, steamed short-grain rice and Japanese beef curry are a classic combination. It’s comfort food, after all.

More Stew Recipes To Try

Soup and stew recipes that you’ll love:

• Low Carb Beef Stew
• Vegan Lentil Stew
• Tomato Soup + The Best Grilled Cheese
• Chile Verde