Food World Cuisines East Asian Cuisines Japanese Cuisine 8 Japanese Comfort Foods That Everyone Needs to Try If you haven't had omurice or hambagu, here's your chance. By Merlyn Miller Merlyn Miller Title: Social Media Editor, Food & WineLocation: New York, New YorkEducation: Merlyn graduated with a bachelor's in anthropology from Cornell University. While at Cornell, she centered her studies on the role that food plays in human culture and archaeology.Expertise: sustainable food systems, food history, Southern and Cajun cuisines, food media trends.Merlyn Miller is a social media editor and writer with a love for the ever-changing modern food culture. She curates visual directions for social media, identifies topics and content that appeal to a brand's audience, and follows new trends in food media.Experience: Merlyn Miller began her tenure in food media by working with Mold, a publication about the future of food. She developed a social media strategy for Mold, wrote about food design and sustainability, and edited the work of others. After her stint there, Merlyn moved over to Cook Space Brooklyn, a cooking studio that hosted recreational cooking classes. She was responsible for keeping tabs on food trends, managing the brand's Instagram, and curating classes for students. Merlyn subsequently worked with cast iron cookware brand Field Company, where she managed the company's social media accounts, wrote about cast iron care, and even developed a few recipes. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on September 21, 2024 Close Photo: Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen One of Japan’s many culinary treasures is the country’s heartwarming and humble comfort food. Whether you’re looking for something to cook at home, order for takeout on a rainy day, or add to your itinerary on a trip to Japan, trying this satisfying fare is a necessity. Delicious dishes ranging from a cozy bowl of Japanese curry to a simmering pot of nabe will immediately earn a place in your heart and open up a window into the cooking that's common at home and in everyday life in Japanese culture. Comfort food isn’t defined by the same qualities across cultures, although there are certainly similarities. When I ask Masako Morishita — executive chef of Perry’s in Washington, D.C and an expert in Japanese comfort food who’s received wide acclaim for introducing it to her community — how she would describe the genre, she says: “Japanese comfort food typically consists of dishes that one might find in a Japanese home kitchen, rather than a high-end restaurant. They are the dishes that Japanese mothers and family members have been cooking for centuries, infused with love.” Tokyo Should Top Your List for Culinary Travel This Year Another D.C-based chef, Katsuya Fukushima, who owns a collection of Japanese restaurants including the wafu Italian, or Japanese-style Italian, spot Tonari, echoes this sentiment, saying: “I mostly relate home cooking to comfort food. Granted, there are specific dishes that restaurants have taken to astronomical culinary levels, like sushi, udon, tempura, ramen, and soba. I’ve even been to shops specializing in tonkatsu that have put me in awe. But does that take away anything from when my mom shallow fries tonkatsu as I sit at the dining room table after a long drive from D.C. to go visit her? Not at all.” Our Editors' Favorite Dishes and Drinks of 2023 Morishita also notes that presentation is less important when it comes to comfort food and that there’s a greater emphasis on the “warmth and wholesomeness” of the cuisine. There are a handful of ingredients that are important throughout Japanese cooking — miso, sake, soy sauce, mirin, and dashi — and Morishita believes there’s one technique particularly important to comfort food: nimono, which means “simmering” in Japanese. Of course a list of traditional or widely known comfort foods might not encompass every recipe that evokes nostalgia or happiness for us. For Morishita, the most meaningful comfort food is her Miso Butter Clams on the menu at Perry’s, a dish inspired by her father. For Fukushima, memories of his obachan (grandmother) making curry with ground beef and canned corn in Hawaii are what strike a chord. Determine what feels the most significant, and of course delicious, to you, with this non-exhaustive list of cozy Japanese comfort foods to seek out or try at home. Meet Miso, Japan’s Powerhouse Ingredient Nikujaga With a name that translates to “meat and potatoes,” this stew is fairly straightforward. Thinly sliced beef or pork, potatoes, and onion are simmered together in a base of dashi seasoned with soy sauce, sugar, mirin, and sake. Nikujaga is a type of nimono, or simmered dish, and the ingredients are cooked until most of the broth has evaporated. Carrots and shirataki noodles — a translucent, gelatinous noodle made with glucomannan fiber from the konjac plant — are also frequently included, and other ingredients like snap peas or tomatoes can be added. Okonomiyaki You might already be familiar with this savory pancake, whose name means “grilled as you like,” reflecting the dish’s versatility. The wheat flour batter that forms the base of okonomiyaki is typically mixed with cabbage and/or a protein, before being cooked on a flat iron griddle, called a teppan. One of the best parts of okonomiyaki is the toppings, which are of course customizable and usually involve a signature sweet and savory okonomiyaki sauce (often made with ketchup or Worcestershire among the ingredients), Japanese mayo, nori, bonito flakes, and pickled ginger. In addition to all the choices you can make to personalize this fluffy, savory pancake, there are regional variations, like the Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki which is layered and includes noodles. 12 Japanese Comfort Food to Make Right Now Hambagu Hambagu are part of yōshoku, or a category of Japanese cuisine that’s influenced by Western dishes, and includes items like chicken nanban, sandos, and variations on spaghetti. Consequently, these ground meat patties may seem similar to Salisbury steak or meatloaf, and its name even references the influence of the Hamburg steak. The Japanese hambagu is a patty made with ground beef and pork, panko breadcrumbs, and egg, topped with a sweet ketchup sauce. Of course, the recipe can be adapted to your preferences and may be whipped up with other ground proteins or have finely chopped vegetables mixed in. The generally affordable ingredients of hambagu mean it’s accessible for many home cooks, and home-style cuisine is a hallmark of comfort food. Chefs’ Secrets to Slurp-Worthy Ramen, Soba, and Udon Udon Noodles are a core part of Japanese cookery, and naming just one type as a form of comfort food is impossible, but I find thick and bouncy udon to be the most heartwarming. Udon may be served hot, cold, in broth or sauce, stir-fried as yaki udon, and so much more — depending on the regional style, person preparing it, and even the season. Most udon is characteristically thick, chewy, and made from wheat flour, but some versions may be thinner or produced with potato starch. Nabemono Nabemono or “nabe” for short is a category of hot pot dishes. Ingredients like vegetables, tofu, and thinly sliced meats are simmered together in a large pot of broth — often in a donabe, a traditional clay pot which is named after what it’s used for. Nabe is usually a communal affair, simmered in the center of the table for everyone to serve themselves from. There are many styles of nabemono, with broths ranging from light dashis to more rich and intense flavor profiles. The ingredients served with each nabe can change dramatically, too, but it’s important to start by adding the items that will take the longest to cook first, like tofu or heartier vegetables. Curry Similar to nabemono, Japanese curry is a wide category that encompasses a lot of iterations and forms of the iconic dish. The British brought Indian curry to Japan in the 19th century, but over the centuries it has been shaped into a distinctly Japanese comfort food. Most commonly served with rice — although it can certainly be eaten with udon or other vehicles — Japanese curry sauce is characterized by its more viscous, silky texture and notable sweetness, which can be achieved by adding honey or grated apples. A roux acts as the base of the sauce, helping to create a thick finish, and you don’t need to make it from scratch; the curry can be purchased in small blocks that simply need to be stirred into water. Japanese curry sauce is often mixed with potatoes, carrots, onions, and a protein. One of the most popular styles is katsu curry, which is topped with a crispy panko-breaded and fried cutlet. Omurice You may have come across a video of omurice on social media: a silky, semi-set omelet being cut open on top of fried rice paints a satisfying and appetizing picture. While this version of omurice, with eggs that are cooked until not quite firm in the center, is popular in restaurants, omurice is regularly homemade. The home-style rendition is more likely to have eggs that are cooked until fully set, with the omelet wrapped around pan-fried rice mixed with chicken and/or vegetables. This Japanese-style fried rice filling is usually seasoned with ketchup, soy sauce, and sometimes Worcestershire, and omurice is frequently finished with more ketchup on top. With such a comforting flavor profile and plenty of ketchup, it’s no surprise that omurice is a favorite with children. Gyudon Gyudon is an excellent option for an easy, affordable, comforting meal. Its name means “beef bowl,” which appropriately describes this rice bowl that simmers thinly sliced beef and onions in a soy-based sauce. Like all of the dishes on this list, gyudon can be customized and might be made differently depending on the household. It always includes rice, onions, and beef and can be topped with ingredients such as pickled ginger, sesame seeds, scallions, or an egg. 01 of 06 Hiyashi Udon with Goma Dare (Cold Udon with Sesame Sauce) Aya Brackett This cold udon dish is perfect for hot days, but we also enjoy it year round. Crisp, thinly sliced vegetables contrast the tender noodles, and a goma dare — or sesame sauce — ensures every bite is packed with flavor. Get the Recipe 02 of 06 Life-Changing Udon with Soft-Boiled Egg, Hot Soy, and Black Pepper Hetty McKinnon These noodles are proof that sometimes simple recipes are the most comforting. Melted butter, soy sauce, vegetable broth, and plenty of ground black pepper are all you need to create a super savory and slurp-able broth. Get the Recipe 03 of 06 Cauliflower Okonomiyaki Gregory DuPree This okonomiyaki departs from tradition by replacing cabbage with nutty cauliflower. Toasted hazelnuts on top are a welcome addition, adding buttery flavor alongside a drizzle of tangy yuzu kosho mayo. Get the Recipe 04 of 06 Okonomiyaki Victor Protasio This more classic okonomiyaki recipe will quickly become a staple in your household, and it's a great way to use up any leftover scraps you have lying around. It also gets an extra dose of umami by adding dashi to the batter and a sprinkle of bonito flakes on top. Get the Recipe 05 of 06 Katsu Curry (Japanese Curry with Tonkatsu Nuggets and Fried Egg) Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen This katsu curry recipe comes from Sonoko Sakai, food writer and author of the IACP award-winning cookbook Japanese Home Cooking. It marries Japanese curry and tonkatsu, for a comfort combination of crispy textures and flavor-packed broth. Sakai calls for from-scratch curry powder, and it's well worth the effort once you taste the results. Get the Recipe 06 of 06 Omurice (Japanese Omelet Rice) Jeni Afuso The sweet and savory fried rice, flavored with ketchup, is the star of this dish. Wrapped up in a buttery omelet, it would be equally welcome at breakfast, lunch, or dinner (or as a midnight snack). Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit