Hayashi rice is a Japanese rice dish made with thinly sliced beef, onions, and mushrooms simmered in a rich tomato-based sauce and served over rice. This Hayashi rice recipe skips store-bought roux and instead builds the sauce with 200 ml (6.8 fl oz) tomato juice and 100 ml (3.4 fl oz) red wine, along with Worcestershire sauce and brewed soy sauce for deeper savory flavor.
The key is to lightly coat the beef with cake flour and sear it first, then sauté the onions and mushrooms in butter. The tomato-based sauce is reduced until thick before the beef is returned to the pan, and 1 tbsp honey is added at the end before simmering everything over low heat for about 5 minutes.
With this method, you can make a rich, smooth Hayashi rice sauce at home without using packaged roux. This recipe makes about 3–4 servings.
⏱️ Cooking Time: About 30 minutes
🍳 Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆
✓ Ingredients (3–4 Servings)
🥣 Main Ingredients
- 200 g (7 oz) thinly sliced beef for shabu-shabu
- 1 onion
- 2–4 button mushrooms (60 g / 2.1 oz)
- Cooked rice
🧂 Seasonings & Sauce
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 2 tbsp cake flour (low-protein flour)
- Cooking oil
- 10 g (0.4 oz) butter
- 100 ml (3.4 fl oz) red wine
- 200 ml (6.8 fl oz) tomato juice, with no added salt or sugar
- 3 tbsp ketchup
- 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp brewed soy sauce
- 200 ml (6.8 fl oz) water
- 1 tbsp honey
(Measurement guide: 1 tbsp = 15 ml, 1 tsp = 5 ml, 1 Korean paper cup = 180 ml / 6.1 fl oz)
✓ How to Make Hayashi Rice
- Prepare the onion and mushrooms: Cut 1 onion in half and slice it thinly. Slice 2–4 button mushrooms (60 g / 2.1 oz) into pieces about 5 mm thick.
- Season and coat the beef: Spread out 200 g (7 oz) thinly sliced beef and season it with 1 pinch salt and 1 pinch black pepper. Sprinkle 2 tbsp cake flour evenly over the beef and gently toss so the slices do not tear or become mashed together.
- Sear the beef: Add cooking oil to a pan and arrange the beef in a single layer without overlapping. Cook just until the surface develops some browning rather than cooking the beef for a long time. Remove the seared beef from the pan and set it aside.
- Sauté the onion and mushrooms: If there is too much oil left in the pan, carefully wipe out some of the excess with a paper towel. Melt 10 g (0.4 oz) butter in the same pan. Add the sliced onion and sauté until it absorbs the buttery flavor and begins to turn golden. Add the mushrooms and sauté briefly.
- Cook the Hayashi rice sauce: Add 100 ml (3.4 fl oz) red wine, 200 ml (6.8 fl oz) tomato juice, 3 tbsp ketchup, 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, and 1 tbsp brewed soy sauce in that order. Stir well and cook over medium heat until the sauce becomes noticeably thick.
- Add the water and beef: Once the sauce has thickened, stir in 200 ml (6.8 fl oz) water. Return the seared beef to the pan.
- Finish with honey: Add 1 tbsp honey and mix well. Simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes. Spoon the finished Hayashi rice sauce generously over warm rice and serve.
✓ Key Tips for Success
- Do not overcook the beef at the beginning: The goal is to brown the surface rather than cook the beef completely for an extended period. Sear it first, remove it from the pan, and return it to the sauce near the end so the slices hold their shape while finishing in the sauce.
- Thicken the sauce before adding the water: After adding the red wine, tomato juice, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and brewed soy sauce, cook the mixture over medium heat until it has reduced and thickened. Only then add the 200 ml (6.8 fl oz) water. This helps prevent the finished Hayashi rice sauce from becoming too thin.
✓ Serving Tips
- Using tomato juice with no added salt or sugar instead of whole tomatoes makes the sauce easier to prepare without any extra tomato prep.
- Add 1 tbsp honey near the end of cooking to bring the flavors of the sauce together more smoothly.
- Serve the finished sauce generously over warm white rice so each portion includes plenty of beef, onion, and mushrooms.
✓ How to Choose Good Onions
- Outer skin: Choose onions with dry, papery, slightly glossy skins that are free from cuts, damaged spots, or signs of mold.
- Firmness: The onion should feel heavy and firm overall, without soft areas that give easily when pressed.
- Top and sprouts: Look for onions with a narrow, dry, tightly closed stem end and no visible green sprouts.
✓ Onion Nutrition per 100 g (3.5 oz)
| Nutrient | Amount per 100 g (3.5 oz) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 29.00 kcal |
| Carbohydrates | 6.52 g |
| Protein | 0.96 g |
| Fat | 0.17 g |
| Sodium | 2.00 mg |
Based on 100 g of raw onion. Actual nutrition values may vary depending on the variety, product, and cooking method.
Source: Ministry of Food and Drug Safety Food Nutrition Database
✓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1. How thick should Hayashi rice sauce be before adding the water?
Cook the red wine, tomato juice, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and brewed soy sauce over medium heat until the mixture has reduced and become noticeably thick. Then add 200 ml (6.8 fl oz) water, the seared beef, and 1 tbsp honey, and simmer over low heat for about 5 more minutes.
Q2. Why is my Hayashi rice sauce too thin?
If the tomato-based sauce is not reduced enough before the water is added, the finished sauce may remain too runny. Let the sauce thicken well over medium heat first, then add the 200 ml (6.8 fl oz) water.
Q3. Can I use thinly sliced beef for bulgogi instead of shabu-shabu beef?
Yes. Thinly sliced beef intended for bulgogi can also be used. Choose beef that is not too thick and sear the surface in the same way before finishing it in the sauce.
The bright acidity of tomato juice, the depth of red wine, and the savory flavor of Worcestershire sauce come together to create a rich Hayashi rice sauce without store-bought roux. Searing the beef separately, sautéing the onions and mushrooms in butter, and reducing the sauce thoroughly before adding water are the key steps for developing both flavor and the right consistency.
If you have tomato juice and thinly sliced beef at home, serve this sauce generously over warm white rice for an easy Japanese-style meal. The combination of red wine and tomato-based sauce gives the dish a smooth, deeply savory flavor using a relatively simple list of ingredients.
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※ This recipe was prepared and written after referring to a recipe introduced on the YouTube channel ‘일식예보’, then cooking it and documenting the process and results.