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Meat, East Asian

Butadon (Japanese pork rice bowl)

Butadon is a Japanese rice bowl topped with pork slices caramelized in sweet soy sauce. It serves 4, takes 30 minutes, is rated very easy, and costs €2.80 per serving. The key to success is caramelizing the sauce at the very end, until it turns glossy and clings to the pork.

A Japanese bowl ready before the rice goes cold, that's butadon, glazed pork slices in sweet soy sauce over rice.

Butadon (Japanese pork rice bowl)
Total time
30 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€2.80
Calories per person
530 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Butadon plays on a simple contrast, warm neutral rice soaks up a sweet soy glaze coating tender, lightly caramelized pork slices. Fresh ginger adds a touch of brightness so the sauce never feels heavy, and toasted sesame seeds bring a little crunch at the last moment. It's a straightforward dish, no fuss, that disappears in a few minutes once it hits the table.

This is the kind of dinner to make on a weeknight when you barely have time to spare, using just one pan and a pot of rice. Kids tend to love it because the flavor is mild and sweet, never spicy, and the thin pork slices are easy to eat. Mon Chou suggests it for nights when you want something warm and comforting without spending the whole evening cooking.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Pork shoulder, thinly sliced 500 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onions 2
  • Fresh ginger, grated 1 tsp
  • Green onions 2

Pantry

  • Soy sauceoften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Mirin 3 tbsp
  • Sugaroften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Sesame seedsoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Oiloften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Riceoften in the pantry 300 g

Allergens Soy, Gluten, Sesame

The step by step recipe

  1. Cook the rice in salted water, then divide it among 4 bowls. 11 min

    Leave the rice a bit moist, it will soak up the sauce.

  2. Mix the soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and ginger together.

    If you don't have mirin, swap it for honey diluted in a little water.

  3. Slice the onions into half moons and cook them in the oil for 4 minutes until golden. 4 min

    Let them soften fully, they add sweetness to the sauce.

  4. Add the pork, brown it for 3 minutes, then pour in the sauce and let it caramelize while stirring. 5 min

    Lay the slices in one at a time, they shouldn't clump together.

  5. Arrange the pork over the rice, spoon the sauce on top, and sprinkle with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

    Toasting the sesame seeds dry for 1 minute in the pan gives them much more flavor.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick pork slices that are really thin, they cook in just a few minutes and soak up the sauce better than a thick cut would.
  • Skip rinsing the rice right before cooking if you want it slightly sticky, that's what holds the bowl together on a spoon.
  • Keep the pan on high heat during caramelization, on low heat the sauce stays runny instead of coating the pork.

The variations

  • Swap the pork for thinly sliced chicken, the cooking time stays about the same and the sauce works just as well.
  • For a vegetarian version, use firm tofu sliced and seared in place of the pork.
  • For kids in a hurry, serve the pork and rice separately with the sauce on the side so they can build their own bowl.

What to serve it with

  • A bowl of miso soup to start
  • Steamed vegetables on the side
  • Plain green tea

Storage

Butadon keeps for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container, with the rice and pork together or separate. It freezes well, pork and sauce on one side, rice on its own. Reheat in a pan or the microwave with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.

Questions about this dish

Can you make butadon ahead of time for dinner?

You can mix the sauce and slice the onions ahead, but cook the pork right before serving. The glaze loses its shine if it sits too long.

What can replace mirin if I don't have any?

A bit of honey diluted in water works fine, as noted in the recipe. The flavor is slightly less rounded but still sweet and glossy.

What rice works best for butadon?

Japanese short grain or semi brown rice gives the best result, since it stays a bit sticky. Plain sushi rice works well too.

Is butadon too strong flavored for kids?

No, the sauce is mild and sweet, with no chili or strong spices. It's often one of the easiest Japanese dishes for kids to accept.

How long does it take to make a butadon?

Count 30 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in a butadon?

About 530 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a butadon cost?

About €2.80 per serving, or €11.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains soy, gluten, sesame. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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