simple japanese curry

last updated on October 30, 2026

There is nothing more comforting and cozy than a bowl of simple japanese curry. It comes together in one pot in under an hour, but tastes like you’ve been working on it all day. Served over a bowl of rice, this is the perfect weeknight meal.

ingredients needed

japanese curry:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lb beef stew meat cubes
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 2 cloves of garlic 
• 4 cups chicken broth (or better than bullion) 
• 2 large carrots
• 1 large yukon gold potato 
• 8 Japanese curry blocks (I like using a mix of mild and medium hot) 

to serve:

• short grain rice, cooked
• sushi ginger, optional
• green onions, thinly sliced 

what are japanese curry blocks?

Japanese curry blocks are little cubes of roux made from flour, some sort of fat (like butter or oil), and various seasonings. The blocks make it simple to make a really good curry in a short amount of time. You can always find them at an asian market, but more and more you can find them in standard grocery stores! I’ve found them at my local grocery store, Walmart, Target, etc. If you can’t find them, you can always snag a pack on Amazon. Also, any brand will do, but my favorite is Vermont Curry!

japanese curry variations

meat substitutions

If beef isn’t your preferred meat, that is totally fine! You can leave it out, and depending on which brand of Japanese curry block you use, it will likely be vegan. The other most common type of meat to add in the curry is chicken, for which you’ll dice into chunks and add it just like you would the beef.

My favorite meat substitution is to leave meat out of the curry, then top with chicken katsu. The creamy, rich curry pairs so well with the crispy chicken.

vegetable substitutions

Onion, potato, and carrot are the most common vegetables to add to this curry, but you can truly add whatever you want! Sweet potato, squash, mushroom, bell pepper, anything you’d like.

other recipes you’ll love

• japanese curry tteokbokki
• okonomiyaki
• carbonara udon
• pork katsu

simple japanese curry

[category]

[published] September 29, 2026

[PREP] 10 minutes mins

[COOK] 30 minutes mins

[TOTAL] 40 minutes mins

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Ingredients

japanese curry

• 1 medium yellow onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 large carrots
• 1 large yukon gold potato
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lb beef stew meat cubes
• 4 cups chicken broth or better than bullion
• 8 Japanese curry blocks I like using a mix of mild and medium hot
• salt to taste

to serve

• short grain rice cooked
• sushi ginger optional
• green onions thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Prepare the vegetables. Thinly slice the onion, mince the garlic, peel and chop the carrots and potato into 1-inch chunks.
2. Place a large pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil. Add the beef chunks and let them cook until each side has a nice sear and color.
3. Add the onions and cook for 1-2 minutes, until starting to cook through. Add the garlic and cook an additional minute. Add the carrots, potatoes, and chicken broth.
4. Bring to a boil then turn the heat to medium low. Let the mixture simmer until the beef is tender and the vegetables are cooked through, about 15-20 minutes.
5. Roughly chop the curry blocks into smaller pieces. Working a few pieces at a time, drop the pieces into a ladle full of broth and use chopsticks or a spoon to stir until the blocks are dissolved. Repeat until all the blocks are dissolved into the mixture.
6. Continue to cook until the mixture thickens, about 2 minutes. Taste for salt and add more if needed.
7. To serve, place cooked short grain rice in one side of a bowl, then add the curry to the other side. Top with ginger and green onions, if using, and enjoy.