If you want some Japanese food, but you can’t fly to Japan, this list of Japanese recipes you can make at home is for you.
For more ideas of what to make, check out all of our recipes.
The food in Japan is amazing. Every time I go back, I just want to eat. Of course we visit with family and sightsee, but eating everything that I don’t usually eat in America is one of my top priorities.
When I get home, I get on a kick of making my favorite Japanese recipes. So I have a huge collection of them.
Making them at home is a lot easier than flying to Japan when I’m in the mood for them.
If you agree, you should try the Japanese recipes on this list. They’re easy to make it home with ingredients that you can find most American supermarkets.
If you’re wondering what I eat when I’m overseas, I have a list of must-try foods when you’re in Japan. It’s filled with everything I eat when I go back.
Japanese food you can make at home
Japanese Sides & Starters
Spicy Kani Salad
Imitation crab meat, which is known as kanikama in Japanese, is really popular in Japan. It’s a budget-friendly way to incorporate the taste of crab into your food.
One great way to do that with this spicy kani salad, which combines kanikama and cucumber. It’s the perfect accompaniment to yakitori, any type of teriyaki, or sushi.
Japanese Cabbage Salad
Cabbage is the star of any tonkatsu plate, in my opinion.
So, I make the lightly dressed Japanese cabbage salad at home anytime I’m making cutlets, similar to tonkatsu, or a heavy meal that needs some balance.
Japanese Rice & Noodle Recipes
Yakimeshi
Yakimeshi is a Japanese-style Chinese fried rice. It’s different than the American-style Chinese fried rice, which has vegetables and large pieces of egg.
The Japanese version focuses more on the pork flavor and pieces in the rice than vegetables.
Yaki-Udon
Udon is a noodle, similar to ramen noodles in that they’re both white noodles made of wheat. But udon is a much thicker noodle. Which means it can hold up to cooking in the wok.
And that’s exactly what you do to make this yaki-udon, a really flavorful noodle dish.
Kani Yakimeshi
Traditionally, yakimeshi has a specific barbecued pork, called char siu, which is difficult for me to find in America. What’s not difficult to find, though, is imitation crab meat (called kanikama in Japanese).
So when I’m in the mood for yakimeshi and can’t find the meat, or I just want a lighter version, I make this kani yakimeshi instead.
Japanese Main Dishes
Yakitori
If you go out for yakitori in Japan, it’s usually all the chicken parts on a skewer. Gizzards are really popular, as is liver. You’ll also find cartilage, skin, and heart.
My version only uses chicken breast because that’s what I prefer, but you can use other parts of the chicken with the same recipe.
Slow Cooker Chicken Teriyaki
If you grew up in the 90s and went to a mall food court, there’s a very good chance you had chicken teriyaki. It’s so classic.
You can’t get that a food court now, but you can easily make it at home in the slow cooker with a simple homemade teriyaki sauce.
Tuna Teriyaki
If you’re in the mood for teriyaki, but want an alternative to the traditional chicken version, try this tuna teriyaki.
You make a homemade teriyaki sauce, which pairs so well with the fresh tuna.
Slow Cooker Japanese Chicken Curry
Japanese curry has a rich broth and is very different than Indian curry, which is spice heavy. It’s usually served with a meat, carrots, and potatoes.
We make ours in the slow cooker because it’s so easy that way.
Chicken & Eggplant Teriyaki
For a great way to serve teriyaki, but with some more vegetables to stretch the meal, make this chicken and eggplant teriyaki.
The eggplant absorbs the homemade teriyaki sauce so well, making the whole meal really flavorful.
Which of these Japanese recipes will you make at home first? Be sure to let us know in the comments.