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A bowl of Japanese simmered tofu and egg rice bowl with tender onions, and scallions, garnished with spices, set on a tray with chopsticks and a flavorful side dish.

Simmered Tofu and Egg Rice Bowl

by Namiko Hirasawa Chen
Simmered Tofu and Egg Rice Bowl is pure Japanese comfort food. Fried firm tofu soaks up a sweet-savory broth and gets topped with silky ribbons of egg. It comes together in one pan with a handful of pantry staples for a quick and easy weeknight dinner.
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
Servings: 2

Ingredients

For the Simmering Broth

For the Rice Bowl

Instructions

  • Gather all the ingredients.
    Ingredients on a wooden surface: a measuring cup of broth, soy sauce in a small bowl, a green onion, half a white onion, a plate with fried tofu, sugar, cooking sake in a bowl, and two eggs.

To Prepare the Broth

  • Prepare a cold, medium frying pan (about 10 inches/25 cm). Do not turn on the heat yet. Add ⅔ cup Vegan Dashi, 1½ Tbsp soy sauce, 1½ Tbsp mirin, and 1 tsp sugar to the pan. Stir to dissolve the sugar.
    Three-panel image showing the process of making sauce in a pan: pouring dashi broth, adding sugar and soy sauce, then stirring.

To Layer the Ingredients

  • Thinly cut ½ onion lengthwise into ¼-inch (6 mm) slices. Add the sliced onion to the broth in the frying pan in a single layer.
    A person slices onions on a wooden cutting board, then adds the sliced onions into a stainless steel pan filled with a dark liquid on a stove.
  • Thinly slice 1 green onion/scallion. Add the white parts to the pan. Set aside the green parts for later.
    A three-panel image shows hands slicing green onions on a wooden cutting board, then the sliced onions, and finally the onions cooking in a pan of broth or sauce.
  • Cut 1 block deep-fried firm tofu cutlet (atsuage) into thirds, then cut each piece crosswise into bite-sized cubes.
    Two side-by-side images show hands slicing a block of fried tofu on a wooden cutting board; the first image shows the initial slice, and the second shows several evenly cut tofu pieces.
  • Add the tofu cubes to the pan in a single layer. Let the tofu soak up the broth for a minute or two. Flip the tofu cubes once so the soaked side is now up.
    Two photos show tofu cubes and sliced onions cooking in a large stainless steel pan on a stovetop; in the second photo, a hand uses chopsticks to stir the ingredients in the pan.

To Cook

  • Bring the ingredients in the frying pan to a simmer over medium heat. Cover, reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer for 3 minutes.
    Split image: Left side shows a covered pan on a stovetop; right side shows tofu cubes and onions simmering in broth in an uncovered pan, with chopsticks stirring.
  • Meanwhile, beat 2–3 large eggs (50 g w/o shell). Uncover and check that the broth is actively simmering. Drizzle a thin stream of beaten egg in a spiral pattern over the tofu. Sprinkle with the green onion tops.
    Left: Hands whisking eggs in a glass bowl with chopsticks. Right: Whisked eggs being poured into a skillet with tofu and onions on a stovetop.
  • Cover and cook for 30–60 seconds, until the egg whites are just set but the yolks are still slightly glossy.
    Side-by-side images: On the left, a pot with a lid is cooking on a stove. On the right, the lid is removed, revealing a simmering dish with tofu, vegetables, and green onion in a sauce, ready to serve.

To Serve

  • Divide 2 servings cooked Japanese short-grain rice among the individual donburi bowls. Serve the simmered tofu and egg over the steamed rice and drizzle with hot broth. Sprinkle with shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice), if desired.
    A person uses a black ladle to scoop a mixture of katsu, egg, and vegetables over a bowl of white rice, preparing a Japanese rice bowl dish. The food is served from a pan into a striped bowl.

To Store

  • Keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 days. Freezing is not recommended as the egg becomes rubbery when thawed. For best results, freeze the cooked ingredients and sauce without the eggs. Reheat the mixture and add freshly beaten eggs at the end.

Notes

Ingredient Notes
Steamed rice: Typically 1⅔ cups (250 g) per donburi serving. 1½ cups (300 g, 2 rice cooker cups) of uncooked Japanese short-grain rice yield 4⅓ cups (660 g) of cooked rice, enough for 2 donburi servings (3⅓ cups, 500 g). See how to cook short-grain rice with a rice cooker, pot over the stove, Instant Pot, or donabe.
Variations and Customizations
Looking to change things up? Try these easy and tasty ideas!
  • Vegan version. Use Vegan Dashi or Kombu Dashi and a plant-based egg substitute like JUST Egg.
  • Add vegetables. Boost fiber, color, and nutrition with carrots, mushrooms, turnips, potatoes, bean sprouts, daikon, or bamboo shoots.
  • Serve over hot noodle soup. Ladle the tofu and eggs on top of Udon Noodle Soup instead of steamed rice.
  • Use other tofu. If you can't find tofu cutlet, try baked tofu or super-firm tofu instead. Pan-fry it in a little oil, then let it soak up the delicious simmering broth.
  • Try Japanese-style fresh tofu skin. Swap out the tofu cutlet and make Japanese Simmered Egg and Yuba Tofu Skin (Tamagotoji).
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