9 Japanese Dishes You Should Be Making

A great recipe is one that earns a spot in your rotation because it delivers every time. These nine essential Japanese dishes do just that. From crisp, golden tonkatsu to deeply savory braised daikon and pork, each one is approachable, satisfying and well worth making regularly at home.

1. Bite-Size Tonkatsu

Tonkatsu—breaded, fried pork cutlets—might as well translate to “bite of pure joy.” Here, you’ll make hitokuchi katsu, a petite version for snacking or piling onto a plate with crisp shredded cabbage. Start by cutting pork shoulder into cubes, then pound each piece thin before coating in a flour, egg and panko trifecta. Fried in your HexClad 10” Hybrid Wok or 3QT Hybrid Saucepan until deeply golden and crispy, they’re crunchy on the outside, tender inside and endlessly dippable. Tonkatsu sauce (a sweet and savory sauce similar to Worcestershire in flavor), ponzu, shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice), karashi (spicy Japanese mustard) and lemon wedges are all welcome.

2. Braised Daikon Radish and Pork Belly

This is comfort food at its finest: crispy pork belly simmered with daikon in a rich, savory dashi (a fundamental Japanese stock commonly made with seaweed), then seasoned with soy sauce, mirin and sugar. The result? A deeply flavorful, slightly sweet braise that tastes like it’s been cooking for hours but comes together in only 30 minutes. It’s an ideal weeknight stew, made even better with a side of steamed white rice to soak up all that glossy, umami-packed broth.

3. Japanese White Stew with Chicken & Vegetables

This creamy, comforting stew is packed with tender chicken, soft potatoes and mushrooms, all nestled in a velvety broth. It’s the kind of simple meal that feels right on a cold evening or anytime you need something soothing. With its simple roux, the broth thickens just enough to coat each bite without feeling heavy, making every spoonful rich and warming. For the best flavor, homemade broth is worth the extra step, taking the dish from a quick weeknight dinner to something truly special.

4. Gyoza (Dumplings)

Homemade gyoza might seem like a project, but they’re surprisingly straightforward. Shredded cabbage is salted to pull out excess moisture before it's mixed into a well-seasoned pork filling. Wrapped in delicate gyoza skins and pleated to seal, they hit the pan sizzling, crisping up in your 10” Hybrid Fry Pan before a quick steam ensures a juicy interior. The final result: perfectly golden bottoms, a deeply savory filling and a dish that feels like a kitchen victory without the all-day commitment.

5. Japanese Miso Cabbage Rolls

Many cultures boast a take on stuffed cabbage, and Japan’s version is a masterclass in layered flavors. These are filled with a mix of ground chicken, mushrooms and scallions, though pork works equally well. Simmered in a soy sauce-spiked dashi in your 5QT Hybrid Dutch Oven, they’re finished with a swirl of miso for extra depth.

6. Kombu & Bonito Dashi

Homemade dashi, the umami-rich broth that forms the backbone of miso soup, stews and more, is an essential of Japanese cooking. This simple yet essential stock adds depth to just about everything it touches. Make a batch, then freeze it in 2- or 4-cup portions so it’s always on hand when you need it.

7. One-Pan Japanese Steamed Salmon & Mushrooms

Dinner is only 25 minutes away with this take on steamed salmon. A mix of tender mushrooms and salmon filets gently cook in a fragrant broth of sake, soy sauce and mirin, soaking up all of that rich, balanced flavor. If you want to round out the meal, serve with steamed white or brown rice.

8. Spicy Vegetable Curry with Rice

Curry powder might be most closely associated with Indian cooking, but it shines in this bold, comforting Japanese vegetable curry. Instead of simmering everything together, the vegetables—potatoes, mushrooms, okra, bell pepper, zucchini and carrot—are fried until crispy and piled on top for added texture and flavor. The spiced broth ties it all together, making every bite a mix of flavors and textures. Serve with rice and a lemon wedge to give it a bright, tangy finish.

9. Japanese Chicken Noodle Soup with Shiitake Mushrooms

In this light yet comforting soup, bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs nestle up alongside somen noodles and clusters of maitake mushrooms. To cook the chicken, you’ll gently simmer the thighs in a fragrant broth of ginger, negi (a long, thin onion similar to scallions), kombu, peppercorns and sake—worth remembering anytime you want tender poached chicken.