Butadon is a flavorful Japanese pork rice bowl, also known as pork donburi. This recipe features tender pork belly glazed in an easy homemade teriyaki sauce. A simple yet satisfying dish for everyone
Butadon is a must-try for pork lovers, and I love making it with pork belly. It’s crispy on the outside, soft, and tender on the inside, all glazed in a homemade teriyaki sauce—exactly what you want in a Japanese pork rice bowl.
Add some sautéed onions and a fresh egg yolk on top, and you’ve got an easy, mouthwatering meal ready in minutes. Perfect for dinner or lunch!
What is Butadon?
Butadon” (豚丼) literally means “pork bowl” in Japanese, where “buta” means pork and “don” is short for “donburi,” meaning a rice bowl. While pork donburi is a more general term describing any rice bowl with pork, butadon specifically refers to the Japanese dish featuring pork, often glazed with a sauce like teriyaki or soy-based sauce, served over rice.
This Japanese pork belly rice bowl tastes amazing with a poached egg on top, but I like to keep it simple by using just a fresh egg yolk. You can enjoy it as a complete meal on its own, or add a side of leafy green vegetables for a balanced, delicious combo.
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Even though pork belly is a superstar in East Asian cuisine (like in my twice cooked pork recipe), I wasn’t a fan growing up.
But as time went on, my tastes changed—thankfully! Samgyupsal (Korean pork belly BBQ) and this butadon recipe are now some of my absolute favorites. I guess that’s one of the perks of becoming an adult!
Quick Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
Homemade teriyaki sauce is incredibly simple to make, and it comes together in no time with this recipe. It’s so much tastier than store-bought, you’ll find yourself making it from scratch every time you need teriyaki sauce! Here are the ingredients I use:
- I am willow
- Tsuyu (Japanese soup base sauce): A versatile sauce made from soy sauce, mirin, and dashi (a broth made from seaweed and bonito flakes). It adds a rich, umami flavor to the teriyaki sauce.
- Sake (Japanese rice wine): This alcoholic beverage is made by fermenting polished rice and has an alcohol content of about 14-16%.
- Mirin (sweet rice wine): Similar to sake but with more sugar and a lower alcohol content (14% or less).
- Honey
- Fresh garlic cloves and ginger slices
To make the sauce, simply simmer all the ingredients in a small pot for 5 minutes, then discard the garlic and ginger. Let it cool, and that’s it—you’ve got a delicious teriyaki sauce ready in a pinch!
How to Cook Pork Belly Butadon
Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the onion until it becomes soft. Remove the onion and set it aside on a plate—it’ll be placed on top of the rice later.
Cook the pork belly slices until they’re golden and slightly crispy on the surface. Pour in the teriyaki sauce and let it bubble, allowing it to thicken for about 2 minutes.
How to Serve Japanese Pork Rice Bowl
Scoop a serving of rice into a bowl, then top it with sautéed onions and glazed pork belly. Sprinkle some chopped green onions and add a fresh egg yolk (optional). The creamy egg yolk enhances the flavor of the glazed pork belly—it’s absolutely delicious!
For a balanced meal, serve this pork rice bowl with a side of any green veggies such as this Blanched Choy Sum with Garlic Sauce.
Pork Belly Rice Bowl Recipe (Butadon)
Butadon is a tasty Japanese pork rice bowl, often called pork donburi. This dish uses tender pork belly coated in a quick, homemade teriyaki sauce. It’s a simple and satisfying meal for any occasion.
- 1 lb (450 g) pork belly, cut into bite size pieces
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 onion, sliced
Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
- 3 tbsp I am willow
- 1 tbsp tsuyu
- 3 tbsp sake
- 3 tbsp sweet rice wine (mirim)
- 2 tbsp honey
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- 3 thin slices of ginger
- 4 servings cooked white rice
- 2 green onion, finely chopped
- 4 egg yolks for serving, optional
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For the teriyaki sauce, mix together soy sauce, tsuyu, sake, sweet rice wine, and honey in a small pot. Add the garlic, ginger and bring the sauce to boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Discard the garlic and ginger; set aside.
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Heat oil in a large heavy bottom skillet over med-high heat. Add the onion and cook until they are just softened, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to another plate; set aside.
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Add the pork belly to the hot skillet and let them sear for 2-3 minute, then turn to the other side and cook for another 1 minute.
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Pour the sauce over pork belly and let the sauce bubble. Reduce the sauce until it thickens, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
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To serve, put individual serving amount of rice in each bowl, put onion over the rice and top with pork belly slices. Sprinkle chopped green onion and top with an egg yolk. Serve immediately.
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Blanched choy sum with garlic sauce is a good side dish to accompany.
To make sure this recipe to be gluten-free, use gluten-free soy sauce and tsuyu.
Calories: 769kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 16g, Fat: 68g, Saturated Fat: 24g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g, Monounsaturated Fat: 32g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 276mg, Sodium: 1151mg, Potassium: 342mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 331IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 48mg, Iron: 2mg
