One of the easiest equations for dinner? Rice + something savory. Soboro don makes a particularly strong case. The Japanese rice bowl combines soboro (そぼろ)—ground meat, fish, or eggs cooked into fine crumbles—with steamed short-grain rice and assorted toppings. Here, ground beef gets deeply savory with sake, mirin, soy sauce, and scallions.
Pair the beef with scrambled eggs, a classic combination, plus shredded cabbage, carrots, and avocado for freshness and crunch. But don’t feel bound: Peas, mushrooms, asparagus, or whatever else is hanging around the crisper would be just as welcome.
Recipe information
Total Time
35 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
1
1
¼
¼
3
4
Need to make a substitution?
Preparation
Step 1
Heat 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook 1 lb. ground beef (20% fat), stirring and breaking into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned and mostly cooked through, about 5 minutes. Pour in ¼ cup sake and cook until evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add ¼ cup mirin and 3 Tbsp. soy sauce; cook until liquid is nearly absorbed and pan is almost dry, about 3 minutes. Add 4 scallions, thinly sliced, and mix to incorporate.
Step 2
Divide steamed Japanese rice among bowls. Top with beef mixture, scrambled eggs, sliced avocado, shredded cabbage, and thinly sliced carrot. Season vegetables lightly with flaky sea salt.
Editor’s note: This recipe was first published in our January 2016 issue. It was updated in 2026 for style and to expand it from a soboro beef recipe to a complete soboro don, with steamed rice, scrambled eggs, and vegetables. Head this way for seven easy dinners to make with the leftover rice →