Traditional Japanese Breakfast

A complete traditional Japanese breakfast featuring steamed short-grain rice, grilled salmon, miso soup with potatoes, tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelette), and pickled vegetables. This authentic morning meal offers a perfect balance of protein, vegetables, and umami flavors.

2 servings

1 hr 15 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•3½ oz short-grain rice
•2 tbsp mixed Japanese pickles
•1 tbsp instant dashi
•1 tsp stock powder
•2¼ cups boiling water
•2 medium potatoes
•1 tbsp white miso paste
•1 whole spring onion
•1 inch fresh ginger
•1 whole spring onion
•2 tbsp soy sauce
•2 fillets salmon
•3 medium free-range eggs
•1 tsp sugar
•2 tsp soy sauce
•1 tsp bonito flakes
•2 tbsp vegetable oil

Cooking Instructions

1.
Cook the rice according to the instructions.
20 min
2.
Put the instant dashi stock in a pan with the boiling water. Add the potato and simmer over medium heat for about six minutes, or until the potato is cooked.
6 min
3.
Ladle some soup from the pan into a bowl and dissolve the miso in it. Gradually return the miso mixture to the soup. Stir the soup gently but don't let it come to the boil once you've added the miso. Turn off the heat and add the chopped spring onion.
5 min
4.
Serve hot in small bowls.
1 min
5.
Mix the ginger, spring onion and soy sauce together and pour over the salmon fillets. Leave them to stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
15 min
6.
Pour a little boiling water into the grill pan and place the fish on the grill rack above the water (this keeps it moist while it grills). Grill the fish under medium to high heat for about 5-6 minutes on each side, taking care not to overcook it.
12 min
7.
Combine the eggs, sugar, soy sauce and bonito flakes (or instant dashi), if using, and mix the ingredients thoroughly.
2 min
8.
Heat a little vegetable oil in a small, non-stick frying pan over medium to high heat and add the egg mixture. Agitate the eggs, using a wooden spoon, so the texture of the omelette remains fluffy.
3 min
9.
When the eggs are half-cooked, fold the omelette in half, to make a semi-circle, then fold the curving section inwards to form a rectangle, and then fold the ends inwards until you have what looks like a little square package. This creates the distinctive layered effect, called tamagoyaki, characteristic of a Japanese omelette.
4 min
10.
Flip the "package" over and cook for a further two minutes. Cut into quarters.
2 min
11.
Japanese etiquette decrees that you place the bowl of rice on your left and the bowl of miso soup on your right. Serve the fish on a separate plate, the pickles in a small bowl, and the omelette on another small plate. Now test your hungover skills with chopsticks.
5 min

Traditional Japanese Breakfast

2 servings

1 hr 15 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•3½ oz short-grain rice

•2 tbsp mixed Japanese pickles

•1 tbsp instant dashi

•1 tsp stock powder

•2¼ cups boiling water

•2 medium potatoes

•1 tbsp white miso paste

•1 whole spring onion

•1 inch fresh ginger

•1 whole spring onion

•2 tbsp soy sauce

•2 fillets salmon

•3 medium free-range eggs

•1 tsp sugar

•2 tsp soy sauce

•1 tsp bonito flakes

•2 tbsp vegetable oil

Cooking Instructions

Cook the rice according to the instructions.

20 min

Put the instant dashi stock in a pan with the boiling water. Add the potato and simmer over medium heat for about six minutes, or until the potato is cooked.

6 min

Ladle some soup from the pan into a bowl and dissolve the miso in it. Gradually return the miso mixture to the soup. Stir the soup gently but don't let it come to the boil once you've added the miso. Turn off the heat and add the chopped spring onion.

5 min

Serve hot in small bowls.

1 min

Mix the ginger, spring onion and soy sauce together and pour over the salmon fillets. Leave them to stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.

15 min

Pour a little boiling water into the grill pan and place the fish on the grill rack above the water (this keeps it moist while it grills). Grill the fish under medium to high heat for about 5-6 minutes on each side, taking care not to overcook it.

12 min

Combine the eggs, sugar, soy sauce and bonito flakes (or instant dashi), if using, and mix the ingredients thoroughly.

2 min

Heat a little vegetable oil in a small, non-stick frying pan over medium to high heat and add the egg mixture. Agitate the eggs, using a wooden spoon, so the texture of the omelette remains fluffy.

3 min

When the eggs are half-cooked, fold the omelette in half, to make a semi-circle, then fold the curving section inwards to form a rectangle, and then fold the ends inwards until you have what looks like a little square package. This creates the distinctive layered effect, called tamagoyaki, characteristic of a Japanese omelette.

4 min

10.

Flip the "package" over and cook for a further two minutes. Cut into quarters.

2 min

11.

Japanese etiquette decrees that you place the bowl of rice on your left and the bowl of miso soup on your right. Serve the fish on a separate plate, the pickles in a small bowl, and the omelette on another small plate. Now test your hungover skills with chopsticks.

5 min