Five Japanese Vegetarian Dishes ベジタリアン向けの日本料理
Going veggie in Japan
Rice, soybeans and vegetables, three staples of Japanese cuisine that make life easier for vegetarians in Japan!
Beware, the dishes mentioned here may vary depending on the recipe. It is best to check if any of these dishes contain meat or fish, by asking, "Niku ya sakana wa haitte imasu ka?" (肉や魚は入っていますか?). Don't hesitate to ask more questions if you are unsure.
- Inarizushi - 稲荷寿司
Small pockets of seasoned rice wrapped in fried tofu skin (abura-age). Rice can contain carrots or beans, but no meat or fish on the horizon here.
- Kinugasa don - 衣笠丼
A bowl of white rice topped with a softly-cooked omelet, with onions and pieces of fried tofu.
- Yudofu - 湯豆腐
This dish, from shojin ryori, the vegetarian cuisine of Buddhist monks, is actually a soup with boiled tofu pieces and sometimes cabbage and mushrooms.
- Yasai tempura - 野菜天ぷら
Vegetables (pumpkin, eggplant, onion and potato, for example) battered and fried. Very often enjoyed with a bowl of rice (yasai tempura donburi).
- Nasu dengaku -なす田楽
Eggplant (nasu) is a very popular vegetable in Japan. Nasu dengaku is sliced eggplant, roasted and covered with miso paste, a mixture of soy and rice and/or fermented barley.
