Japanese "Inspired" Bento Box
Build a bento box inspired by the original. This Japanese Bento Box features a medley of foods inspired by traditional combinations of Japanese bento box fillings. Learn to make a tamagoyaki-inspired omelet to pack alongside cabbage salad, rice, edamame, and smoked or sushi-grade fish.
Servings: 1 bento box
Calories: 586kcal
Ingredients
For the omelet (Tamagoyaki)
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon mirin - substitute with rice vinegar + ½ teaspoon raw brown sugar
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil - or avocado oil
For the Japanese salad
- ½ cup red cabbage - finely shredded
- ½ white cabbage - finely shredded
- 1 small carrot - cut into matchsticks
- 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
- 4-5 cilantro leaves
- ½ teaspoon miso paste
- ½ tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- ½ tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
Other ingredients
- ¾ cup cooked brown rice - around ¼ cup uncooked rice per bento box (50g)
- ½ cup spicy salt & chili edamame
- 2 slices smoked wild salmon - or fresh sushi-grade salmon
Instructions
Omelette (Tamagoyaki inspired)
- In a small bowl, beat the egg well using a fork (or in authentic Japanese style, you can use chopsticks).
- Add the soy sauce, mirin, and a tiny pinch of salt and mix until all the ingredients are combined. If you don’t have mirin, you can add rice vinegar and a ½ teaspoon of brown sugar to give it a bit of sweetness.
- Heat a small skillet at medium-high temperature, and with the help of a pastry brush or a kitchen towel, spread a light layer of oil.
- Pour a thin layer of egg mixture into the skillet. Once the egg has cooked slightly, roll it into a cylinder and let it cook for another few seconds.
- Remove the omelet from the pan, let it cool slightly, and press it a bit before slicing it into thin rolls.
- Note: A real Tamagoyaki is made by creating different layers of cooked egg. This is a much-simplified version that you can prepare in a few minutes for your quick and easy lunch.
Japanese salad
- In a small bowl, whisk together the ginger, miso, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and water and set it aside.
- In another bowl, toss the cabbage, carrots, cilantro leaves, and sesame seeds together with the dressing (see note 1).
Bento Box Assembly
- Assemble all ingredients into your bento box.
- Let everything cool down at room temperature before sealing.
- Enjoy your bento box at room temperature.
Notes
Note 1: This salad is delicious if you add the dressing a few hours before consuming it, so feel free to dress it the evening before or in the morning.
How to Store: Let the egg and rice cool completely before sealing the lid. If you plan to enjoy your bento box within a few hours, it'll be okay stored at room temperature. You can also tuck an icepack into the box.
If you're not eating it the same day, you can store your packed bento box in the fridge overnight.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate per serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 586kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 23g | Sugar: 21g