Looking to shake up your morning routine? I’ve got you covered!
Step away from the cereal and prepare for a delicious journey with these 17 Japanese breakfast ideas.
These recipes offer a delightful alternative, filled with light, healthy, and balanced options to kickstart your day.
1. Banana Muffins
If you want caramelized banana flavor, look no further than these muffins! Besides offering a delightfully moist crumb, they’re full of flavor without being too sweet, and banana bits are added for texture.
A Nutella swirl also graces the muffin tops. I’m a fan of serving them warm.
2. Onigri
If you’re tired of sandwiches for breakfast, these Japanese rice balls are a tasty and exciting alternative! I find that these rice balls are stuffed with plenty of savory goodness and are wrapped in dried seaweed.
Since the rice is steamed plain, the savory fillings really bring the flavor. They really jumpstart my mornings.
3. Okonomiyaki
I’ve found this dish to be a famous street food from Osaka! I love that it’s a savory pancake made with simple ingredients like cabbage, flour, and eggs, as well as your choice of meat.
I like to get creative and mix and match with different proteins and veggies. Be as creative as you want with this recipe.
4. Japanese Rice Porridge
If I want something really easy, this rice porridge is one of the best recipes around. The simple version calls for just water, salt, and rice. I think it’s very simple!
To give it a richer flavor, I like using stock instead of water. Also, I enjoy the addition of toppings like sesame seeds, pickled plums, and green onions.
5. Miso Breakfast Oats
If you ask me, a savory bowl of oatmeal is a morning hero! It’s loaded with warm flavors, and I enjoy all the umami. I appreciate the nutrients as well.
It’s so easy to make these oats. I cook the oats in my Instant Pot and stir in kale, miso paste, and other yummy seasonings. Top, and done!
6. Japanese Avocado Toast
Being the avocado toast lover that I am, I can’t get enough of this recipe! It’s my favorite avocado toast, hands down.
I find it so delicious to top crunchy toasted bread with creamy avocado and roasted seaweed. I love how the ikura adds a mild, fishy taste, and the sesame seeds bring a nutty flavor to every bite.
7. Japanese Green Tea Rice
For those looking for healthy comfort food, I suggest Japanese green tea rice! I find it pairs well with other entrees. It’s very easy to throw together!
I like to just pour green tea over steamed rice. For an extra boost of fiber, I like to make this dish with brown rice.
8. Japanese Milk Bread
Here’s another fluffy and soft Japanese treat! Did you know the secret is the tangzhong? This is a roux made with flour and water that increases the bread’s fluffiness.
I enjoy this bread with just about any spread that comes to mind. If I’m feeling creative, I turn it into a chicken katsu sandwich for a flavorful breakfast.
9. Strawberry Sauce
Also called strawberry compote, this recipe gives me a thick berry mixture with a delightfully chunky texture. This strawberry sauce is amazing as a topping for cheesecake, though I personally enjoy it on waffles, ice cream, and pancakes!
10. Japanese Breakfast Skillet
This skillet includes some of the most classic Japanese ingredients, which is why I can’t get enough! At first glance, I think this seems complicated to throw together, but it just takes some stir-frying and chopping.
For the sauce, I keep it simple and use a blender. I love topping the colorful mixture with a fried egg for something more appealing and filling.
11. Japanese Pancakes
I find these Japanese pancakes to be wonderfully fluffy and light, almost like a souffle. If you top them with melted butter and maple syrup, they are every pancake lover’s dream come true!
I appreciate that this recipe uses just a handful of simple ingredients. To get the right height, shape, and texture, I make sure to use nonstick skillets and molds.
12. Banana Bread
I’ve always been a fan of freshly baked banana bread for breakfast, especially when it’s perfectly sweet and moist! Contrary to what you might think, I find it simple to make at home.
You know you’re doing it right when you have soft bread with plenty of delicious bits of banana. Yum!
13. Japanese French Toast
I enjoy using milk bread for this French toast. To prepare it, just soak your bread in a seasoned egg mixture until you get custard-like goodness!
For something extra fluffy, I make sure to use thick slices of bread. To add some pizazz, I often top it with powdered sugar, whipped cream, and syrup!
14. Japanese Street Crepes
Now you can prepare crepes the Japanese way. It’s easy to make these delicate crepes at home! They take on a lovely cone shape with your choice of filling.
I feel that it’s key to roll them into a cone so you can easily enjoy them on the go. On hectic mornings, they’re the breakfast to make.
15. Japanese Fish Waffle
Did you know Taiyaki, or Japanese fish waffles, are a delicacy from Tokyo? For those wintry mornings, they’re sweet and sure to keep you feeling warm.
The outside is delightfully light and crisp, and the inside is loaded with sweet red bean paste. Nutella or custard cream also make excellent fillings.
16. Japanese Red Bean Pancakes
These two golden pancakes, filled with sweet red bean paste, are breakfast or dessert perfection! If you’re craving other variations, I suggest sandwich pancakes with matcha cream, chestnut, or custard cream filling.
17. Ogura Toast
This dish came from Nagoya, and I’ve found it’s very popular throughout Japan. This recipe makes a simple, tasty toast with butter and red bean paste. It’s also easy!
Adding whipped cream on top is up to you, but I always put it on my toast.