• 39 ideas
  • Checked October 2026

What to Eat with Japanese Curry

Short-grain rice under it, pickles beside it, a cutlet or a soft egg on top.

What to Eat with Japanese Curry

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  1. FukujinzukeA small heap at the edge of the plate, eaten between spoonfuls.
  2. Pickled scallion bulbs (rakkyo)A few whole bulbs on the rim, for a sharp, crunchy bite.
  3. Pork cutlet (tonkatsu)Slice it into strips and lay them half in the sauce, half out.
  4. Steamed short-grain riceMound it on one side of the plate and pour the curry beside it.
  5. Soft-boiled eggSet it on the rice and break the yolk into the curry.

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All 39 ideas

Pickles on the side 5

  • Fukujinzuke A small heap at the edge of the plate, eaten between spoonfuls.
  • Pickled daikon (takuan) Thin slices beside the rice, to crunch on.
  • Pickled plum (umeboshi) Set it on the rice and break it up with the spoon a little at a time.
  • Pickled red ginger (beni shoga) A pinch on top of the rice, away from the sauce.
  • Pickled scallion bulbs (rakkyo) A few whole bulbs on the rim, for a sharp, crunchy bite.

Rice and noodles under the curry 4

  • Rice omelette Wrap the rice in a thin omelette and pour the curry around it.
  • Steamed short-grain rice Mound it on one side of the plate and pour the curry beside it.
  • Turmeric rice Yellow rice for a pale chicken or seafood curry.
  • Udon noodles Thin the curry with broth and ladle it over the hot noodles.

Cutlets and other things on top 17

  • Boiled spinach Squeeze it dry and set a small bundle on top.
  • Breaded fried shrimp Stand them against the rice so the tails stay crisp.
  • Chicken cutlet (chicken katsu) Cut it across so each strip lifts with a spoon.
  • Fried eggplant and pumpkin slices Lay the slices over the curry for color and something soft.
  • Fried garlic chips A pinch over the top, added at the table so they stay crisp.
  • Fried lotus root slices Crisp rounds pushed upright into the rice.
  • Fried oysters Serve them on the dry side of the plate and dip them as you go.
  • Hamburg steak Place the patty on the rice and pour the curry over one half.
  • Melted cheese Scatter it over the hot curry and wait for it to go stringy.
  • Minced meat cutlet (menchi katsu) Cut it in half so the juices run into the sauce.
  • Natto Stir it well first, then spoon it over one corner of the plate.
  • Pork cutlet (tonkatsu) Slice it into strips and lay them half in the sauce, half out.
  • Potato croquette (korokke) Keep it on top of the rice so the crust does not soften.
  • Sliced okra Blanched and cut across, scattered over the sauce.
  • Sliced scallions A green handful over the sauce, for a fresh bite.
  • Soft-boiled egg Set it on the rice and break the yolk into the curry.
  • Sweet corn kernels A spoonful over the top, for anyone who likes the curry sweeter.

Salads 4

  • Daikon salad Raw, shredded and cold, to freshen the mouth.
  • Green salad with sesame dressing A small bowl on the side, eaten first or between spoonfuls.
  • Potato salad A cold scoop next to the hot curry.
  • Shredded cabbage A pile of fine raw shreds on the same plate, plain or dressed.

A soup alongside 3

  • Consommé A clear cup of broth, served before the plate arrives.
  • Corn soup Smooth and sweet, in a cup beside the plate.
  • Miso soup A small bowl to sip between spoonfuls of curry.

Something cool after 3

  • Coffee jelly Cold cubes with a little cream poured over.
  • Fruit jelly cup Chilled, with pieces of fruit set inside.
  • Shaved ice with syrup A small bowl to share when the curry was a hot one.

Drinks 3

  • Cold barley tea Unsweetened, poured over ice.
  • Ice water Keep a full glass by the plate and top it up often.
  • Plain lassi Cold and thick, sipped between spoonfuls.

How it works

What to eat with Japanese curry? The curry is sauce, meat and vegetables in one, so the rest of the plate adds crunch, sharpness and something cold. These 39 ideas run from pickles and toppings to salads, soups and drinks.

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What do Japanese eat with curry?

Rakkyo or fukujinzuke is the usual side with curry rice. Fukujinzuke is a crunchy relish of chopped daikon, eggplant, lotus root and cucumber pickled with soy sauce, and rakkyo is a pickled bulb of the onion family. Sticky short-grain rice is preferred, and the dish is usually eaten with a spoon. Katsu curry adds a breaded pork or chicken cutlet, usually cut into strips, and can come with miso soup.

One topping is enough

Add one topping, not three, and keep a fried one half out of the sauce so it stays crisp. A cold salad or a cup of soup rounds the plate off.

  • Serve the curry very hot and the pickles cold.
  • Offer the pickles in a small dish so each person takes as much as they like.

Questions and answers

What sides go with Japanese curry?

Shredded raw cabbage, potato salad or a green salad with sesame dressing, and a cup of miso or corn soup. The pickles count as a side too.

What to eat with katsu curry?

The cutlet is the topping, so keep the rest plain: rice, fukujinzuke and a small bowl of miso soup. Add a pile of shredded cabbage, which a pork cutlet is commonly served with.

What to eat with Japanese curry instead of rice?

Udon noodles, with the curry thinned with broth and ladled over. Curry is also sold inside a pastry, as curry bread.

What do you drink with Japanese curry?

Without alcohol: ice water kept topped up, cold unsweetened barley tea, or a plain lassi when the curry is a hot one.

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