12 Classic Japanese Recipes to Make This Fall (2024)

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Celebrate Fall’s arrival with these 12 classic Japanese recipes, featuring seasonal ingredients, freshest seafood, and fall delicacy.

12 Classic Japanese Recipes to Make This Fall (1)

In Japan, we say “Fall is the season for big appetites”. Isn’t that so true? As the days get cooler,we find ourselves spending more time in the kitchen, slowly cooking our favoritecomfort foods.

I love cooking up hearty Japanese dishes in the fall with ingredients like rice, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, daikon, and chestnuts. This season brings an amazing array of foods to enjoy in Japan. Seafood such as salmon, mackerel, and oysters are at their freshest. You will also see seasonal ingredients like matsutake mushrooms and Pacific saury (sanma in Japanese). With the abundant producein the market, this is my favorite time of year for cooking!

Who else is excited about fall cooking? Here are 12 classic Japanese recipes you will want to try this fall.

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12 Classic Japanese Recipes to Make This Fall

1. Candied Sweet Potatoes 大学芋

Gently fried until crispy and glazed in a sweet sugary syrup, these Japanese-style Candied Sweet Potatoes (or Daigaku Imo大学芋) is the classic fall snack in Japan. They are filling, comforting and high in nutrients. Good news is Japanese sweet potatoes are now grown in the US and many parts of the world. If you’re in the US, you should be able to find them at grocery stores such as Whole Foods, Trader Joes or your local co-ops. Grab a bag when you see them and enjoy this wonderful fall treat!

2. Simmered Kabocha Squash (Japanese Pumpkin) かぼちゃの煮物

Fall means kabocha squash season. One of the most classic Japanese dishes you can make is this Simmered Kabocha Squash. Also known asKabocha no Nimono(かぼちゃの煮物), it’s a simple dish where the squash is simmered in a savory dashi broth seasoned with soy sauce and sake. Enjoy it as a healthy side dish in your bento lunch box or as part of yourIchiju Sansai dinner.

3. Japanese Stuffed Cabbage Rolls ロールキャベツ

Served in a delicate tomato-based sauce, this Stuffed Cabbage Rolls dish is a beloved western-style Japanese dish. Make it for your potluck or dinner party – It’s a perfect meal to share with a crowd on a cold day.

4. Chestnut Rice (Kuri Gohan) 栗ご飯

Chestnuts are one of fall’s magical treasures in Japan. To enjoy these aromatic & buttery nuts, we make Chestnut rice (or Kuri Gohan) and sprinkle it with a pinch of salt and black sesame to enjoy on crisp fall evenings.

5. Takikomi Gohan (Japanese Mixed Rice)炊き込みご飯

Imagine coming home and greeted by the fragrance of steamed rice abound with the flavors of autumn? Takikomi Gohan is a wonderful and comforting Japanese mixed ricethat makes the best use of seasonal ingredients. In the fall, you can incorporate sweet potatoes, mushrooms, carrots, pacific saury orSanma 秋刀魚, chestnuts, lotus root and so on. It is also a perfect dish to use up any leftovers.

6. Japanese Fried Oysters (Kaki Fry) カキフライ

Oysters are in season in Japan during fall and winter. If you spot some fresh oysters at your local market, you want to make this popular Japanese Fried Oysters or Kaki fry (Furai) at home. They are coated with crunchy panko and deep-fried until golden brown and served with homemade tartar sauce. What a treat to enjoy by the fire in the cool evening.

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7. Grilled Sanma 秋刀魚の塩焼き

Pacific Saury orSanma(秋刀魚) is almost synonymous with thedefinitive taste of fall in Japan, and literary means “autumn sword fish”. As the fish is grilled whole, it is actually very easy to prepare at home. If you have a charcoal grill set-up, you want to try grilling the fish over the charcoal for an extra smoky flavor.

8. Mille-Feuille Nabe ミルフィーユ鍋

With fall comes the start of hot pot and soup at the dinner table.Mille-Feuille Nabe is a simple Japanese hot pot that is made withnapa cabbage and pork belly slices cooked in a savory dashi broth. It’s warm and so delicious that you will want to make this on repeat!

9. Hot Tofu (Yudofu) 湯豆腐

The only ingredients you’d need for this Hot Tofu recipe are dashi kombu and tofu. Light and soothing, you can serve the tofu dish as an appetizer, side dish, or simply a meal on its own. Feel free to add any vegetables for extranutritionand color!

10.Vegetable Tempura 野菜の天ぷら

Tempura is not exactly a classic dish to make at home, but this is a too-good-to-miss recipe that you may want to attempt this fall. I mean, who can resist delicious crispy homemade vegetable tempura made with kabocha squash, sweet potato, lotus root and so on?

11. Sweet Potato Pieスイートポテトパイ

Crispy and flaky, with a smooth, silky filling, Japanese Sweet Potato Pie is an all-time favorite Japanese pastry. Best enjoyed with a cup of coffee or black tea, this sweet potato pie is light, but rich, making it the perfect fall afternoon indulgence.

12.Matsutake Chawanmushi 松茸の茶碗蒸し

Prized for its unique aroma and flavor, Matsutake mushroom is a delicacy that is highly sought-after during the fall season in Japan.Chawanmushi is a fantastic way to enjoy the special flavor of these mushrooms. The mushrooms are now grown in the US. If you’re lucky, you might be able to find locally grown fresh Matsutake mushroom at your nearby Japanese supermarkets.

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More Japanese recipes to celebrate the fall season

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12 Classic Japanese Recipes to Make This Fall (2024)

FAQs

What to eat in autumn in Japan? ›

Must-Eat Seasonal Foods in Japan in Autumn!

Mushrooms, pumpkins, and sweet potatoes are just some of the vegetables that fully ripen during this time of the year. As for seafood, it's the time of year for saury and salmon!

What are classic Japanese dishes? ›

When you go to Japan, be sure to eat these 10 traditional Japanese dishes. In this article, find out what to dine on to enjoy Japan's rich washoku food culture fully, from sushi to miso soup, unagi eel, tempura, soba, udon, and rice balls.

What is the fruit in Japan in October? ›

Apples (りんご, ringo) are known as “fruits of autumn” in Japan as well as persimmons because their season is from October to December there. Some Japanese people enjoy apple picking on weekends in this season.

What food is in season in Japan in October? ›

Delicious Fall Food Staples of Japan
  • Matsutake Mushroom. Matsutake mushrooms are the sought after mushrooms of Japan. ...
  • Kuri/Chestnuts. Chestnuts are commonly thought of as a winter nut enjoyed roasted over a fire. ...
  • Sanma/Pacific Saury. ...
  • Oden. ...
  • Yakiimo/Japanese Sweet Potato.

What is the most famous food in autumn? ›

Top 10 most popular autumn recipes
  • Pumpkin soup. Food doesn't get much more autumnal than pumpkin. ...
  • Pumpkin pie. ...
  • Best apple crumble. ...
  • Butternut squash & sage risotto. ...
  • Dorset apple cake. ...
  • Coconut & squash dhansak. ...
  • Squidgy pear & chocolate pudding.
Oct 4, 2023

What is the autumn fruit in Japan? ›

Fresh kaki, or persimmons, are certainly the go-to fruits for Japanese people to eat in autumn. These soft, tomato-like fruits are best eaten raw and have a slight sweet taste of honey. In the countryside, you'll often find them being given away in roadside boxes.

What do Japanese do in autumn? ›

Autumn sees Japan celebrate the harvest moon with a special festival across Japan. Traditionally celebrated in the month of September in Japan, tsukimi dates back to the Nara period (710-794 AD), but it didn't become a formal celebration until the Heian period (794-1185).

What is the number 1 Japanese dish? ›

1. Sushi. Sushi is one of the first foods that spring to mind when we think about Japanese cuisine.

What are 4 dishes traditionally eaten in Japan? ›

The best traditional Japanese food you must try
  • Sushi. Sushi is one of the most famous traditional Japanese fish dishes. ...
  • Udon. Udon is a traditional Japanese noodle dish and is often served with various toppings. ...
  • Unagi. Unagi is a Japanese delicacy that is made from the freshwater eel. ...
  • Sashimi. ...
  • Tempura. ...
  • Takoyaki. ...
  • Onigiri.
May 12, 2022

What is Japan's signature dish? ›

There are various kinds of sushi dishes, such as nigirizushi (hand formed sushi), makizushi (rolled sushi) and chirashi (sushi rice topped with raw fish). Sushi is the most famous Japanese dish outside of Japan, and one of the most popular dishes inside Japan, as well.

What foods are popular in fall? ›

I have apples, winter squash, pumpkin, cinnamon, candy, pies, chiles, cheese, caramel, chocolate, brussels sprouts, figs, pomegranates, a roast, pastas galore, chips, dips and breakfasts… basically my 75 favorite fall foods. If you are one of those lucky ones still sweating your butt off, congratulations!

What food is in season in Japan in September? ›

Japanese Fall Foods

A variety of fruits and vegetables are in season during the fall, like chestnuts (kuri), figs (ichijiku), and pears (nashi), as well as sweet potatoes (satsumaimo), mushrooms (matsutake is a seasonal favorite), and kabocha, a kind of winter squash/Japanese pumpkin.

How does Japan celebrate fall? ›

Japan's Moon-Viewing Festivals are held every autumn between mid-September to late October. This ancient tradition includes decorating homes, especially near a window or veranda from where the viewing occurs. The decorations feature offerings such as round rice cakes calledtsukimi-dango, symbolizing the full moon.

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