Ochazuke is a uniquely Japanese food that is quick and easy to make, filling, really cheap, and extremely comforting! Its great for a quick meal, or even a dessert. Made from all the staples of a Japanese pantry, ochazuke is great whether you’re a student cramming to get a paper done or a businessman just home from a long shift. Its also often eaten at the end of meals in Japanese restaurants, where the staff will make it using any remaining rice on the table as a simple dessert. You might have even seen it being enjoyed in an anime and had no idea that was what they were eating!

The name “ochazuke” comes from a combination of two Japanese words; “ocha,” which means tea, and “zuke,” which roughly means submerged. And that is exactly how ochazuke is made, by submerging rice in tea! So if you’re ready for a meal that you can make even when you’re tired and want to try something that is truly Japanese, you can try to make ochazuke at home. Depending on the toppings you chose, its very easy to make ochazuke vegan and vegetarian friendly as well!

There you have it—a simple, yummy, and economical dish that you can make easily at home, especially if you have some leftover rice! Plus its totally okay to change out your own toppings and ingredients for what you like and have available, so have some fun experimenting. While the toppings we listed are the most traditional ones, there is no wrong answer for what you enjoy eating. If you have some available, you can also substitute the green tea for dashi sauce, which will make your ochazuke even more salty and flavourful. We hope you like it!

Have you ever had ochazuke before? Are you going to try to make some now with our recipe? If you have had it, or have made it before, did you like it? How did our recipe work for you? What toppings did you use for your ochazuke? Would you like to see another similar recipe for something else? Let us know in the comments!