How to Make a Beautiful Japanese Bento with 3 Easy Side Dishes

A beautiful Japanese bento doesn't have to be complicated. 🍱✨ Today, we're making 3 classic Japanese bento side dishes using one simple seasoning base: kaeshi! We'll make Simmered Kabocha, Spinach with Sesame, and Kinpira Gobo & Lotus Root. Along the way, we'll show you some of the small details that make Japanese home cooking so special — from keeping spinach bright green to creating the perfect texture and making each side dish look beautiful. Then we'll pack everything into a colorful Salmon & Nori Bento with rice and Japanese rolled omelet! 1 seasoning base, 3 different side dishes, and one beautiful Japanese bento. 🍱 Using our homemade Kaeshi seasoning base. 👉 Watch the Kaeshi recipe here：   • Gluten Free Udon Noodles Recipe (Made with...   --- 1. SIMMERED KABOCHA Ingredients • 200g (7 oz), about 1/4 medium kabocha squash, cut into bite-sized pieces • 45ml (1.5 oz / 3 tbsp) Kaeshi • 100ml (3.4 oz / about 0.4 cup) Water, for simmering Tip: Use a small pot so the ingredients are more evenly coated with the seasoning. --- 2. SPINACH WITH SESAME Ingredients • 200g (7 oz), about 1 large bunch of spinach • 30ml (1 oz / 2 tbsp) Kaeshi • 15g (0.5 oz / about 2 tbsp) Ground sesame • Water, as needed • Salt, as needed --- 3. KINPIRA BURDOCK & LOTUS ROOT Ingredients • 150g (5.3 oz) Frozen shredded burdock root (gobo) • 30g (1.1 oz), about a few thin slices of lotus root • 1 tbsp Sesame oil • 2 tbsp Kaeshi • Shichimi chili pepper, to taste Preparation • Wash the lotus root well and slice it into thin quarter-rounds. Instructions Heat the sesame oil in a frying pan. Add the frozen shredded burdock root directly from the freezer without thawing. Stir-fry until the moisture has evaporated and the burdock becomes slightly crispy. Once the burdock has thawed and is thoroughly heated, add the lotus root and continue stir-frying. Once everything becomes tender, pour the Kaeshi around the edge of the pan and stir-fry until the soy sauce aroma becomes fragrant. Finish with shichimi chili pepper. --- SALMON & NORI BENTO Ingredients • Grilled salted salmon • Nori • Japanese rolled omelet (tamagoyaki) • The 3 kinds of veggie deli above How to Assemble the Bento • Start with the rice, as it takes up the most space in the bento. • Add the side dishes, filling in the remaining spaces. • Place nori over the rice. • Finish with a small garnish or other eye-catching ingredient for an elegant presentation. --- ⏱ TIMESTAMPS 00:06 Making 3 classic Japanese bento side dishes with kaeshi 00:29 How to cut kabocha beautifully 01:15 An easy way to cook kabocha 03:48 A simple trick for better kabocha texture 01:48 How to cut spinach for better texture 02:12 How to boil spinach while keeping it bright green 03:11 Change the flavor with Japanese sesame 03:35 Cooking frozen burdock straight from the freezer 04:11 Add Japanese shichimi for a flavor boost 04:28 A Japanese bento trick with a bamboo mat 05:11 How to beautifully arrange a Japanese bento If you love Japanese food, Japanese home cooking, and beautiful bento ideas, subscribe for more recipes from Japan! 🍚🍱 #japanesebento #bento #japanesefood #japaneserecipe