Japanese Sweet Potato Rice さつまいもご飯

Fragrant Japanese Sweet Potato Rice is a classic dish to usher in the changing seasons. Tender, golden chunks of Japanese sweet potatoes make every bite simply cozy! Serve this Satsumaimo gohan as you would plain steamed rice in your Japanese dinner.

The start of fall also feels like the official start to sweet potato season. During this time of year, I start craving sweet potatoes – more particularly the Japanese variety known as Satsumaimo. Known for its deep magenta skin, Satsumaino is the epitome of Japanese fall flavors.

I have many beloved recipes – ranging from sweet to savory, but this Japanese Sweet Potato Rice or Satsumaimo Gohan (さつまいもご飯) is probably the best one to demonstrate the beauty and simplicity of Japanese home cooking.

What is Japanese Sweet Potato Rice?

In Japan, we welcome each season with mixed rice dishes that feature fresh seasonal ingredients, like Bamboo Rice and Green Pea Rice in the spring, and Corn Rice in the summertime. In the fall, we celebrate the season by making Chestnut Rice, Matsutake Rice, and of course, Japanese Sweet Potato Rice that I share today.

These mixed rice dishes are essentially a combination of steamed rice cooked with 1-2 seasonal vegetables, sometimes with added greens, mushrooms, and protein like tofu, seafood, and poultry.

What can you expect from Japanese Sweet Potato Rice?

• Flavor – A mild flavored rice, yet I’d never call it bland. The focus is on the natural sweetness of the sweet potato and the aroma of fresh cooked rice.
• Texture – Warm, soft and tender sweet potato chunks mixed with fluffy rice.
• Ease – Super easy to prepare, and takes exactly the same time as cooking plain rice.
• Packed with nutrients – With the added sweet potatoes, the rice dish is packed with fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins. It is also warm and extra filling. An excellent carb choice for vegans or vegetarians!

How to Make Japanese Sweet Potato Rice

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Japanese short-grain rice
• Japanese sweet potatoes (Satsumaimo) – See below about this variety and where to find it
• Seasoning: Mirin and salt
• Toppings: Gomashio (black sesame seeds and salt mixture)

So simple isn’t it? The key is to use high-quality Japanese rice and sweet potatoes that are in season!

Overview of Cooking Steps

1. Rinse the rice and dice the sweet potatoes.
2. In the rice cooker (or pot or donabe), add well-drained rice, seasonings, and water. Place the sweet potatoes on top.
3. Cook the rice and serve with gomashio.

A Quick Note on Satsumaimo

Japanese sweet potatoes aka Satsumaimo have an earthy, extraordinarily sweet flavor and luscious texture when compared to orange-fleshed sweet potatoes. The purple tubers are appreciated for its distinct nutty flavor akin to a roasted chestnut. They are starchier, drier, and denser in texture.

Just like the regular sweet potatoes, you can roast, steam, deep fry, make desserts, or add them in soups or curries, or enjoy them in mixed rice. Japanese sweet potatoes don’t flake easily or get mushy, which make them ideal for various preparations. I can’t resist the simplest way of roasting or steaming them.

These days you can find Japanese sweet potatoes available at major grocery stores like Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, farmers markets, or local co-ops when they are in season.

There’s plenty to love about Japanese sweet potatoes! You can learn all about it here.

Cooking in Zojirushi Rice Cooker

For this recipe, I used Zojirushi NL-GAC10 BM Umami Micom Rice Cooker & Warmer.

Comes with an exclusive UMAMI setting, the rice cooker has the ability to extend soaking and steaming for enhanced flavor – which I find the ideal for simple dishes like this. Not only is the rice perfect, but the sweet potatoes turned out wonderfully tender.

The multiple menu settings and cooking functions are well-designed, and I really enjoy its versatility and ease of use.

Made in Japan, the Umami® Micom Rice Cooker & Warmer comes with these advanced features:

• Advanced micro computerized Fuzzy logic technology
• Menu settings include: white, umami, mixed, sushi/sweet, Jasmine, porridge, congee, brown, GABA brown, quick white, quick Jasmine, and slow cook. It activates the rice for increased nutritional value, and the steam setting allows cooking without need for extra oils or fats.
• Convenient steam function and BPA-free steaming basket accessory
• Exclusive Umami setting
• Automatic keep warm, extended keep warm and reheat function
• Easy-to-clean clear coated stainless steel lid
• Convenient delay timer (2 settings) provides freshly cooked rice at the programmed time

The rice cooker is also available on Amazon if you’re interested.

How to Cook Sweet Potato Rice without Rice Cooker

If you don’t have a rice cooker, you can also use the following methods.

Stovetop

You can use a donabe (Japanese earhtenware pot) or a pot to cook the rice on the stovetop. I highly recommend using a heavy-bottomed pot for cooking rice. Pots with a thick base will prevent uneven hotspots and have a better heat distribution so the rice is less likely to stick to the bottom and get burnt.

To cook, cover the donabe (or heavy-bottomed pot) with the lid. Turn on the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. This should take about 8-10 minutes. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 13-15 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove from the stove, and let it rest, undisturbed, for 20 minutes.

Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker)

The pressure cooker seals tightly during cooking, so the rice to water ratio is 1:1. Use high pressure for 2 minutes and natural release for 10 minutes.

3 Important Tips for Cooking Rice

1. Measure rice and water precisely
   • 1 rice cooker cup is 180 ml. More about this topic below.
2. Rinse the rice properly
   • Always use cold running water.
   • Use a large bowl and NEVER use a meshed colander/sieve because it damages rice kernels.
   • Use your fingers to gently wash the rice in a circular motion. Most of the water should be drained when washing.
3. Soak rice in a measured water (total liquid) for 20-30 minutes.
   • New rice cookers include “soaking” time programmed already. Check your model.
   • Japanese short-grain rice is more plump than other kinds and takes a while for moisture to go all the way to the center of the rice.

Rice to Water Ratio

It’s always a fun discussion when it comes to rice to water ratio as internet tells you it should be 1:1. If you cook Japanese short-grain rice, please follow the Japanese method of preparing rice (the “correct” way). I explained more in this post.

The Japanese golden rule for rice to water ratio is 1 to 1.1 (or 1.2)

So… Exactly How Much Water Do You Need for Each Cup?

The plastic rice cooker cup that comes with the rice cooker is a 180 ml cup. In Japan, this amount is called ichi go (一合). Here’s how much water you need for each rice cooker cup when you follow the 1:1.1 ratio.

1 rice cooker cup (180 ml) = 200 ml
2 rice cooker cups (360 ml) = 400 ml
3 rice cooker cups (540 ml) = 600 ml 
4 rice cooker cups (720 ml) = 800 ml

Calculation: 180 ml x 1.1 = 198 ml

How About Making Mixed Rice?

For sweet potato rice, or any mixed rice, the rice to water ratio should be still 1 to 1.1 (or 1.2).

However, the mixed rice is often seasoned with other condiments to flavor the rice. Therefore, the “water” for mixed rice actually means total liquid, which includes water, condiments, and seasonings.

So for example, if you include 1 Tbsp soy sauce and 1 Tbsp sake as seasoning for your mixed rice, 2 Tbsp (30 ml) of liquid should be counted for the total liquid amount.

What to Serve with Sweet Potato Rice

Serve Satsumaimo Gohan as you would with regular steamed rice. For a Japanese-style dinner, I like to pair it with:

• Nameko Mushroom Miso Soup or Vegetable Miso Soup
• Mackerel Simmered in Miso (Saba Misoni)
• Chrysanthemum Greens and Tofu Salad (Shungiku Shiraae)

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Japanese Sweet Potato Rice (Satsumaimo Gohan)

4.89 from 9 votes

Fragrant Japanese Sweet Potato Rice is a classic dish to usher in the changing seasons. Tender, golden chunks of Japanese sweet potatoes make every bite simply cozy! Serve this Satsumaimo gohan as you would plain steamed rice in your Japanese dinner.

Print Pin

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 1 hour hr

Soaking Time: 20 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Servings: 6

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2¼ cups uncooked Japanese short-grain white rice (3 rice cooker cups, 540 ml)
• ▢ 2 Japanese sweet potatoes (Satsumaimo) (14 oz, 410 g)

For the Cooking Liquid (2½ cups, 600 ml)

• ▢ 1 Tbsp sake
• ▢ 1½ Tbsp mirin
• ▢ 1½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• ▢ 2⅓ cups water

For the Sesame Salt (Gomashio)

• ▢ 2 tsp toasted black sesame seeds
• ▢ ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt

Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

 

• Gather all the ingredients. If you change the amount of rice, please read the post for the rice-to-water ratio.
  

To Rinse and Wash the Rice

• Wash 2¼ cups uncooked Japanese short-grain white rice. First, add just enough water to submerge all the rice. Then, discard the water immediately (so the rice doesn‘t absorb the cloudy water). Tip: Rice absorbs water very quickly when you start rinsing, so don‘t let the rice absorb the first few rounds of water.
  
• Use your fingers to gently wash the wet rice grains in a circular motion for 15–20 seconds.
  
• Add more water to rinse, then discard the cloudy water. Repeat this wash-and-rinse process a couple of times until the water is clear.
  
• When the water is almost clear, drain well. Tip: Use a fine-mesh sieve to drain for 5 minutes and shake off excess water.
  

To Prepare the Sweet Potatoes

• While draining the rice, wash 2 Japanese sweet potatoes (Satsumaimo) with a brush under running water. Leaving the skin on, cut them into slices ¾ inch (2 cm) thick.
  
• Then, cut the sweet potato slices into ¾-inch (2-cm) cubes. Soak in cold water until ready to use. Tip: This is an important step to remove astringency from the sweet potatoes and prevent from discoloration.
  

To Assemble the Rice and Sweet Potatoes

• Add the drained rice to the inner pot of a rice cooker (or to a donabe or heavy-bottomed pot). Add 1 Tbsp sake, 1½ Tbsp mirin, and 1½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
  
• Add 2⅓ cups water and mix everything together with chopsticks.
  
• Drain the sweet potato cubes well. Place the sweet potatoes on top of the rice in an even layer. DO NOT MIX with rice, as rice can‘t cook evenly when you mix it with other ingredients. Let the rice soak for 20–30 minutes.
  

To Cook in a Rice Cooker

• Put the inner pot in the rice cooker, select your menu, and start cooking. If your rice cooker has the Mixed or Umami mode, use it; otherwise, use the White Rice mode (or simply press the On button).
  

To Cook in a Donabe or Heavy-Bottomed Pot over the Stove

• Cover the donabe (or heavy-bottomed pot) with the lid. Turn on the heat to medium high and bring to a boil. This should take about 8–10 minutes, but it depends on how much rice and sweet potatoes are in the pot and the heat on the stove. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium low and cook for 13–15 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove from the stove, and let it rest, undisturbed, for 20 minutes.

To Make the Gomashio

• To make the gomashio (sesame salt), add 2 tsp toasted black sesame seeds to a small pan and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes, over low heat (this is optional, but it enhances the sesame flavor). Combine the toasted sesame seeds and ½ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt in a small container or bowl.
  

To Serve

• Once the rice is ready, fluff the rice gently with a rice paddle. Serve into individual bowls and sprinkle some gomashio on top to enjoy!
  

To Store

• You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer for a month.

Nutrition

Calories: 341 kcal · Carbohydrates: 74 g · Protein: 6 g · Fat: 1 g · Saturated Fat: 1 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g · Sodium: 366 mg · Potassium: 289 mg · Fiber: 4 g · Sugar: 4 g · Vitamin A: 9694 IU · Vitamin C: 2 mg · Calcium: 39 mg · Iron: 4 mg

Author: Namiko Hirasawa Chen

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: rice, sweet potato

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