Gluten free Japanese food

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Are you wondering whether Japanese food is suitable for someone who maintains a gluten free diet? Or maybe you are looking for some examples of Japanese dishes that are often gluten free? Well then you are in the right place! In this article, we tell you everything you need to know about Japanese food and gluten.

We start out by talking about what common Japanese ingredients and dishes are gluten free. After that, we talk about popular Japanese ingredients and dishes that do contain gluten. We also discuss a few Japanese dishes that may or may not contain gluten depending on where you order them. Finally, we talk about whether Japanese food is a good option for people who are on a gluten free diet.

What Japanese food is gluten free?

What Japanese food is gluten free? In this section, we will discuss some of the most popular Japanese items that are suitable for someone on a gluten free diet. We start out by discussing ingredients that are popular in Japanese cooking that are gluten free. After that, we provide some examples of common Japanese dishes that are often gluten free.

Note that while the ingredients and dishes that we discuss in this section are generally gluten free, that does not mean that they will always be gluten free. There may be some versions of these ingredients and dishes that do contain gluten. Always be sure to check the allergen labels or talk to the kitchen staff to make sure that any items that you plan to eat are gluten free.

Popular Japanese ingredients that are gluten free

Are you wondering which ingredients that are commonly used in Japanese cooking are gluten free? In this section, we will discuss common Japanese ingredients that are generally gluten free.

Vegetables (daikon, eggplant, bamboo, cucumber, yam, yuzu, shishito peppers, lotus root, broccolini)
Aromatics (ginger, garlic, scallions, onion)
Meats (beef, pork, chicken)
Fish (tuna, salmon, halibut, mackerel, scallops, uni, crab, squid)
Tofu and aburaage
Eggs
Rice
Rice noodles
Soba noodles (often gluten free, but not always)
Wasabi
Rice vinegar
Mirin and sake
Sesame oil and sesame seeds
Mochiko and rice flour
Miso paste (often gluten free, but not always)
Nori (often gluten free, but not always)
Togarashi

Popular Japanese dishes that are gluten free

Are you wondering which popular Japanese dishes are gluten free? In this section, we will discuss some popular Japanese dishes that are commonly gluten free.

Sunomono salad
Edamame
Grilled shishito peppers
Mochi

What Japanese food is not gluten free?

What Japanese food is not gluten free? In this section, we will discuss common examples of Japanese food that are not gluten-free. We will start out by talking about common Japanese ingredients that are not gluten free. After that, we will talk about common Japanese dishes that are not gluten free.

Note that while the items we discuss in this section are generally not gluten free, that does not mean that gluten free versions of them do not exist. There may be some stores or restaurants that do carry gluten free versions of the items listed below.

Japanese ingredients that are not gluten free

Are you wondering what popular Japanese ingredients are not gluten free? In this article, we will discuss some common ingredients that are used in Japanese cooking that are not gluten free.

Soy sauce and shoyu
Ponzu sauce
Udon noodles
Ramen noodles
Panko

Japanese dishes that are not gluten free

Are you wondering what popular Japanese dishes are not gluten free? In this article, we will discuss some of the most popular Japanese dishes that are not gluten free.

Ramen
Udon
Tempura (vegetables, fish, meat)
Okonomiyaki
Gyoza

Japanese food that may or may not contain gluten

What are some examples of Japanese dishes that may or may not contain gluten? Here are some examples of common Japanese dishes that may or may not contain gluten.

Sushi. Sushi is a common example of a Japanese dish that may or may not contain gluten. Simple sushi dishes that consist of only nori, rice, and fish or vegetables are generally gluten free. That being said, many sushi dishes come with sauce or garnishes on them that are not gluten free. That is because many of these sauces contain soy sauce or shoyu. Sushi dishes that contain tempura style meat, fish, or vegetables often contain gluten as well.
Sashimi. Much like sushi, sashimi dishes are often gluten free if they are made without any sauces or dressings. That being said, sashimi dishes that are made with sauce are likely to contain gluten.
Miso soup. Miso soup is another example of a Japanese dish that is often gluten free, but may contain gluten in some cases. For starters, while miso is often gluten free, that is not always the case. You should make sure that miso soup was made with gluten free miso before eating it. Additionally, small amounts of soy sauce are sometimes added to miso soup to give it a little more flavor.
Japanese curry. Japanese curry is another example of a dish that may or may not be gluten free. It is fairly common for Japanese curry to contain gluten, but that is not always the case. The most common ingredients that introduce gluten into Japanese curry are thickeners like flour and sauces like soy sauce or shoyu.
Fried dishes (cross contamination). Any dish that is made in the fryer at a Japanese restaurant is likely to contain trace amounts of gluten, unless the restaurant has a dedicated gluten free fryer that is only used for dishes that do not contain gluten. The reason for that is that it is common for Japanese restaurants to offer tempura that is battered in a batter that contains gluten then fried. If you are sensitive to cross contamination from small traces of gluten, you should avoid food that is made in a shared fryer.

Is Japanese food good for gluten free diets?

Is Japanese food a good option for someone who is on a gluten free diet? Japanese food is generally not a great option for someone who is on a gluten free diet. The problem with Japanese food is that while many of the ingredients that are used to make Japanese food are gluten free, they are almost always covered in sauces and dressings that do contain gluten. Japanese noodle dishes are also much more likely to incorporate wheat-based noodles than other Asian cuisines, many of which use rice based noodles.

While Japanese food as a whole can be difficult for those who have a gluten intolerance, there are some types of Japanese restaurants and establishments that are better for gluten free eaters than others. Specifically, sushi bars and restaurants that focus heavily on sushi and sashimi are generally a better bet for people who need to maintain a gluten free diet. Sushi dishes are generally made with simple ingredients and minimal sauces. Many of the common ingredients that are used to make sushi dishes are entirely gluten free.

Gluten free Japanese restaurants

Are you looking for examples of Japanese restaurants that offer gluten free options? Here are some of our favorite Japanese restaurants with gluten free options. Most of these restaurants also offer many vegetarian options.

Miku in Vancouver, British Columbia
Kinoya Sushi in Toronto, Ontario
Sushi Love in Portland, Oregon
Blue Taleh in Lowell, Massachusetts