Japanese Wagyu Ribeye with Mushroom and Vegetable Salad

Browned mushrooms, crisp cucumber and a sharp citrus dressing balance the richness of Japanese A5 Wagyu ribeye. Prepare the salad first, sear the beef on every outside surface, then slice and serve while the mushrooms are warm.

Serves: 2 tasting plates or 1 generous main. Beef: 200g. Cooking time depends on the steak's thickness.

Which ribeye should you use?

This version uses Japanese A5 Wagyu Ribeye, 200g. The current product is supplied frozen. Select the 200g option for this recipe and check the selected weight before adding it to your basket. A pack weight does not tell you the steak's thickness, so do not treat a fixed number of seconds as a cooking guarantee.

Ingredients for two tasting plates

For the beef and vegetables

• 200g Japanese A5 Wagyu ribeye, fully thawed if frozen
• 150g chestnut mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
• 150g cucumber, cut into ribbons
• 2 radishes, thinly sliced
• 30g watercress or baby salad leaves, washed
• 1 spring onion, finely sliced
• 1 teaspoon neutral oil, for the mushrooms
• A small pinch of flaky sea salt
• 1 lemon wedge, optional

For the dressing

• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon lemon or yuzu juice
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Allergen note: soy sauce commonly contains soya and wheat; sesame oil contains sesame. Check every pack, including any alternative sauce.

How to make the mushroom and vegetable salad

1. Whisk the rice vinegar, soy sauce, citrus juice and sesame oil in a small bowl. Taste before adding any extra salt.
2. Put the cucumber, radishes, leaves and spring onion in a bowl. Leave them undressed for now so they remain crisp.
3. Heat the neutral oil in a frying pan. Add the mushrooms in a single layer and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through. Work in batches if the pan is small.
4. Transfer the mushrooms to a clean plate. Clear the pan before cooking the beef, or use a separate heavy pan. Keep ready-to-eat vegetables away from the raw steak and its utensils.

How to cook the Wagyu ribeye

1. Dry the surface. Keep the fully thawed beef chilled until preparation. Open the pack and pat every outside surface dry. Do not wash raw meat.
2. Heat the pan. Preheat a heavy pan over medium-high heat. The ribeye's marbling supplies cooking fat; start without extra oil. Use extraction and take care around spitting fat.
3. Sear all surfaces. Brown both broad sides and use tongs to sear the edges. A thicker steak needs a gentler finish after browning. Do not use timing alone to decide that it is cooked safely.
4. Check the cut. The pink-centre option applies only to intact whole beef with all exterior surfaces properly cooked. For meat that is minced, rolled, mechanically tenderised or otherwise non-intact, follow the label and cook thoroughly.
5. Rest and slice. Transfer to a clean board, rest briefly and slice across the grain. Season lightly.
6. Finish the plate. Toss the cold vegetables with half the dressing. Add the mushrooms and arrange the beef alongside. Serve the remaining dressing separately to keep the browned beef surface crisp.

The Food Standards Agency's cooking guidance distinguishes intact steaks from minced or rolled meat. Where thorough cooking is required, its examples include a centre temperature of 70°C held for 2 minutes, or 75°C for 30 seconds.

How should you thaw and store the beef?

The ribeye's product instructions specify frozen storage at −18°C or below. Defrost in the fridge in a covered container below ready-to-eat food, not on the worktop. Allow it to thaw completely; the time varies with thickness and pack size. Use within 24 hours of complete thawing, or sooner if the label requires it, and do not refreeze the thawed raw product.

Keep the fridge at 0–5°C and follow the pack's use-by instructions. See the FSA guide to chilling and defrosting. The old idea that every steak needs to reach room temperature is not a reason to leave it out.

What can you change without losing the balance?

• For more crunch: use finely shredded cabbage instead of cucumber.
• For a warmer plate: add cooked asparagus or green beans, keeping the sharp dressing.
• For a fuller meal: serve steamed short-grain rice separately.
• For four tasting plates: double the ingredients and cook the beef in batches. Give the pan time to recover its heat.

For another fresh, herb-led accompaniment, try Japanese Wagyu sirloin with chimichurri. Avoid adding a second creamy sauce: the contrast comes from crisp vegetables and acidity.

Ordering for a UK or London dinner

Check the current shipping policy and the available option for your postcode before choosing a meal date. Allow any required safe thawing time.

Read the gourmet delivery terms before choosing a dinner date. For a different cut or pack size, compare the Japanese A5 Wagyu range.

Recipe questions

Can you use a thicker ribeye?

Yes, but keep the salad method and change the beef cooking time. Brown the exterior, then use gentler heat as needed. A thicker steak cannot safely be treated as a one-minute-per-side recipe.

Should the dressing go over the beef?

Serve it beside the beef or on the salad. This preserves the seared surface and lets each diner choose the amount of acidity.

Can the salad be made ahead?

Prepare and refrigerate the washed vegetables and dressing separately. Cook the mushrooms and beef close to serving, then dress the leaves at the last moment.