Rawon
In its own language: ꦫꦮꦺꦴꦤ꧀
Javanese beef soup made dark with keluak nut
Rawon is a traditional beef soup from East Java, Indonesia, recognized for its deep black color and earthy taste from keluak nuts. The dish combines beef with a spice blend and is typically served hot with rice and various toppings. It is enjoyed as a main meal and is especially popular in Surabaya, Malang, and Ponorogo.
- Rawon gets its black color from keluak nuts
- It is one of the oldest recorded Javanese dishes
- Named world's best soup by TasteAtlas in 2024
- Surabaya is famous for its style of rawon
- Rawon setan is served late at night in Indonesia
What is Rawon?
Rawon is a soup built around beef and a blend of spices, with keluak nut lending a signature black hue and a nutty, earthy flavor. The broth is rich and aromatic, layered with seasonings like ginger, turmeric, and lemongrass. It is usually served with steamed rice, and often garnished with green onions and fried shallots. Additional toppings can include bean sprouts, salted preserved egg, krupuk (crackers), and fried tolo beans. The soup’s appearance is strikingly dark, and its taste is both savory and slightly bitter from the keluak.
Where does Rawon come from?
Rawon traces its roots to East Java, Indonesia, and is considered one of the region’s oldest known dishes. Historical records mention a similar dish, rarawwan, as early as 901 CE in the Taji inscription from the Mataram kingdom period. Over time, rawon became a staple of Javanese cooking, especially in cities like Surabaya, Malang, and Ponorogo. Its unique use of keluak nut sets it apart from other Indonesian soups.
How is Rawon made?
To prepare rawon, a mixture of spices including garlic, shallots, keluak nut, ginger, candlenut, turmeric, red chili, and salt is ground into a paste and sautéed in oil. This aromatic base is then combined with beef stock and cubes of beef. Additional seasonings such as lemongrass, galangal, bay leaf, kaffir lime leaf, and sugar are added to deepen the flavor. The soup simmers until the beef is tender and the broth is infused with the dark color and taste of keluak.
How and when is Rawon eaten?
Rawon is commonly enjoyed as a main course for lunch or dinner. It is always served hot, accompanied by a plate of steamed rice. Diners often add garnishes like green onions and fried shallots, and may include sides such as bean sprouts, salted preserved egg, krupuk, or fried tolo beans. In Indonesia, it is a regular offering at both home tables and food stalls, and is sometimes eaten late at night at places serving rawon setan.
Kinds of Rawon
The Surabayan style of rawon is especially well-known. Rawon setan, or 'devil’s rawon', is a late-night version sold at stalls open from midnight to dawn. In Bali, a local take on rawon uses pork instead of beef and omits keluak, resulting in a brown rather than black broth. In Singapore, Nasi Rawon is sold at Malay hawker stalls, often served with rice, fried beef lung, sambal sotong (spicy squid), and keluak-based gravy.
What Rawon means
Rawon holds a special place in Javanese and Indonesian food culture, recognized as a historic dish with roots stretching back over a thousand years. In 2024, it was named the world’s best soup by TasteAtlas, highlighting its enduring popularity and unique character. The soup is a point of local pride, especially in East Java, and is a common feature at gatherings and everyday meals.
Questions people ask about Rawon
What is rawon made of?
Rawon is made from beef cooked in a broth flavored with keluak nut, garlic, shallots, ginger, candlenut, turmeric, red chili, and other spices. The keluak gives the soup its dark color and earthy taste.
Where does rawon come from?
Rawon comes from East Java, Indonesia, and is a traditional dish in Javanese cuisine. It is especially associated with cities like Surabaya, Malang, and Ponorogo.
Why is rawon black?
The soup’s deep black color comes from the use of keluak nut, which is ground and mixed into the spice paste that flavors the broth.
How is rawon usually served?
Rawon is served hot with steamed rice and may be topped with green onions, fried shallots, bean sprouts, salted preserved egg, krupuk, or fried tolo beans.
Is rawon eaten for any special occasion?
Rawon is mostly eaten as an everyday meal for lunch or dinner, but it is also popular at food stalls and sometimes enjoyed late at night.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Rawon", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Thali rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes, and it is not dietary or allergy advice: recipes differ from cook to cook. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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