Craving a quick and delicious dinner? This Easy Beef Teriyaki features tender sliced beef in a flavorful homemade teriyaki sauce. It’s the perfect meal for busy weeknights!
Better Than Takeout: Homemade Beef Teriyaki
Skip the delivery and enjoy a restaurant-quality meal at home with this Easy Beef Teriyaki recipe! Ready in just 20 minutes, this dish features thinly sliced beef seared to perfection and coated in a savory-sweet teriyaki sauce made with simple pantry ingredients. It’s a fantastic weeknight dinner option that’s both budget-friendly and incredibly satisfying. Serve it over a bed of fluffy rice for a complete and comforting meal.
Frequently Asked Questions About Beef Teriyaki
This recipe is a great base, and you can easily customize it by adding your favorite vegetables. Consider adding broccoli florets, crisp snow peas or snap peas, sliced carrots for a touch of sweetness, baby corn for texture, crunchy bamboo shoots, water chestnuts for a unique bite, sliced onions for flavor, or bell peppers for color and sweetness. Feel free to experiment and create your perfect vegetable medley!
Traditionally, Beef Teriyaki is served over steamed white rice, which provides a neutral base to soak up the delicious sauce. However, you can also use jasmine rice for its fragrant aroma, brown rice for a nutty flavor and added fiber, or even your favorite type of noodles. For a more elaborate meal, consider pairing it with Fried Rice for a complete Asian-inspired feast.
Coating the beef in cornstarch before searing serves two important purposes. First, it helps the beef develop a light, crispy crust when it hits the hot pan, adding a delightful textural element to the dish. Second, the cornstarch acts as a thickening agent for the teriyaki sauce, helping it cling to the meat for maximum flavor in every bite. It’s the secret to that perfect teriyaki glaze!
Leftover Beef Teriyaki can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You can reheat it easily in the microwave or on the stovetop over medium-low heat until warmed through. For best results, add a splash of water or broth when reheating to prevent the beef from drying out.
Ingredients for Easy Beef Teriyaki (See Full Recipe Card Below)
Here’s a breakdown of the key ingredients you’ll need to make this flavorful Beef Teriyaki. Check the recipe card below for exact measurements and detailed instructions.
- Flank Steak: This cut works exceptionally well due to its tenderness and ability to absorb flavors. Hanger steak, flat iron steak, or other similar cuts can also be used, ensuring they are thinly sliced against the grain for maximum tenderness.
- Cornstarch: A crucial ingredient for both creating a light crust on the beef and thickening the teriyaki sauce. It helps the sauce beautifully coat the meat.
- Sesame Oil: Adds a distinctive nutty flavor to the dish. If you don’t have sesame oil or prefer not to use it, simply omit it and use vegetable oil in its place.
- Garlic: Freshly minced garlic provides the best flavor, but jarred minced garlic can be used in a pinch.
- Fresh Ginger: Fresh ginger adds a zesty and aromatic element that complements the other flavors. If fresh ginger is unavailable, you can use grated or minced ginger. Ginger paste from a tube is a convenient and time-saving alternative.
- Low Sodium Soy Sauce: Using low sodium soy sauce helps control the saltiness of the dish. You can always add more salt to taste if needed.
- Light Brown Sugar: Adds a touch of sweetness and depth of flavor to the teriyaki sauce. The molasses in brown sugar creates a richer, more complex flavor than regular white sugar.
- Rice Vinegar: Provides a balanced tanginess that complements the sweetness of the brown sugar and the saltiness of the soy sauce. Seasoned rice vinegar also works well.
How to Make Easy Beef Teriyaki: Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these simple steps to create your own delicious Beef Teriyaki at home:
First, prepare the beef by slicing it thinly against the grain into ¼ inch thick strips. Place the sliced steak in a large Ziploc bag with 1/3 cup of cornstarch. Seal the bag and shake well to ensure all the beef strips are evenly coated with cornstarch. Set this aside.
Next, heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add one tablespoon of vegetable oil to the pan. Once the oil is hot, add half of the cornstarch-coated beef in a single layer. Avoid overcrowding the pan, as this will lower the temperature and prevent the beef from searing properly. Cook the beef undisturbed for about 3 minutes, allowing it to develop a nice sear. Once the beef easily releases from the pan, flip it over and cook for another 3 minutes on the other side. Remove the cooked beef from the pan and place it on a plate.
Add another tablespoon of vegetable oil to the pan and repeat the searing process with the remaining half of the beef. Once cooked, add this to the plate with the first batch of beef. This ensures all the beef is cooked properly and retains its tenderness.
Now it’s time to create the flavorful teriyaki sauce. Add the final tablespoon of vegetable oil to the pan, along with ½ teaspoon of sesame oil for added flavor. Heat the oil over medium heat. Add 2 teaspoons of minced garlic and 1 teaspoon of minced fresh ginger to the skillet. Cook for about one minute, or until the garlic and ginger become fragrant. Be careful not to burn them, as this will make the sauce bitter.
Pour in ½ cup of low sodium soy sauce, 1/3 cup of light brown sugar, 1/3 cup of water, and 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar into the pan. Whisk all the ingredients together to combine. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer and cook until the brown sugar is completely dissolved, stirring occasionally.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water to create a slurry. This slurry will help thicken the teriyaki sauce. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the simmering sauce while whisking continuously. Continue to simmer the sauce over medium-low heat, whisking frequently, until it thickens to your desired consistency. This usually takes a few minutes.
Add the seared beef back into the pan with the thickened teriyaki sauce. Toss the beef to coat it evenly in the sauce. Continue to cook over low heat until the beef is warmed through, allowing the flavors to meld together beautifully.
Serve the Easy Beef Teriyaki immediately over a bed of rice. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions for added flavor and visual appeal. Enjoy!
Craving More Delicious Recipes?
If you enjoyed this Easy Beef Teriyaki recipe, be sure to check out these other tasty Asian-inspired dishes:
- Easy Chicken Teriyaki: A classic and quick weeknight meal.
- Sheet Pan Beef and Broccoli: A simple and healthy one-pan dinner.
- Baked Teriyaki Salmon: A flaky and flavorful seafood option.
- Grilled Teriyaki Chicken Skewers: Perfect for summer barbecues.
- Hibachi Steak: A restaurant-style meal you can make at home.
