Authentic Homemade Beef Teriyaki: Skip the Takeout and Master This Flavorful Dish!
Imagine tender, succulent beef strips, perfectly stir-fried and coated in a rich, glossy, ultra-flavorful homemade teriyaki sauce. This isn’t just a dream; it’s the reality of this incredible beef teriyaki recipe! Forget greasy takeout and sugary, pre-bottled sauces. You can whip up this restaurant-quality meal from scratch in about 30 minutes, and the best part? No marinating is required. Get ready to impress your taste buds with a dish that’s both quick and incredibly delicious, proving that homemade always tastes best.
Why This Homemade Beef Teriyaki Recipe Is a Must-Try
This beef teriyaki recipe truly stands out. It perfectly balances the classic sweet, tangy, and salty notes that define an excellent teriyaki, all brought together by thinly sliced, tender beef strips. What makes it genuinely special is the luscious, homemade teriyaki sauce, crafted from scratch with fresh ingredients. This means no artificial flavors, no excessive sodium, and no high-fructose corn syrup often found in store-bought alternatives.
Beyond its incredible flavor, this dish is a weeknight warrior. It comes together in about 30 minutes, making it faster than ordering takeout. Plus, there’s no need for lengthy marinating, which means you can decide to make it last minute and still have a fantastic meal on the table. It’s also fantastic for meal prepping; simply make a batch, store it, and enjoy delicious reheated leftovers throughout the week. The flavors only seem to deepen and meld beautifully after a day or two in the refrigerator.
The versatility of this dish is another huge plus. You can easily incorporate a medley of colorful vegetables directly into the stir-fry, like crisp bell peppers, snap peas, or carrots, to create a more wholesome and vibrant meal. Alternatively, serve it alongside your favorite sides such as fluffy white rice, satisfying noodles, or steamed broccoli florets. Whether you prefer a classic pairing or want to get creative, this beef teriyaki adapts effortlessly to your preferences, making it a staple in any home cook’s repertoire.
Gather Your Ingredients for This Easy Beef Teriyaki
To embark on your delicious homemade beef teriyaki journey, you’ll need a selection of fresh and pantry-staple ingredients. Below is a visual representation of what you’ll need, and for precise measurements, a comprehensive list is available in the printable recipe card at the very end of this post. Having everything prepped and ready before you start cooking is key to a smooth stir-fry experience!
Ingredient Spotlight & Smart Substitution Ideas
Understanding your ingredients and knowing when to substitute can elevate your cooking. Here’s a closer look at what goes into our beef teriyaki:
BEEF – We highly recommend Flank Steak for this recipe. It’s a fantastic choice for stir-fries because it’s flavorful, relatively lean, and affordable. The trick to ensuring it’s incredibly tender is to slice it thinly *against the grain*. This shortens the muscle fibers, making a naturally tougher cut wonderfully chewable and pleasant. For the best results, aim for slices about 1/4 inch thick. If flank steak isn’t available or you prefer other options, excellent substitutes include Skirt Steak, Sirloin Tip, Tri-Tip, or even Flat Iron Steak. Each of these cuts offers a good balance of flavor and tenderness when prepared correctly for stir-frying.
CORNSTARCH – Beyond its role in thickening the sauce, cornstarch is crucial for coating the beef. When tossed with the thinly sliced beef, it creates a light crust during stir-frying, helping the beef brown beautifully and locking in moisture, resulting in incredibly tender and succulent strips. This also ensures the sauce clings perfectly to the meat.
OLIVE OIL – A good quality olive oil or other high-smoke-point oil (like canola or grapeseed oil) is essential for achieving that perfect stir-fry sear without burning. It helps cook the beef quickly and evenly.
SAUCE – The heart and soul of this dish is our Homemade Teriyaki Sauce. We typically prepare it in larger batches and store it in the refrigerator, making weeknight meals a breeze. If you have a batch on hand, you’ll need 1/2 cup. However, for your convenience, the full recipe provided includes measurements for making just the right amount of sauce for this particular dish. Our homemade version uses low-sodium soy sauce (for better control over saltiness), sesame oil (for that signature nutty aroma), oyster sauce (adds a wonderful umami depth), honey (natural sweetness and gloss), rice vinegar (tangy balance), fresh chopped ginger, fresh minced garlic, and a touch of brown sugar. Using fresh ginger and garlic makes a remarkable difference compared to powdered versions, providing a more vibrant and authentic flavor profile. This blend ensures a rich, complex sauce that truly sings.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Craft Perfect Beef Teriyaki at Home
These step-by-step photos and instructions are designed to help you visualize the entire cooking process. For a convenient printable version of this recipe, complete with all measurements and detailed instructions, simply Jump to Recipe at the bottom of this post.
- Prepare the Beef: Begin by slicing your chosen beef cut, like flank steak, into thin strips, making sure to cut against the grain. This is a crucial step for tenderness. Once sliced, place the beef strips in a bowl and generously toss them with cornstarch. The cornstarch will help tenderize the meat and create a beautiful crust when stir-fried, allowing the sauce to adhere perfectly.
- Whip Up the Homemade Teriyaki Sauce: In a separate bowl or the cup of an immersion blender, combine all your sauce ingredients: low sodium soy sauce, sesame oil, oyster sauce, honey, rice vinegar, chopped ginger, minced garlic, and brown sugar. Use an immersion blender to blend everything until it’s perfectly smooth. This ensures all the flavors are well incorporated and the fresh ginger and garlic are fully processed into the sauce.
EXPERT TIP – For an even quicker meal, you can use 1/2 cup of our pre-made homemade teriyaki sauce, if you have it stored in your refrigerator.
- Stir-Fry the Beef: Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot (but not smoking), add the olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add the cornstarch-coated beef strips in a single layer, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan. Stir-fry the beef quickly until it’s no longer pink and has developed a nice brown sear on all sides. This usually takes just a few minutes, depending on the thickness of your beef. Remove the cooked beef from the wok and set aside momentarily.
- Combine with Sauce and Thicken: Return the browned beef to the wok. Pour in the prepared homemade teriyaki sauce, stirring to coat all the beef strips evenly. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water to create a smooth slurry. Gradually add this cornstarch slurry to the wok, stirring constantly. This slurry is what will give your sauce that desired thick and glossy consistency.
- Simmer to Perfection: Reduce the heat to low and allow the mixture to gently simmer. Continue stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency – it should be glossy and cling beautifully to the beef. Once thickened, turn off the heat immediately to prevent overcooking the beef or reducing the sauce too much. Serve hot and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips for Beef Teriyaki
Leftover beef teriyaki stores beautifully! Transfer any cooled leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days. To reheat, warm in a wok or skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly warmed through. You can also use a microwave for convenience. For longer storage, beef teriyaki can be frozen for up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating on the stovetop for the best texture.
While flank steak is our top recommendation for its balance of flavor, leanness, and affordability for stir-frying, several cuts work well. Other excellent choices include sirloin, tri-tip, flat iron, or skirt steak. The key, regardless of the cut, is to slice the beef very thinly (about 1/4 inch thick) and always against the grain. Cutting against the grain shortens the muscle fibers, making the beef much more tender and less chewy, which is crucial for a pleasant stir-fry experience.
Absolutely! Adding vegetables is a fantastic way to boost nutrition and color. Great options include broccoli florets, sliced bell peppers (any color), snow peas, snap peas, carrots, or even mushrooms. For crisp-tender vegetables, add them to the wok after you’ve stir-fried the beef and removed it. Sauté the vegetables for 3-5 minutes until they reach your desired tenderness, then return the beef to the wok and proceed with adding the sauce and slurry as instructed. If you add a significant amount of vegetables, you might want to increase the sauce by about 1/4 to 1/2 cup to ensure everything is well coated.
To make this beef teriyaki recipe gluten-free, the main substitution you’ll need is gluten-free soy sauce (like Tamari). Ensure that your oyster sauce is also gluten-free, or omit it and adjust other flavors accordingly (perhaps a touch more soy sauce and honey). All other ingredients in our homemade sauce are naturally gluten-free.
Delicious Serving Suggestions for Your Beef Teriyaki
Once your mouthwatering beef teriyaki is ready, the possibilities for serving are endless! For a classic Asian-inspired meal, serve it with a generous portion of fluffy white rice or alongside our irresistible chow mein or lo mein noodles. The savory sauce is perfect for soaking into these carb-rich companions.
To add a burst of freshness and extra nutrition, steamed or stir-fried vegetables are a must. Crisp-tender broccoli florets are a popular choice, but you can also incorporate vibrant snow peas, thinly sliced carrots, or colorful bell peppers directly into your stir-fry for an all-in-one dish. Remember, if adding a significant volume of vegetables, you might want to slightly increase the teriyaki sauce to ensure everything is beautifully coated and flavorful.
For garnishes, a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds adds a lovely nutty crunch and visual appeal, while freshly chopped green onions provide a mild oniony bite and bright color. If you’re looking for lighter alternatives, consider serving your beef teriyaki with cauliflower rice, quinoa, or even a simple side salad with an Asian vinaigrette. However you choose to serve it, this homemade beef teriyaki is guaranteed to be a hit!
More Irresistible Beef Recipes to Explore
If you’ve loved this beef teriyaki, you’re in for a treat! We have a collection of other fantastic beef recipes that bring the flavors of your favorite Asian cuisines right to your kitchen:
- Beijing Beef
- Szechuan Beef
- Kung Pao Beef
- Mongolian Beef
- Instant Pot Beef and Broccoli
I absolutely adore cooking and baking, and my greatest joy is sharing my culinary adventures and kitchen wisdom with all of you! Remembering to visit the blog every day for new recipes can be a challenge, which is why I offer a convenient newsletter delivered straight to your inbox every time a new recipe posts. Simply subscribe today and start receiving your free daily recipes – never miss a delicious update!
Beef Teriyaki
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
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Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American, Asian, Japanese
Ingredients
- 1 pound flank steak
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ cup water
Teriyaki Sauce
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 Tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- ¾ Tablespoon rice vinegar
- ¾ teaspoon chopped ginger
- ½ Tablespoon minced garlic
- ¾ teaspoon brown sugar
Things You’ll Need
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Wok
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Wooden spoon
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immersion blender
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Vinyl gloves
Before You Begin
- Flank steak is what we like to use as it’s affordable, lean, and great for stir-fries. Cutting flank steak against the grain will make this tougher cut less chewy. Skirt steak, sirloin tip, or tri-tip are good substitutes.
- We used 1/2 cup of our Homemade Teriyaki Sauce which we make in larger batches and keep in the refrigerator. You can do the same and have extra on hand, or we have provided you with the measurements above for the appropriate amount of sauce for this recipe.
- Store leftovers in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in a wok or skillet over medium-low heat until warmed through.
Instructions
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Slice beef into thin strips against the grain. Toss meat strips with cornstarch.
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Combine all sauce ingredients in an immersion blender and blend until smooth.
TIP: Alternatively, you can use 1/2 cup of our homemade teriyaki sauce.
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Add olive oil to wok over medium-high heat until hot, but not smoking. Add beef and stir fry until no longer pink
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Add sauce to the brown beef in the wok. Mix cornstarch with water to make a slurry. Add cornstarch mixture to the wok.
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Turn heat down to low and simmer to thicken. When sauce thickens, turn off heat.
Nutrition
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The recipes on this blog are tested with a conventional gas oven and gas stovetop. It’s important to note that some ovens, especially as they age, can cook and bake inconsistently. Using an inexpensive oven thermometer can assure you that your oven is truly heating to the proper temperature. If you use a toaster oven or countertop oven, please keep in mind that they may not distribute heat the same as a conventional full sized oven and you may need to adjust your cooking/baking times. In the case of recipes made with a pressure cooker, air fryer, slow cooker, or other appliance, a link to the appliances we use is listed within each respective recipe. For baking recipes where measurements are given by weight, please note that results may not be the same if cups are used instead, and we can’t guarantee success with that method.