Easy Beef Teriyaki

Name: Easy Beef Teriyaki
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 ½ pounds flank steak; 1/3 cup plus 1 Tablespoon corn starch ((divided use)); 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil ((divided use)); ½ teaspoon sesame oil; 2 teaspoons minced garlic; 1 teaspoon fresh ginger ((grated or minced)); ½ cup low sodium soy sauce; 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed; 1/3 cup plus 2 Tablespoons water ((divided use)); 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar; 1 Tablespoon sesame seeds; sliced green onions

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Easy Beef Teriyaki made with tender sliced beef and a quick homemade teriyaki sauce. A fast, flavorful dinner perfect for busy weeknights.

BETTER THAN TAKEOUT!

This Easy Beef Teriyaki is a fast, flavorful dinner that comes together in just about 20 minutes. Thinly sliced beef is seared until tender, then coated in a homemade teriyaki sauce made with pantry staples. It’s a great weeknight option when you want takeout-style flavor without the extra cost or effort, and it pairs perfectly with a simple bowl of rice!

Absolutely way better than takeout! This turned out incredible, thank you!
– Jess

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What else can I add to this Beef Teriyaki?

This is the base recipe, and you can add any kind of vegetable to make a complete meal. Options include broccoli, snow or snap peas, sliced carrots, baby corn, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, onion, peppers, etc.

What to serve with Easy Beef Teriyaki?

It’s traditionally served over steamed white rice, but it’s also great with jasmine rice, brown rice, or even noodles. But I don’t see why you couldn’t serve it with Fried Rice.

Why is the beef coated in cornstarch first?

The cornstarch helps the beef get a light crust when seared and also helps the sauce thicken and cling to the meat.

How long do leftovers last?

This can be refrigerated for 3-4 days. You can reheat it in the microwave or on the stove.

A plate of white rice and Beef Teriyaki with green onions and chopsticks.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)

flank steak– Flank steak works great, but you can also use hanger steak, flat iron steak, or any similar cut as long as it’s sliced thinly against the grain.
corn starch – this will be used to thicken the sauce as well as coating the meat to give it great texture.
sesame oil – if you don’t have or don’t like sesame oil, just leave it out and use all vegetable oil.
garlic – fresh garlic really is best but if all you have is the jarred stuff, then you can use that.
fresh ginger– if you don’t have fresh ginger, you can use grated or minced garlic. Fresh ginger adds the best flavor, but ginger paste from a tube (not an affiliate link) is a great time-saving substitute and works perfectly in this recipe.
low sodium soy sauce – I almost always prefer low sodium soy sauce these days. It really keeps everything from getting too salty. You can always season with additional salt if needed.
light brown sugar – this adds that touch of sweetness we all love with teriyaki. A bit of sweet and a bit of sour. I prefer this over regular white granulated sugar as I find it blends easier into the sauce and adds depth of flavor because of the molasses in brown sugar.
rice vinegar – you can see my ingredient image below for the kind I used. Seasoned rice vinegar also works.

Flank steak, cornstarch, vegetable oil, sesame oil, garlic, fresh ginger, low-sodium soy sauce, brown sugar, water, rice vinegar, sesame seeds, and sliced green onions.

HOW TO MAKE EASY BEEF TERIYAKI:

Slice the flank steak against the grain, into ¼ inch thick strips. Add the steak and 1/3 cup cornstarch to a large Ziploc bag. Seal and shake to thoroughly coat all the individual pieces. Set aside. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add one Tablespoon of vegetable oil to the pan and place half of the meat in a single layer in the pan. Allow it to cook, undisturbed for about 3 minutes, then when the meat releases easily from the pan, flip it over to the other side and cook again for another 3 minutes. Remove the cooked meat to a plate and set aside.

A zipper bag with cornstarch coated steak and a skillet cooking steak.

Add a second Tablespoon of vegetable oil and repeat the process with the other half of the meat then remove it to the plate with the rest of the meat. Add the final Tablespoon of vegetable oil to the pan plus ½ teaspoon sesame oil and heat over medium. Add 2 teaspoons of minced garlic and one teaspoon ginger to the skillet and cook for one minute or until it becomes fragrant.

A skillet of oil and cooked Beef Teriyaki.

Add ½ cup soy sauce, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup water and 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar to the pan and whisk to combine. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook until the brown sugar is fully dissolved. In a small bowl, add 1 Tablespoon cornstarch and 2 Tablespoons of water and mix together. Whisk this into the sauce and continue to simmer over medium-low heat, whisking often, until the sauce thickens. Add the beef into the sauce and toss it to fully coat. Continue to cook over low heat until the meat is warmed through. Serve immediately over rice and garnished with sesame seeds and green onions!