Sweet, sticky, and packed with savoury flavour, this Slow Cooker Teriyaki Beef is one of those effortless dinners that tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen. The beef becomes so tender as it simmers away in a rich homemade teriyaki sauce, making it ideal for serving over fluffy rice or noodles.
I often find myself falling back on chicken-based meals for my family as I know they will like it, but sometimes I want to make something a bit different to keep them on their toes.
My kids love this slow cooker teriyaki beef, and for us this meal makes a tasty change from the usual mid-week meals.
The house smells great all afternoon while this cooked away.
This recipe uses a simple homemade teriyaki sauce, but you can swap in a shop-bought version if you’re short on time. Depending on the sauce you use, you may need to thicken it slightly at the end.
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What is teriyaki
Teriyaki is a Japanese cooking method in which food is cooked with a glaze of soy sauce, rice wine (mirin) and sugar, and then grilled or roasted.
If you’ve been to Wagamama you are bound to have tried it!
In my slow cooker teriyaki beef version which is inspired by the popular takeaway, I make the sauce in advance and reduce it to thicken before combining it in the slow cooker with diced beef which has been browned in a hot pan.
The finished dish has that glossy rich sauce, and the beef has the rich but sweet taste of soy sauce, rice wine, garlic and ginger, intensified by the long cooking time.
I serve this dish with white rice, chopped spring onions, and sesame seeds as garnish.
Kids may prefer just plain white rice with green vegetables on the side.
I’m adding this to our regular meal plan in fact as it is great to find something a bit different that everyone loves.
It’s great when you’re busy with work, school runs and the rest of it to just throw the food in earlier in the day, and come back to a nearly finished meal.
Ingredients
Here’s what you will need to make this dish. Get the exact quantities in the recipe card further down.
- dark soy sauce – the main ingredient in the sauce, combined with garlic, ginger and sweetened with a little brown sugar it makes a rich umami flavour.
- rice wine – I generally use Shaoxing rice wine (which is Chinese) as that is easier to get hold of, this is however not as sweet as Japanese rice wine (known as mirin) so we use a little more sugar to balance it. The rice wine helps produce the glossy sauce and balances the flavour of the soy sauce.
- brown sugar – to sweeten. I normally use light brown sugar.
- onion
- diced beef
- garlic – either fresh, frozen or garlic puree
- ginger – either fresh, frozen or ginger puree
- spring onions – chopped, as garnish.
- sesame seeds – not shown. Optional, as a garnish.
Method
Find out how to make this delicious slow cooker teriyaki beef with my step by step images and tips. The quantities are in the printable recipe card at the end of the post.
Step 1. Bring the sauce ingredients to the boil in a small pan and cook until reduced by half and thickened.
Step 2. Brown the beef in batches in a hot pan. I do this dry, without oil, but you can use a little oil if you wish.
Step 3. Place the diced onion and browned beef in the slow cooker pot.
Step 4. Pour over the sauce, and top with the chopped garlic and ginger.
Step 5. Stir well then cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 7-8 hours.
Step 6. Serve with chopped spring onions and sesame seeds, over white rice.
I am always so impressed with this dish which looks so good with its glossy sauce. It can even be served when entertaining or as a weekend fakeway.
Storage
- Store leftover teriyaki beef in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat gently in the microwave or on the hob until piping hot.
- The sauce may thicken in the fridge, so add a splash of water when reheating if needed.
- Freeze for up to 3 months and defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Substitutions
- Try the recipe with braising steak instead of diced stewing beef.
- Use chicken thighs instead of beef for a lighter version.
- Honey or maple syrup can be used instead of brown sugar.
- Tamari works well instead of soy sauce for a gluten-free option.
- Add broccoli, peppers, mange tout, or diced carrots during the last 30–60 minutes of cooking.
Tips
- Brown the beef before slow cooking for extra flavour.
- If the sauce is too thin at the end, stir in a cornflour slurry and cook on high until thickened.
- For extra heat, add chilli flakes or sriracha.
- Serve with rice, noodles, or steamed greens.
More Asian and Japanese Recipes To Try
I’ve asked my food blogger friends for their favourite Japanese and Asian-inspired dishes, here are a few of them, which all sound amazing:
- Green beans with tofu, miso and sesame dressing from Kavey Eats
- Samphire noodles with miso marinated tofu from Tin and Thyme
- Crispy and sticky black pepper tofu from food to glow
- Smoked salmon and king prawn sushi bowl from Foodie Quine
- Mackerel sashimi salad from The Hedge Combers
- Vegan Brooklyn pad thai from Planet Veggie
Recipe
Slow Cooker Teriyaki Beef
Ingredients
For the sauce:
- 80 ml (5⅓ tbsp) dark soy sauce
- 60 ml (4 tbsp) rice wine
- 60 ml (4 tbsp) water
- 20 g (1½ tbsp) Demerara or brown sugar
For the main dish:
- 1 onion diced
- 600 g (1⅓ lb) diced beef
- 3 cloves of garlic crushed
- 2 tsp lazy ginger chopped (or 1-2 cm ginger, grated)
- 4 spring onions chopped
- Optional: sesame seeds to garnish
Equipment
Instructions
- Bring the sauce ingredients to the boil in a small pan and cook until reduced by half and thickened.80 ml / 5⅓ tbsp dark soy sauce, 60 ml / 4 tbsp rice wine, 60 ml / 4 tbsp water, 20 g / 1½ tbsp Demerara or brown sugar
- Brown the beef in batches in a hot pan. I did this dry, without oil, but you can use a little oil if you wish.600 g / 1⅓ lb diced beef
- Place the chopped onion and browned beef in the slow cooker pot.1 onion
- Pour over the sauce, and top with the garlic and ginger.3 cloves of garlic, 2 tsp lazy ginger
- Cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 7-8 hours.
- Serve with chopped spring onions and sesame seeds, over white rice.4 spring onions, Optional: sesame seeds
Notes
- Store leftover teriyaki beef in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat gently in the microwave or on the hob until piping hot.
- The sauce may thicken in the fridge, so add a splash of water when reheating if needed.
- Freeze for up to 3 months and defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Try the recipe with braising steak instead of diced stewing beef.
- Use chicken thighs instead of beef for a lighter version.
- Honey or maple syrup can be used instead of brown sugar.
- Tamari works well instead of soy sauce for a gluten-free option.
- Add broccoli, peppers, mange tout, or diced carrots during the last 30–60 minutes of cooking.
- Brown the beef before slow cooking for extra flavour.
- If the sauce is too thin at the end, stir in a cornflour slurry and cook on high until thickened.
- For extra heat, add chilli flakes or sriracha.
- Serve with rice, noodles, or steamed greens.
Janice @FarmersgirlCook says
That looks so good, lovely flavours, need to get slow cooking!
bakingqueen74 says
With this rubbish summer I haven’t really stopped yet!
Cathy @ Planet Veggie says
I’ve never thought of doing teriyaki in my slow cooker. It must soak up the flavours beautifully.
bakingqueen74 says
It really does, you could try it with tofu perhaps? I read that the Japanese have it on different things to what we have in the West so you could really shake it up using veggies only!
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
The teriyaki flavours in this sound lovely, must try this with tofu!
bakingqueen74 says
Perfect! I wonder how tofu does in a slow cooker? I bet you have tried so I will look on your blog!
Kate Veggie Desserts (@veggie_desserts) says
Teriyaki beef was one of my dad’s specialties when I was growing up. I still always have a bottle of teriyaki sauce in the fridge to sprinkle on hot salads and stir fries and it always reminds me of him. I’ll send him your recipe as he’s recently started using his slow cooker!
bakingqueen74 says
Wonderful! Must try the sauce in stir fries here too, love all those veg.
Jemma @ Celery and Cupcakes says
Gorgeous photos Lucy! I bet the beef just falls apart after being cooked in the slow cooker.
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Jemma! I tried! Yes it was so tender and full of flavour.
Foodie Quine (@foodiequine) says
My mouth has actually been watering reading this! Like you I often go for Chicken as an easy option but my kids love beef to so this would get the thumbs up from the whole family.
bakingqueen74 says
Hurrah I am so pleased to hear that! Chicken does seem very easy doesn’t it, I’m going to try to vary things a bit more including more veggie meals
Kavey says
Oh I love the sounds of this so much. Love teriyaki and your slow cooker version looks so good!
bakingqueen74 says
I need to try teriyaki on everything now, love this flavour!
katie batchelor says
Another fab recipe I can’t wait to try. Looks perfect for my family and thanks for sharing x
bakingqueen74 says
Thanks Katie, that is great to hear!