This easy Beef Teriyaki can be made with store-bought or homemade teriyaki sauce and comes out tender and tangy with lightly charred edges and is just perfect over a big bowl of rice.
Today’s recipe is another super easy and fast dinner for weeknights, beef teriyaki.
This beef teriyaki is one of my current favorite weeknight meals. Depending on how ambitious you’re feeling, it can be a two-ingredient dinner (use store-bought teriyaki sauce) or follow my recipe to make your own and feel super smug about the amazing homemade teriyaki sauce you just made from scratch (seriously, this sauce is the best).
Whether you use store-bought or homemade sauce, this teriyaki beef comes out tender and tangy with lightly charred edges and is just perfect over a big bowl of rice.
Ingredient Notes
- Beef: I like to use flap meat in this recipe because it cooks nicely under the quick, high heat of the broiler and is relatively cheap. If you can’t find flap meat, you can substitute flank, hanger, or skirt steak in its place, though they will probably be slightly more expensive.
- Teriyaki sauce: You can use store-bought sauce or I included the recipe for my favorite teriyaki sauce in the recipe card below. The sauce will take an extra 15 to 20 minutes to make, but I think it’s SO worth it.
How to Make Beef Teriyaki
- You’ll start by cutting flap meat into strips and then tossing the meat with teriyaki sauce.
- Lay the strips out on a heavy-duty baking sheet or broiling pan and then broil for just a couple minutes per side. Pull when your meat is medium-rare or your desired level of doneness and dinner’s ready.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes. You can cook the beef up to 2 days in advance.
Or if you’d like to prep the ingredients ahead of time for cooking, this is the ultimate make-ahead meal. Sauce can be made up to 1 month in advance, and you can pre-slice the beef and freeze it. So all you have to do on cooking day is defrost the meat, toss it with sauce, and broil. If you plan on serving with broccoli, broccoli can be chopped 3 to 4 days in advance.
What kind of meat is used for beef teriyaki?
We’ll be using flap meat for this recipe. Flap meat, which comes from the bottom of the sirloin, is also known as flap steak or sometimes by its French name, bavette d’aloyau . It’s one of my favorite cuts of beef because it has a really fantastic beefy flavor, is relatively cheap, and is at its best when cooked quick and hot, so it’s ideal for fast weeknight meals.
How do you make tender beef strips?
Aside from choosing the right cut of beef, you can keep your beef tender by 1) cutting the beef against the grain when slicing it into strips and 2) by not overcooking it. Cook your strips to 135°F for medium-rare, 145°F for medium, and pull them out of the oven when they’re just done.
A good instant-read thermometer makes this easy, and you can pull out strips out in batches if necessary, as thinner pieces will cook more quickly than thicker ones.
What goes with Teriyaki Beef?
Serve your teriyaki beef with rice (I’m partial to Calrose rice for Asian dishes) and a side of steamed broccoli or green beans .
More Easy Weeknight Meals
- Beef Ramen Noodles
- Chicken and Broccoli Orzo
- Salsa Chicken
- Slow Cooker Tri-tip Sandwiches
- Teriyaki Chicken
- Quick Chicken Tortellini Soup
Equipment
- Broiler-safe baking sheet
- Foil (optional for easier cleanup)
- Instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
- ▢ ⅔ cup store-bought thick teriyaki sauce OR homemade teriyaki sauce
Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
- ▢ ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ▢ ¼ cup water
- ▢ 2 tablespoons mirin or sherry or Marsala
- ▢ 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- ▢ ¼ cup ( 50 g) granulated sugar
- ▢ 3 tablespoons ( 38 g) brown sugar
- ▢ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ▢ ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ▢ 1½ teaspoons cornstarch whisked with 1 tablespoon water
Beef
- ▢ 2 pounds flap meat* sliced across the grain into 1x3-inch strips
Serve With
- ▢ Rice
- ▢ Steamed broccoli or steamed green beans
Instructions
Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
- Combine soy sauce, water, mirin, rice wine vinegar, granulated sugar, brown sugar, garlic powder, ground ginger, and cornstarch and water slurry in a medium pot.
- Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Turn heat down to medium and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until sauce is thickened (it will thicken further as it cools). Watch sauce closely while it simmers to make sure it doesn’t bubble over.
- Remove sauce from heat and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes to cool before using.
Beef Teriyaki
- Adjust top oven rack so it is about 4 inches from the heating element. Heat broiler on high.
- In a medium bowl, combine sliced steak and about 1/3 cup of the prepared teriyaki sauce. Toss until all the meat is well coated. Lay meat out in a single layer on a foil-lined broiler-safe baking sheet or broiler pan.
- Broil for 2 minutes, remove pan and flip meat. Return pan to the oven, and broil for an additional 3 to 6 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer reads 135°F for medium-rare, 145°F for medium and meat edges are lightly charred. If necessary, you can remove some of the thinner pieces that are cooking more quickly and return the rest of the pan to the oven.
- Brush meat with remaining sauce and serve over rice. Enjoy!
Notes
A quick recipe for mac and cheese for one. Easy, cheesy, and oh so good.
Is it lunchtime? Is it dinner time? Are you starving? Do you need a mac and cheese fix? Yes? Well, I’ve got just the thing for you: mac and cheese for one.
This homemade macaroni and cheese is just as quick as the kind that comes out of a box, is one thousand times more delicious, and won’t leave you with a mass of gross congealed leftovers. (Seriously, have you ever tried to reheat leftover boxed mac and cheese? It’s not pretty and neither is food waste!)
I grew up in a boxed mac and cheese household, and just like when I learned how to make homemade mashed potatoes , when I discovered how easy homemade macaroni and cheese was to make, I had no idea why we hadn’t just been making it from scratch all along.
It takes exactly the same amount of time, and if you keep a basic stocked kitchen, cheese and any sort of pasta in your house, YOU HAVE THE INGREDIENTS TO MAKE THIS.
Ingredient Notes
- Macaroni or pasta of choice: You can use traditional macaroni pasta if you have it or whatever pasta shapes you have on hand. Conchiglie, farfalle, and even larger tube pastas like penne or rigatoni will all work fine. Just pay attention to how you measure your pasta. This recipe calls for 2.5 ounces of pasta, which is 1/2 cup of macaroni, but different pasta shapes have different volume measurements, so if you don’t have a scale to measure your pasta, use a pasta weight to volume table like this one to make sure you’re using the correct amount.
- Salted butter: I call for salted butter here, but if using unsalted, simply add a generous pinch of salt and then adjust salt to taste when making the sauce.
- Shredded sharp cheddar cheese: Any cheddar cheese will work fine, but I prefer sharp cheddar because of the stronger flavor it gives the sauce. You can also try mixing in other melty cheeses like Pecorino Romano (my favorite!!), gouda, or gruyere.
- Milk: You can use any percentage milk you have on hand. The higher fat the milk, the richer and creamier your sauce will be.
How to Make Single-serve Macaroni and Cheese
- In a small pot, boil some pasta, and while that cooks, in a separate pot, stir together a little butter and flour. Whisk in milk until the sauce thickens and then add cheese.
- Add salt and pepper to taste along with a bit of cayenne and nutmeg if you’d like and then pour the sauce over the drained pasta and done!
In under 20 minutes, you’ll have rich cheesy mac and cheese for one, portion-controlled and so good you could cry. And if you are feeling extra hungry or want to make it for two or more, the recipe sizes up with just a slightly longer cooking time (see doubling notes).
Variations
Want to up your mac and cheese game? Try these upgrades:
- Hot dog & ketchup: 1/2 cooked hot dog + ketchup. You know what to do with them. (I do not approve of or endorse this upgrade, but everyone I know insists it’s delicious. 😉 )
- Sausage mac & cheese: 1/2 cup sliced smoked sausage browned in a skillet over medium-high heat. Transfer sausage slices to a paper towel-lined plate, and blot gently before stirring into your prepared macaroni and cheese.
- Short rib mac & cheese : Use the meat from 1 or 2 leftover braised short ribs and stir them into your mac and cheese.
- Deluxe mac & cheese : Generously butter both sides of a slice of white bread and use a serrated knife to slice it into 1-inch cubes. Pour your cooked mac and cheese into an oven-safe dish and sprinkle an additional 1/4 cup of shredded cheese over the top, followed by the bread pieces. Bake at 375°F for 5 to 10 minutes until bread is toasty.
Can I double this recipe?
Absolutely. The recipe doubles with no preparation changes except the sauce will take slightly longer to thicken when you add the milk. To change the recipe yield, hover over the serving size in the recipe card below or click if you’re on mobile, and slide the slider.
Can I make mac and cheese ahead of time?
Like any macaroni and cheese, this recipe is best when eaten right after it’s cooked. You can refrigerate and reheat it, but the sauce won’t be as smooth and creamy.
More Single-serve Recipes
- Fettuccine Alfredo for One
- Scalloped Potatoes for One
- Buttered Noodles
- Tomato Soup for One or Two
More Creamy Pasta Recipes
- Creamy Chicken Pasta
- Fettuccine Alfredo With Broccoli
- Chicken Broccoli Orzo
- Creamy Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
- ▢ 2.5 ounces ( ½ cup ) uncooked macaroni or pasta of choice*
- ▢ 1 tablespoon salted butter
- ▢ 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ▢ ½ cup milk any percentage
- ▢ ½ cup ( 2 oz) shredded sharp cheddar cheese *
- ▢ Salt and pepper
- ▢ Pinch of cayenne optional
- ▢ Pinch of nutmeg optional
Instructions
- Bring a small pot of lightly salted water to boil over high heat.
- While your water heats, shred cheese, measure out the rest of your ingredients.
- Cook macaroni according to the instructions on the box.
- While your pasta cooks, in a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook until a thick paste forms and turns golden, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Slowly whisk in milk, whisking out any lumps as they form. Cook, whisking constantly until mixture thickens and begins to bubble around the edges, 2 to 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and stir in cheese until completely melted. Add salt and pepper to taste, remembering that the pasta will cut the level of spice once added. If you like nutmeg and cayenne (I do!), start with a sprinkle, taste, and work your way up. A little of both goes a long way!
- Once pasta is cooked, drain and stir in cheese sauce. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
Make a quick and easy Cinnamon Dolce Latte at home with just a few ingredients. No syrups or sauces required.
I have a bunch of Starbucks-inspired recipes on the site ( Homemade Mocha , Caramel Macchiato , and White Chocolate Mocha are some of the most popular) and today I have another quick and easy coffee recipe for you, a Cinnamon Dolce Latte.
This latte’s made with just four ingredients, comes together in less than 10 minutes, and is sweet cinnamon perfection.
What does a cinnamon dolce latte taste like?
A cinnamon dolce latte tastes like a sweet combo of coffee, milk, and spicy-sweet cinnamon. It’s a cozy, warming drink that is excellent on chilly mornings or evenings.
Ingredient Notes
- Milk: Starbucks uses 2% milk by default in their drinks, but you can use whatever milk you have, including plant-based milks. The higher fat the milk, the creamier your drink will be. For an extra creamy drink, add a splash of half and half or heavy cream to your measuring cup when measuring out the milk.
- Cinnamon sticks: Cinnamon sticks are a better option for flavoring cinnamon drinks than ground cinnamon because ground cinnamon doesn’t really dissolve in milk. With cinnamon sticks, you can infuse the milk with cinnamon flavor and then discard them. If you don’t keep cinnamon sticks on hand, you can find them in the spice aisle at all grocery stores or order them online. That being said, if you want to use ground cinnamon in this recipe, I’ve included instructions for it further down in the post.
- Sugar: This drink is sweetened by just a couple teaspoons of sugar, but you can also use your favorite sugar substitute here for a sugar-free cinnamon dolce latte.
How to Make a Cinnamon Dolce Latte
- Heat milk in a small pot (a butter warmer is perfect for this) until just before it comes to a simmer. Turn off heat. Add one or two cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces, and let them steep in the hot milk for 5 minutes to infuse it with flavor.
- Use a slotted spoon or fork to remove cinnamon pieces.
- Turn heat to medium and add sugar. Stir until milk is steaming hot and sugar no longer feels gritty at the bottom of the pot. If desired, whisk vigorously or use a handheld milk frother to beat until foamy.
- Pour coffee into an 8-ounce mug and pour milk mixture over the top.
- Adjust sugar to taste and enjoy!
Can I make a Cinnamon Dolce Latte in the microwave?
Yes. Just heat your milk in the microwave until steaming and follow the recipe as written. After the cinnamon is steeped and removed, heat the milk for an additional 20 to 30 seconds until steaming hot before stirring in the sugar until it dissolves.
You can either add the coffee directly to the milk or pour your coffee into a separate mug, foam the milk mixture using a handheld milk frother, and pour the foamed milk over the coffee.
Can I double this recipe?
Yes. This recipe doubles with no preparation changes needed. To double the recipe ingredients, hover over the serving size in the recipe card below or click if you’re on mobile, and slide the slider.
I don’t have cinnamon sticks. Can I just use ground cinnamon?
I don’t really recommend using ground cinnamon in drinks because it doesn’t fully dissolve into the liquid, so you end up with a thick layer of cinnamon at the bottom of your glass. But if you want to do it, you can.
Replace the cinnamon sticks with ¾ teaspoon of ground cinnamon and stir the drink really well. Most of the cinnamon will settle to the bottom of the cup, so you won’t want to drink the last sip or two, but your drink along the way will still taste excellent.
A Note on Serving Size
This recipe makes one cup of coffee, enough to fill an 8-ounce mug. If you’d like to fill an oversized mug, 1½ or double the recipe.
More Starbucks Copycat Recipes
- Caramel Latte
- Snickerdoodle Hot Chocolate
- Salted Caramel Mocha
- Iced Mocha
- Chai Latte
More Cinnamon Recipes
- The Best Snickerdoodles
- Small-batch Cinnamon Rolls
- Small-batch Snickerdoodles
- Cinnamon Sugar
- The Best Cinnamon Toast
Ingredients
- ▢ ½ cup milk any percentage
- ▢ 1 to 2 cinnamon sticks broken into 3 or 4 pieces each*
- ▢ 2 teaspoons ( 8g ) granulated sugar *
- ▢ ½ cup hot coffee
- ▢ Whipped cream optional for topping
- ▢ Cinnamon or cinnamon sugar optional for topping
Instructions
- In a small pot, heat milk until steaming. Remove from heat and stir in cinnamon stick pieces. Allow them to steep for at least 5 minutes.
- Use a fork or slotted spoon to remove cinnamon stick pieces. Return pot to medium heat and stir in sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves and no longer feels gritty at the bottom of the pot. If desired, whisk vigorously or use a handheld milk frother to beat until foamy.
- Pour coffee into an 8-ounce mug, add cinnamon milk mixture and stir.
- Top with optional whipped cream and cinnamon or cinnamon sugar and enjoy!
Notes
Quick Beef Teriyaki
Equipment
- Broiler-safe baking sheet
- Foil (optional for easier cleanup)
- Instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup store-bought thick teriyaki sauce OR homemade teriyaki sauce
Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons mirin or sherry or Marsala
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup ( 50 g) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons ( 38 g) brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1½ teaspoons cornstarch whisked with 1 tablespoon water
Beef
- 2 pounds flap meat* sliced across the grain into 1x3-inch strips
Serve With
- Rice
- Steamed broccoli or steamed green beans
Instructions
Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
- Combine soy sauce, water, mirin, rice wine vinegar, granulated sugar, brown sugar, garlic powder, ground ginger, and cornstarch and water slurry in a medium pot.
- Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Turn heat down to medium and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until sauce is thickened (it will thicken further as it cools). Watch sauce closely while it simmers to make sure it doesn’t bubble over.
- Remove sauce from heat and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes to cool before using.
Beef Teriyaki
- Adjust top oven rack so it is about 4 inches from the heating element. Heat broiler on high.
- In a medium bowl, combine sliced steak and about 1/3 cup of the prepared teriyaki sauce. Toss until all the meat is well coated. Lay meat out in a single layer on a foil-lined broiler-safe baking sheet or broiler pan.
- Broil for 2 minutes, remove pan and flip meat. Return pan to the oven, and broil for an additional 3 to 6 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer reads 135°F for medium-rare, 145°F for medium and meat edges are lightly charred. If necessary, you can remove some of the thinner pieces that are cooking more quickly and return the rest of the pan to the oven.
- Brush meat with remaining sauce and serve over rice. Enjoy!
