Tender juicy steak and a savory, slightly sweet teriyaki sauce. These garlic teriyaki steak bites are a tasty way to enjoy steak. Serve them as an appetizer or whip them up as part of your weekly meal prep, these steak bites (that are made in just 20 minutes!) are always a hit. Plus, they’re made in just one skillet!
Make busy weeks EASIER by adding these teriyaki steak bites to your rotation.
These steak bites can be used as an app of course (just like oven baked bacon wrapped steak bites) and dipped into your favorite sauce (even just extra teriyaki sauce works!).
However, they also work on top of most pasta, bowls, and salads.
Because these juicy steak bites are so versatile they’re great to have on hand.
As a certified nutrition coach, I love this recipe:
Protein packed- teriyaki beef bites come in at 31 grams of protein per serving to make to perfect snack.
Allergy-friendly: naturally dairy-free and gluten-free there's also options to make them paleo and whole30-approved.
Quick: the garlic steak bites will be on your table in about 20 minutes.
There’s not a dish I can think of that doesn’t taste good topped with steak!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Garlic cloves: I prefer sliced garlic for this dish but minced garlic is fine. You just want to make sure you have that fresh garlic flavor.
Soy sauce: make sure to use gluten-free soy sauce as needed, and of course, Tamarai works too and this is what I use more often than note in my air fryer steak bites.
Apple cider vinegar: I find this helps make the teriyaki steak more tender and it also adds flavor to the sauce.
Dried ginger: the fresher your ginger is the more potent the flavor will be.
Beef: I’ve used all sorts of cuts for these steak bites along with slow cooker steak bites. A sirloin cut will give you the most tender bites but flank steak and even marinating beef will work as well. Learn more about buying meat on a budget so you can save costs here. Also learn how to tenderize steak to get the juiciest bites!
Honey: this is completely optional. If you’re following a whole30 diet just omit it but if you prefer a sweeter flavor add it in.
Avocado oil: you need this to heat the pan so that the steak doesn’t stick. Avocado oil is best because it has a high heat point.
How To Make Teriyaki Steak Bites
- Step 1: Chop the sirloin steak into bite-sized pieces.
- Step 2: In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, dried ginger and honey if using.
- Step 3: Heat the oil and garlic in a pan just over medium heat. Let the garlic cook until lightly browned.
- Step 4: Add in the beef and stir.
- Step 5: Slowly brown the beef stirring every few minutes.
- Step 6: Add half the sauce and continue cooking.
- Step 7: When the beef is mostly cooked and there is a lot of liquid in the pan, drain the liquid.
- Step 8: Pour the rest of the sauce in and keep cooking.
- Step 9: Cook until your teriyaki steak bites reach your desired sauce consistency.
Important Teaching Tips
The reason you drain the steak halfway through is so that the sauce has a chance to become sticky and thicken. Otherwise, it’s just messy.
If you’re adding the honey in, keep an eye on the steak as it boils off/gets sticky FAST.
Cooking times vary depending on how you like your teriyaki steak bites. If you like the bites saucey than don’t cook as long. If you like when they’re more sticky, cook them longer.
Most cuts of beef will work for the recipe but top sirloin tends to result in the most tender bites.
If you like your teriyaki steak bites with a bite of a kick, adding in a tiny dash of red pepper flakes gives them a wicked flavor.
Though the recipe states avocado oil to cook the delicious steak bites in, sesame oil is another option and tastes great paired with green onions.
Hack: my mom swears by coating the steak bites in cornstarch or arrowroot powder before frying them as she says it makes them SUPER tender.
What To Serve With Them
These teriyaki steak bites work well on top of things like a noodle bowl, in a quinoa and veggie wrap, or on top of something simple like a kale salad. leftovers are delicious in steak pasta too.
However, topped with just sesame seeds or green onions they also work as the main course. Serve them with a side of something like air fryer roast potatoes or any of the following and they pair well!
- Candied brussels sprouts
- Air fryer baked potato
- Dairy-free tomato soup
- Spicy quinoa stuffed peppers
- Over roasted root veggies
Variations
Paleo and whole30: to make these teriyaki steak bites fit into your diet preferences, you can sub-in coconut aminos for the soy sauce and eliminate the honey in the case of whole30 needs.
Stir fry: add-in bell peppers or chopped broccoli to make a quick and easy stir fry (like this chicken and broccoli skillet).
Spicy: add a bit of heat by tossing in some red pepper flakes.
How To Store It
Store leftover teriyaki steak bites in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container.
To reheat them, you can pop them in the microwave in intervals or re-fry them in some oil until heated through.
Freeze steak bites in a container or plastic baggie for up to a month. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions About Steak Bites
Though any cut will technically work, top sirloin tends to create the most tender bites.
Don't cook your steak on medium high heat as it won't be as tender. Cook on a lower setting. Another option to create a more tender steak bite is to use a mallet prior to cutting the beef.
Teriyaki steak bites will last 3-5 days in the fridge when sealed in an airtight glass container.
Steak bites are made from a handful of simple ingredients like soy sauce, garlic, oil, and seasonings. You can use apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar in the teriyaki sauce and sweeten it with maple syrup, honey, or even coconut palm sugar.
Dinner doesn’t have to be chaotic—this eBook gives you 20+ protein-packed meals ready in 30 minutes or less (even when the day’s already gone sideways)
Other Easy Gluten-Free Dinner Recipes
Easy Garlic Teriyaki Steak Bites
Video
Ingredients
- 3 cloves garlic sliced
- 3 tbs soy sauce
- 1 tbs apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried ginger
- ½ tbs honey
- 1 tbs oil
- 0.53 kg sirloin steak
Instructions
- Chop the sirloin steak into bite-sized pieces.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, dried ginger and honey if using.
- Heat the oil and garlic in a pan just over medium heat. Let the garlic cook until lightly browned.
- Add in the beef and stir.
- Slowly brown the beef stirring every few minutes.
- Add half the sauce and continue cooking.
- When the beef is mostly cooked and there is a lot of liquid in the pan, drain the liquid.
- Pour the rest of the sauce in and keep cooking.
- Cook until your desired consistency, top with sesame seeds or green onions and enjoy!
Notes
- The reason you drain the steak halfway through is so that the teriyaki sauce has a chance to become sticky and thicken. Otherwise, it’s just messy.
- If you’re adding the honey in, keep an eye on the steak as it boils off/gets sticky FAST.
- Cooking times vary depending on how you like your teriyaki steak bites. If you like the bites saucy than don’t cook as long. If you like when they’re more sticky, cook them longer.
- Most cuts of beef will work for the recipe but top sirloin steak tends to result in the most tender bites.
- Don't cook the steak on medium high heat, lower that slightly. Otherwise your steak bites will come out chewy.
- If you like your steak bites with a bite of a kick, adding in a tiny dash of red pepper flakes gives them a wicked flavor.
- Though the recipe states avocado oil to cook the delicious steak bites in, sesame oil is another option and tastes great paired with green onions.
- Hack: my mom swears by coating the steak bites in cornstarch or arrowroot powder before frying them as she says it makes them SUPER tender.
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Katrin says
I made these for dinner tonight and my whole family loved them. Thank you for a great recipe!
fitasamamabear says
Happy to hear it!
Liz says
I made these steak bites for my dad and he loved it! My mom actually asked for the recipe. Yum!
fitasamamabear says
That's the best compliment!
Jane says
I love these Teriyaki Steak Bites! They're super juicy and savory, and just a little bit sweet.
fitasamamabear says
Glad you liked them!
Janice says
My friends came over yesterday, and I made these teriyaki steak bites. They really enjoyed them and kept asking me about my recipe, so I had to share it with them! This recipe is really a must-try!
fitasamamabear says
You rock, thanks for passing it along!
Julianne says
These are delicious, such perfect balance of flavors! I love that take less than 30 minute, making them ideal for busy weeknights!
fitasamamabear says
Haha thirty minute meals are definitely a necessity lol