This easy teriyaki steak marinade has flavor in every bite of meat making it tender and juicy! This simple recipe can also be used for other types of meat and seafood as well!
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Easy Teriyaki Marinade
Whether it’s a sauce, a glaze, a dip, or a marinade, our family enjoys it in all kinds of ways! Slow cooker teriyaki chicken is one of my favorites to do on a lazy weekend, and these teriyaki meatballs I put out as appetizers when I host any gathering. Whether I’m marinating or just coating, it’s all about those sweet and tangy flavors!
Having a variety of different easy steak marinades at your disposal means you can switch up the flavor of an entire meal just based on which one you decide to use! Will it be spicy, sweet, or zesty like this carne asada marinade recipe?
On many nights, this easy steak marinade is on rotation but on days when I feel like going a bit sweeter, I turn to the best easy teriyaki steak marinade that my kids love! It’s got the same flavor profile as a teriyaki sauce but is thinner and has more of a liquid base to really get into the meat. So, if you love yourself some teriyaki, you’re going to LOVE this recipe!
Ingredients for Teriyaki Steak Marinade Recipe
This versatile steak marinade recipe can be used on any cut of meat and will flavor everything from steak bites to grilled steak kabobs, but it is also a great marinade for grilled flank steak, whether enjoyed whole or cut in strips for a stir fry or sliced and served over rice and steamed vegetables.
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Sirloin steak: A lean and tender type of beef that is considered juicy compared to other cuts of meat. Either slice or leave it whole in the marinade depending on how you are using it.
- Soy sauce: Low-sodium soy sauce is best to use with the least amount of salt. You can also use coconut aminos too.
- Sesame oil: Gives that authentic Asian taste. It is a sweet and tangy sauce.
- Honey: A natural sweetness that adds just enough sugary sweetness to the meat.
- Worcestershire sauce: This sauce is loaded with sweet, savory, tangy, and salty. It balances out all the flavors and gives the sauce a beautiful brown coloring.
- Garlic: Everyone loves garlic! Minced garlic adds that garlicky flavor.
- Ginger: There are several health benefits when adding ginger to the sauce but it also has a delicious salty taste and hint of spice to it.
How to Make Teriyaki Marinade for Steaks
The best part is that this teriyaki steak marinade recipe isn’t just for steaks! It comes together so quickly and adds so much flavor that it’s definitely worth trying on chicken, shrimp, and pork too!
- Cut: Trim any fat and cube steak if desired. Place the meat in a glass bowl or zip-top bag. Set aside.
- Whisk: Combine the soy sauce, water, oil, honey, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and ginger in a small bowl. Whisk until combined.
- Marinate: Pour sauce over the steak. Seal the bowl or bag and place the in the refrigerator and allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes. Best when marinated for 4-6 hours, or overnight.
- Cook: Grill or cook steak as desired. Let rest for 5 minutes, before serving. Slice against the grain. Serve while warm.
5 star review
“This teriyaki sauce was delicious and so easy to make! Going to put it on everything!”
-Sam
Tips for Making and Using this Marinade
Make the perfect marinade by using this teriyaki marinade sauce! Pick you meat, cut or slice your meat for the way you want to cook it, and even use substitutions or variations for this sauce. This is a great sauce to make the changes that you need!
- Meat: I prefer sirloin steaks, but flat iron steak, flank, or rib-eye steak work well too.
- Substitutions: You can substitute the sesame oil for olive oil or canola oil if that’s what you have. You can also use honey instead of sugar or brown sugar. Can opt for coconut aminos instead of soy sauce if you’re looking for a gluten-free option.
- Variations: Cut the steak into cubes. Once it’s done marinating, thread it onto skewers with chopped bell peppers, pineapples, or your other favorite additions. I mean, who doesn’t love eating food off of a stick?
- Time: Allow steak to marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes. The longer the better, so if you can hold off until the next day, marinating overnight is ideal.
Recipe FAQs
Marinades break down the fibers in your steak allowing all of the flavors of the marinade to permeate right through. This tenderizes the beef and creates a beautiful, juicy piece of meat with massive amounts of flavor in every bite. When using a marinade containing some kind of sugar, it gives the meat a better chance at getting that nice crispy seared char on the outside. This is because the sugars have caramelized making it downright drool-worthy!
Both teriyaki sauce and teriyaki marinade use many of the same ingredients to achieve the same flavors. The major difference is that the marinade will be used to flavor the meat while it is raw, and the sauce will be used as a glaze, a dip, or a sauce for meat that’s already been cooked!
One other noticeable difference is the texture. Teriyaki sauce uses cornstarch which thickens it up to a lovely sweet and sticky sauce, whereas the marinade will remain liquid to be absorbed by the meat.
More Ways to Season Steak
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Teriyaki Steak Marinade
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds sirloin steak , or meat of choice
- ½ cup low sodium soy sauce , or coconut aminos
- ¼ cup water
- 2 Tablespoons sesame oil
- 2-3 Tablespoons honey
- 2 Tablespoons worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
- 1-2 teaspoons fresh ginger , or 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
For garnish: green onions or parsley
Instructions
- Trim any fat and cube steak if desired. Place the meat in a glass bowl or zip top bag. Set aside.
- Combine the soy sauce, water, oil, honey, Worcestershire sauce, garlic and ginger in a small bowl. Whisk until combined.
- Pour sauce over the steak. Seal bowl or bag and place the in the refrigerator and allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes. Best when marinated for 4-6 hours, or overnight.
- Cook steak as desired (notes below for cooking on grill). Let rest for 5 minutes, before serving. Slice against the grain. Serve while warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Categorized as: Condiments
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
This is the 2nd time I am making this recipe. It was delicious and is exactly what is was hoping for.
So happy to hear it has become a favorite!
I used this recipe for my ribeye steak and it was delicious. Just the right amount of teriyaki flavor and sweetness. This is a keeper!
Thanks for the review!
Can I use the marinade as a sauce?
It may be a little thin for a sauce but you can use this easy teriyaki sauce recipe instead.
We tried this marinade twice now with sirloin and then striploin steaks. It was absolutely amazing. The whole family loved it. The New York steak with this marinade was honestly one of the best steaks I’ve had in a long time. I highly recommend this recipe.
So glad you loved it!
Yes how long can I marinate my beef for cabobs?
Up to 24 hours, I prefer just overnight :)
Hands down the best teriyaki marinade I’ve had. I make a big batch, pick up meat at Costco, divide it all up into ziploc bags and stash them in the freezer for easy, delicious grilling.
Wow! That is a great compliment. I am so glad that you love this teriyaki marinade!
This really just added so much flavor to my steak, I will be doing this more.
So glad you enjoyed the teriyaki steak marinade!
Mmmm!!! I’m drooling! This marinade makes everything taste so good!! I think I need to make me some asap!
Mmmm, delicious steak tonight! I love how easy it is to make this marinade! Plus, I always have these ingredients in my pantry.
hi,i am going to store right now to get steak tips for this recipe because we love terriaki steaks omg this looks so easy,so i just wanted to ask you if i could also make this marinade into a sauce to pour on while cooking or after when plate is ready to serve,i just love extra on my steaks and since this is a sweet terriaki,i would love to know what to do to make this into a sauce if i save some to the side,thank you so much
Hi Patty – I actually have a homemade teriyaki sauce recipe that would taste delicious over steak. Check it out here: https://www.iheartnaptime.net/teriyaki-sauce/. Hope you enjoy!
We love this marinade. It’s especially delicious on kabobs!
This marinade made the steak so tender and so full of flavor. Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe!
We love teriyaki chicken, but teriyaki steak is so much better!! You can’t go wrong using this sauce on any kind of meat!
Mmm!! I’m drooling!! I will be marinating my steak in this sauce from now on! Love the teriyaki flavor!
Thanks a lot for sharing this recipe! Loved it and will do it again!