Teriyaki Steak Bites with Easy Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

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These teriyaki steak bites are made with an easy homemade teriyaki sauce that has just the right amount of sweetness. Sear the steak for a fantastic crust, then cut into bite-sized pieces and sauté together with the soy-based sauce for a delicious teriyaki beef dinner on the griddle or in a skillet.

My Secret to the Best Steak Bites

Steak bites are a favorite in our house, so I’ve perfected my recipe over the years – including this garlic butter steak bites recipe.

The best mini meat morsels are perfectly tender and juicy on the inside, but with a nicely seared crust. Searing the steak adds another layer of delicious flavor, and the crust better holds on to the sauce.

However, it’s very difficult to get a great sear on steak bites without the painstaking work of rotating each small piece of beef on the heated surface. That’s why I always sear the steak whole first, cooking it only to a rare internal temperature. Then, cut the steak into cubes to continue to cook with the teriyaki sauce.

​*TIP – For a fantastic seared crust, you can also pat the steaks dry with a paper towel, sprinkle both sides with salt, and then place in the refrigerator for a few hours uncovered to dry brine. That’s what I do for all griddle steak, but this simple step works great for cooking steak in a cast iron skillet also.

Teriyaki Steak Bites Video

More of a visual learner? Watch me cook these teriyaki steak bites on the griddle on my YouTube channel here:

What Kind of Steak to Use for Teriyaki Steak Bites?

For the best teriyaki steak bites, I recommend a tender and flavorful cut of beef that will cook evenly on the griddle or in a skillet.

Cuts of steak that would work well for this recipe are top sirloin, New York strip, or ribeye. All of these are tender cuts and include some marbling, and remember, fat is flavor!

Ingredients for Teriyaki Steak Bites

Simple Asian ingredients like ginger, soy sauce, and mirin give you a fantastic takeout-inspired teriyaki beef dinner. Exact ingredients and measurements listed in the recipe card down below.

• steak – We used 2 New York strips equaling about 1.5 pounds of meat in total, but you can substitute a different cut of beef like top sirloin steak or ribeye if you prefer.
• soy sauce – I recommend low sodium soy sauce for this recipe.
• pineapple juice – Make sure you use 100% pineapple juice from a can. I learned this lesson the hard way.
• granulated sugar – Traditional Hawaiian teriyaki sauce uses regular white sugar, NOT brown sugar.
• mirin – This is a sweet Japanese rice wine that pairs perfectly with soy sauce. 
• fresh garlic and ginger – We prefer freshly minced garlic and ginger, but in a pinch, you can substitute the jarred varities.
• sliced green onions or sesame seeds – Optional ingredients for garnish.

Don’t Make This Mistake with Pineapple

When we were recipe testing this pineapple teriyaki steak bites recipe, we made one major mistake – we blended fresh pineapple with the homemade teriyaki sauce.  Fresh pineapple contains an enzyme that can seriously deteriorate meat, which we knew beforehand, but since we were only marinating the beef in the sauce for less than an hour, we assumed (wrongly!) that we were safe.

What I didn’t think about is how long the teriyaki beef would be in contact with the pineapple teriyaki sauce after the marination process.  When the steak was done cooking and we ate it immediately, it was fine for a short period of time, about 5-10 minutes. But as the beef sat (and if you were to have any leftovers to refrigerate), the texture started to break down and become grainy because of the addition of the fresh pineapple.

I learned my lesson, and I will never again be using fresh pineapple in meat marinades.  Instead, I’ll be sticking with Dole 100% pineapple juice, which is pasteurized and doesn’t contain the enzyme that breaks down meat – this is the same pineapple juice that we used in our favorite steak fajitas marinade that we swear by!

How to Make Teriyaki Steak Bites

Here’s a look at the step-by-step process to make this easy steak bites recipe on the griddle. You can also use a skillet on the stovetop to make this teriyaki beef, since a griddle is basically just a large skillet. Full instructions are provided in the recipe card at the end of this post.

Step 1: Make the homemade teriyaki sauce. Add the ingredients for the teriyaki sauce to a small bowl, and whisk together well.  Transfer the sauce to a small saucepan and simmer on the stovetop over very low heat for about 15 minutes, or until the sauce is slightly reduced and lightly coats the back of a spoon.

Step 2: Sear the steak. Sear the steak over medium-high heat (about 450°F for griddle cooking). Cook the steak on the first side for about 1-2 minutes, depending on the thickness, and then flip to cook on the other side an additional 1-2 minutes. When the steak has developed a nice crust, but is still rare, transfer to a cutting board.

*TIP – Do not overcook the steak at this point, even if you like your beef cooked medium or medium well. Before cutting into cubes, the steak should be rare or medium rare at most. Remember, you’ll be putting the steak bites back on the griddle or in the skillet to continue to cook with the sauce.

Step 3: Cook the pineapple.  While the steak is resting, add the pineapple chunks to the griddle or skillet. Cook the chunks on the first side to develop some nice caramelization. Then sauté until warmed through. *The pineapple is optional, but it adds a nice sweetness to the dish, and it’s a fantastic way to stretch the recipe.

Step 4: Cut the steak into bite-sized pieces. After a few minutes of resting, cut the seared steak into bite-sized cubes.

Step 5: Cook the steak bites with the pineapple teriyaki sauce. Add the cut steak back to the griddle or pan, and mix together with the pineapple chunks. Slowly pour the teriyaki sauce over the steak bites. 

Step 6: Serve the teriyaki steak bites. Serve the teriyaki beef over white rice to soak up all of that extra homemade teriyaki sauce goodness! I also love a drizzle of sriracha for some extra heat!