Weeknight dinners get a serious flavor upgrade with easy, Homemade Beef Negimaki! If you’re unfamiliar with this dish, it’s essentially a Japanese beef and scallion roll that gets seared and thinly sliced then served over rice. I like to finish with sesame seeds and sere it with blistered garlic string beans!
What is beef negimaki? Negi means ‘scallions’ in Japanese, while maki means ‘roll’ — so beef negimaki is quite literally a beef and scallion roll!
The tender beef (I like to use skirt steak), typically cooked to medium-rare, is flavored with teriyaki sauce that gives the whole dish a sweet and savory flavor.
You can easily assemble the beef rolls ahead of time, then cook to order when ready. Entrée or appetizer, you’re going to love this easy negimaki recipe! Be sure to check out more of our Asian-inspired recipes, like these irresistible soy sauce eggs, broiled miso salmon, or spicy ramen noodles.
Ingredient Notes
- Skirt steak, flank steak, or thinly sliced rounds of a tender cut of beef (we see this more often at Asian markets versus traditional US markets — the former will carry a larger variety of cuts and preparations of meat)
- Green onions
- Kosher salt
- Rice flour, optional
- Sesame seeds, for serving
- Homemade teriyaki sauce, though yes, you can use store-bought! Ours is made in a small saucepan with sake, low-sodium soy sauce, and mirin (or rice vinegar).
You’ll also need a meat mallet, plastic wrap or parchment paper, and kitchen twine or toothpicks! Don’t forget a bowl of ice water for shocking the scallions after they quickly cook!
How To Make Negimaki
- Blanch the scallions. Trim the ends off each scallion, then cut into 3-inch long pieces. Blanch in salted boiling water quickly, then submerge in an ice bath.
- Prepare the steak. Freeze steak for ~20 minutes, which makes it easier to slice. Trim off excess fat, then slice against the grain into ½-inch thick slices.
- Pound the steak. Place 3 pieces of sliced beef on a piece of plastic wrap. Top with another piece of plastic wrap, then use a meat mallet to pound. Repeat with remaining steak.
- Assemble the maki rolls. Overlap 3 pieces of steak to form a rectangle. Season lightly with salt, then place 3-4 scallion pieces along the short end. Roll the steak, securing it with either kitchen twine or toothpicks..
- Coat with rice flour, optional. Place rice flour (or all-purpose flour) in a medium bowl. Toss each maki roll lightly with rice flour.
- Cook the negimaki. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add neutral oil, then cook for 2-3 minutes per side. They should be crispy on the outside, but medium-rare at the center. Right as you turn the beef for the last time, pour in all of the teriyaki sauce. Simmer for a few minutes.
- Slice, then serve. Allow the meat to rest for 5-10 minutes, then remove twine and slice into 1-inch thick pieces. Serve immediately with sesame seeds!
Make Ahead, Storage, & Freezing
- Make-ahead: Assemble the negimaki up to 8 hours before cooking, then refrigerate until ready to cook.
- Leftover Negimaki can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat leftovers in a skillet over medium heat, drizzled with a little oil, until warmed through.
Freezing: Negimaki can be frozen before or after cooking. Freeze uncooked Negimaki in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag once frozen solid. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before cooking. Leftover cooked Negimaki can also be frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Reheat gently in a skillet or microwave.
Ari’s Best Tips
- Make homemade teriyaki sauce! It’s easier than it sounds and has much more depth and flavor than store-bought.
- Partially freeze the steak! 15-20 minutes in a freezer before slicing will make it much easier to slice.
- Use a meat mallet! Don’t worry about slicing the steak paper thin — instead, invest in a meat mallet (a great kitchen tool in general!) to help pound it out.
- Secure the negimaki rolls! You may think that the rolls will hold their shape, but you really want to secure them with either kitchen twine or toothpicks to ensure they don’t fall apart during cooking.
Substitutions & Variations
- Other cuts of beef: I love skirt steak and flank steak for negimaki, but any tender cut of beef that is thinly pounded and sliced into strips will work! Thin-sliced tri-tip is another option!
- Make gluten-free: Use rice flour (instead of all-purpose flour).
- Chicken: Yes, you can use chicken instead! I’d recommend thinly pounded chicken cutlets. Be sure to cook through until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165F.
- Mirin: If you’re making homemade teriyaki sauce and don’t have mirin, you can substitute with rice vinegar or even white wine vinegar diluted with a little sugar.
How To Serve Beef Negimaki
If you’re enjoying Beef Negimaki as an appetizer, it’s great on its own. To make a complete meal, consider serving with one of the following simple side dishes:
- A small bowl of white rice or seasoned sushi rice.
- Blistered vegetables! Edamame, string beans, or shishito peppers are all great!
- Miso soup
- Or try serving these with ginger scallion sauce on top for a different flavor profile!
- Alongside spicy ramen noodles!
Gosh, these beef and scallion rolls are totally and completely irresistible! A little sweet and sticky from the reduced teriyaki sauce, but so tender.
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Tender & Juicy Beef Negimaki (Beef & Scallion Roll)
Video
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ lb skirt steak, flank steak, or other tender cut of beef
- 1 bunch scallions
- Kosher salt
- ¼ cup rice flour
- 2 Tbsp grapeseed oil, or other light, neutral oil, such as avocado, canola, or vegetable oil
- 2 tsp sesame seeds
- ½ cup teriyaki sauce
Instructions
- Blanch the scallions. Trim the ends off each scallion, then cut into pieces about 3-inch long. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil, then add 1 tsp Kosher salt. Add the scallions and cook for 30-45 seconds, or until just beginning to wilt. Submerge the scallions in an ice bath, then drain and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Prepare the steak. Place steak in a freezer for 20 minutes to make it easier to slice. When ready, trim off excess fat (it's okay to leave some on, just remove large pieces!), then slice against the grain into pieces that are about ½-inch thick.
- Pound the steak. Place 3 pieces of sliced beef on a piece of plastic wrap leaving a few inches in between each. Top with another piece of plastic wrap, then use a meat mallet to pound into ⅛-inch thick slices. Set aside, then repeat with remaining steak.
- Assemble the maki rolls. Working on a cutting board, overlap 3 pieces of steak to form a rectangle. Season lightly with Kosher salt, then place 3-4 pieces of crisp scallion along the short end. Roll the steak, then secure with kitchen twine or toothpicks. Repeat with remaining steak and scallions.
- Coat with rice flour, optional. Place ¼ cup rice flour in a medium bowl. Toss each maki roll very lightly with rice flour, dusting off any excess.
- Cook the negimaki. Heat a large cast iron or heavy bottom skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 Tbsp neutral oil. When hot, add negimaki beef rolls and cook for 2-3 minutes per side, about 8-9 minutes total, until seared and crispy on the outside, but medium-rare at the center. Right as you turn the beef for the last time, pour in all of the teriyaki sauce. It will bubble, then simmer and thicken further.
Notes
- Make-ahead: Assemble the negimaki up to 8 hours before cooking, then refrigerate until ready to cook.
- Leftover Negimaki can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat leftovers in a skillet over medium heat, drizzled with a little oil, until warmed through.
- Freezing: Negimaki can be frozen before or after cooking. Freeze uncooked Negimaki in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag once frozen solid. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before cooking. Leftover cooked Negimaki can also be frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Reheat gently in a skillet or microwave.
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