What if your weeknight fried rice could taste like teppanyaki restaurant in Japan without the chaos or the takeout bill?
I’ve made ramen restaurant style chahan, miso yakimeshi, and ketchup chicken rice, but this teppanyaki steak version delivers maximum wow-factor with minimum stress. Ready to skip takeout tonight?
Garlic Steak Fried Rice
Recipe Snapshot
- What is it? Teppanyaki-style steak fried rice with garlic chips.
- Flavor profile: Savory, Garlicky, Buttery
- Why you’ll love this recipe: It transforms the leftover rice into your biggest win, in one pan, in 25 minutes.
- Must-haves: Garlic, Beef steak, Heavy skillet or wok
- Skill Level: Medium
- Suitable for Meal Prep? Yes!
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What is Teppanyaki-Style Garlic Rice?
Teppanyaki-style garlic fried rice (ガーリックライス) is warm, buttery rice cooked with golden, fragrant garlic. Originally born in Kobe, Japan, it became a favorite side for teppanyaki-style steak dinners, soaking up all that savory beef flavor right off the grill.
The idea came from a Filipino customer who asked the chef to toss in some garlic and the rest is delicious history.
Today, it is an easy win at home: quick to make, deeply satisfying, and versatile enough to pair with almost anything. It’s a perfect example of Japanese-Western fusion cuisine, familiar ingredients like butter and garlic meeting Japan’s love for perfectly seasoned rice.
Garlic Fried Rice Ingredients
- Cooked Rice (Japanese short-grain or Calrose): Grab short-grain or Calrose at Asian grocers or online. I actually recommend day-old rice from the fridge and break up clumps so every grain gets glossy for this recipe.
- Beef Steak (sirloin, ribeye, New York strip…etc): This is where the dish gets its “wow” factor, so grab whatever looks good at your regular grocery store. Sirloin, ribeye, or New York strip all work beautifully. Relatively thick cut is recommended.
- Garlic Cloves: Fresh garlic is the star! Golden chips bring a toasty crunch while minced garlic melts into sweet, savory aroma.
Substitutions & Variations
- No Japanese rice? Grab Calrose rice (medium-grain) in the rice aisle. Brands like Botan or Nishiki are at grocery stores and work perfectly for fried rice. They’re close enough to Japanese rice.
- Not feeling beef steak tonight? Swap in pork chops, chicken thighs, or even shrimp. The garlic butter situation works with all of them. Just adjust your cooking time! All of the alternatives need to be cooked through completely (no pink).
- Want it spicy? Toss 1-2 dried red chili peppers (or a big pinch of red pepper flakes) into the oil when you’re frying the garlic slices at the beginning.
Have trouble finding Japanese ingredients? Check out my ultimate guide to Japanese ingredient substitutes!
How to Make My Garlic Steak Fried Rice
Before you start: Mince 1 clove of garlic and slice the other clove thinly after removing the green germ if present. Removing the germ softens pungency and prevents burning.
Also, sprinkle both sides of your steak generously with salt, then let it rest at room temperature for at least 15 minutes, ideally 30 if you’ve got the time.
Professional teppanyaki chefs work on thick steel griddles that hold ferocious heat, but home kitchen doesn’t need that firepower. A heavy-bottomed cast iron skillet, carbon steel wok, or even a thick stainless pan will work beautifully.
No cast iron or carbon steel? Your regular nonstick will still deliver tasty results; you’ll just need a gentler hand with the heat.
i. Add neutral oil to the cold pan, scatter in the sliced garlic, and cook low and slow (about 5 minutes) until pale gold. This gently flavors the oil and yields crisp chips; swirl occasionally so slices color evenly.
ii. Remove chips the moment they turn straw-gold as carryover heat will deepen them. Then reserve both chips and oil.
Starting garlic in cold oil lets aroma diffuse before browning. Once it tips past golden, bitterness blooms fast. Keeping heat low safeguards that sweet, nutty profile you want for the rice.
i. Crank your now-empty skillet with garlic oil to high heat. Grind fresh black pepper over both sides of your rested steak, then lay it gently into the pan.
ii. Flip every 30 seconds for even cooking and a fast, deep crust. Cook about 4 minutes (8 flips) total.
iii. Transfer the steak to a rack for 3-5 minutes. Catch any juices on the plate. Those drippings are liquid gold, add them back to the rice later for built-in beefy depth. Expect a small temperature rise during the rest, which helps land your target doneness.
i. Return the pan to low heat with the remaining garlic oil, and add the minced garlic. Stir gently just until fragrant to perfume the base of the rice. Avoid browning. If it starts to color, immediately proceed to the next step to halt cooking.
ii. Increase to medium, add cool, firm rice, and press-and-chop with a spatula to break clumps as the grains drink the aromatic oil. If using freshly cooked rice, spread it on a tray for a minute to vent before it hits the pan.
iii. Sprinkle in a pinch of salt, Asian chicken bouillon powder, and oyster sauce. Splash sake along the pan’s rim so it sizzles and loosens flavorful fond. Stir to coat and keep breaking any new clumps. Tip in the reserved steak juices now too so they mingle with the rice.
i. Scoot rice to create a hot bare spot, raise heat to high, and drizzle soy sauce into that zone. Wait ~5 seconds as it sizzles and darkens, then toss to coat all the grains.
You’re essentially building smoky aroma without soaking the rice.
Those toasty aromas are Maillard reaction notes. The same class of reactions responsible for the color and fragrance of seared meat, toast, and even soy sauce itself. Brief contact on a hot surface concentrates flavor without adding excess moisture.
ii. Cut the heat, melt in unsalted butter and fold through chopped parsley for a glossy finish. The butter rounds sharp edges from the soy while keeping the grains separate and lightly coated.
i. Mound the rice in a bowl or a plate.
ii. Fan the steak slices on top, and shower with chopped green onions and the reserved garlic chips. Squeeze on a little lemon, add a final crack of pepper, and serve immediately while the chips stay crisp.
Essential Tips & Tricks
- Use heavy cookware like cast iron or carbon steel for stable heat.
- Use day-old or cooled rice. Warm, freshly cooked rice clumps. Lightly dried rice stays fluffy when tossed. If using hot rice, spread it briefly to vent steam first.
- Keep the pan moving. Constant stirring and lifting prevent scorching and help each grain coat evenly in aromatic oil.
- Add steak drippings back into the rice. Those juices act like instant umami stock.
- Finish with butter off-heat. It melts into a silky glaze, rounding the salty-soy flavors and keeping grains separate.
With these simple tips in mind, you’re set for success every time you make garlic steak fried rice.
Storage & Meal Prep
Fridge: Store cooled garlic steak rice in an airtight container up to 1 day. Beyond 24 hours, the rice dries out and the flavor fades.
Freezer: Airtight container or freezer bags, up to 2-3 weeks. Portion into single servings, flatten into thin layers for faster, more even reheating, and wrap tightly to prevent freezer burn and odor transfer.
Meal Prep: Rice: Cook rice 1 day ahead, spread on a tray to cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container. Steak: Season steak with salt up to 4 hours ahead
Reheating: For best results, reheat in a skillet over medium-high heat with oil until sizzling hot. Microwaving also works, heat in intervals and mix each time to ensure even heating. Make sure it’s piping hot before serving.
What to Serve With This Recipe
Steak Fried Rice Q&A
You overheated it. Start garlic in cold oil over low heat and pull it the moment it turns pale gold. Avoid high heats and don’t let it brown.
Too much moisture or crowding. Use cooled, dry rice. Cook 200-300 g per batch depending on your pan size.
The pan wasn’t hot or oiled enough, or it’s overcrowded. Preheat thoroughly, use enough oil, listen for a steady sizzle, and stir/lift often. If sticking starts, boost heat and deglaze the stuck bits with a few drops of soy to release them.
More Japanese Beef Recipes
Hungry for more? Browse through my collection of Japanese beef recipes to discover flavorful dishes that’ll satisfy your cravings!
Did You Try This Recipe?
I would love to hear your thoughts!
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Garlic Steak Fried Rice (Teppanyaki Restaurant Style)
Ingredients
- 150 g beef steak about 2 cm thick, well-marbled ribeye/sirloin…etc
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tbsp cooking oil neutral, high smoke point
- 1 pinch ground black pepper
- 200 g cooked Japanese short-grain rice cold/day-old, Calrose ok
- 1 tsp sake or dry sherry
- ½ tsp Chinese-style chicken bouillon powder
- ½ tsp oyster sauce
- ¼ tsp salt fine sea or kosher
- 1 tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu)
- 1 tsp unsalted butter
- dried parsley to taste
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- finely chopped green onions to taste
My recommended brands of ingredients and seasonings can be found in my Japanese pantry guide.
Can’t find certain Japanese ingredients? See my substitution guide here.
Instructions
- Sprinkle both sides of 150 g beef steak with a generous pinch of salt and rest at room temperature for 15-30 minutes. Take 2 cloves garlic and remove the cores. Finely mince half, and thinly slice the other half.
- Pour 1 tbsp cooking oil into a cold wok or large skillet and heat on low. Add the sliced garlic (save the minced for later) and gently heat until lightly golden and crisp.
- Place the garlic slices on a piece of a kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.
- Increase the heat to high and sprinkle the rested steak with 1 pinch ground black pepper on each side. Once fully heated, place the steak in the pan and flip every 30 seconds for 4 minutes (8 flips).
- Transfer the steak to a wire rack with a container underneath to catch the juices. Rest for 3-5 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low and using the same pan, add the minced garlic. Don't let the garlic brown. As soon as it smells fragrant, add 200 g cooked Japanese short-grain rice, increase the heat to medium and break it up with a spatula.
- Sprinkle ¼ tsp salt, ½ tsp Chinese-style chicken bouillon powder and ½ tsp oyster sauce over the rice and splash 1 tsp sake around the edge of the pan. If your steak has released juices, pour it in now and mix thoroughly into the rice.
- Push the rice to one side, increase the heat to high and pour 1 tsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu) into the empty space. Let it sizzle for a few seconds then move the rice back into the space and toss to coat.
- Turn off the heat and add 1 tsp unsalted butter and some dried parsley, then mix well and divide into serving bowls.
- Cut the steak into thick slices and place them on top of the rice. Serve with a squeeze of lemon, some freshly ground black pepper, finely chopped green onions and the crispy garlic chips. Enjoy!
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