Here’s the ultimate guide on how to make a true Japanese Teppanyaki at home! With an electric griddle at the table and fresh vegetables and proteins of your choice, you can easily enjoy the fun of indoor grilling anytime. A homemade Yakiniku Sauce is a must. {Vegetarian adaptable}
As a nation obsessed with grilled food, the Japanese take delight in grilling indoors by making Teppanyaki (鉄板焼き) at home. It’s our Sunday grill, a pastime we enjoy over the weekend and year-round.
On the hot griddle, there is thinly sliced meat, succulent seafood, freshly chopped cabbage, generous piles of crunchy bean sprouts, seasonal vegetables, and assortments of mushrooms sizzling away. Family comes together around the small grill, cooking, eating, drinking, and having a good time.
No backyard? Rainy outside? No problem! Let me show you how to make delicious Japanese Teppanyaki at home that will surely satisfy you.
Table of Contents
What is Teppanyaki?
In Japanese, the word teppanyaki stems from teppan (鉄板), which is the metal plate or flat iron griddle on which the food is cooked on, and yaki (焼き) translates as grilled or pan-fried. Similar to teriyaki, teppanyaki describes a style of cooking or food preparation.
The cooking device to prepare Teppanyaki is called a teppan, and it comes with a flat metal surface. Teppan works comparably to a grill. You can cook anything from steak, chicken, seafood, vegetables, okonomiyaki, or even yakisoba noodles on it. However, there’s a difference between grilling on a teppan and a regular grill. Because of the flat surface, a teppan catches all the juice on the cooking top so the food is nicely flavored and moist.
What You’ll Need to Make Teppanyaki at Home
Now that you’ve learned the background of Teppanyaki, it’s time to get cooking! My family cannot get enough of Teppanyaki because it is truly a joyful activity to enjoy a meal together. It’s convenient, simple, fun and you get the most flavorful food in no time!
1. The Protein of Your Choice
Typically, we prepare a short rib that is sliced to 1/4 inch thickness. When the meat is well-marbled, it is less chewy and tender.
You can also serve pork, chicken, or seafood. If you’re a vegan/vegetarian, use tofu, mushrooms, and additional vegetables.
2. Vegetables and Mushrooms
Some of the common vegetables we use for Teppanyaki grill include shiitake mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, shimeji mushrooms, chopped cabbage, bean sprouts, kabocha squash, carrots, and shishito peppers. Feel free to add various vegetables like zucchini, eggplants, sweet potatoes, and so on.
3. Yakiniku Sauce
In Japan, some people call the dipping sauce Teppanyaki Sauce, but the sauce is used mostly for grilled meat so most people call it Yakiniku Sauce, or Yakiniku no Tare (焼肉のたれ), which literally means “grilled meat sauce.”
You can get the ready-made sauce from Japanese grocery stores, but I highly recommend making your own. I have another variation of the Yakiniku Sauce recipe if you’re interested in trying out.
It takes only a few simple Japanese condiments to put together. Not only it’s super easy to make but also is preservative-free and you know what’s in the sauce! I’m going to talk more about it below.
4. Teppan – Portable Electric Griddle (“Hot Plate”)
You’ll need a teppan or an electric griddle like this to enjoy the tabletop grilling. We have one from Zojirushi and love using it on our dining table.
You can get this simple electric griddle or this electric griddle I have (above) which has an optional attachment for Takoyaki making (sold separately).
How about the odor and smoke of an indoor grill?
Some of you who always grill outside may not used to the idea of “indoor” grilling. As the majority of Japanese do not have a backyard or a big balcony space to enjoy an outdoor grill, the concept of the indoor grilling is widely adopted. They are also accustomed to the atmosphere of Teppanyaki, Japanese BBQ (Yakiniku), and Yakitori restaurants.
You can’t prevent the odor and smoke from grilling inside the house but you can reduce it by making sure your dining room has good ventilation. Open the window a little bit (even in wintertime) and turn on the kitchen vent if it’s nearby. Be sure to close all the room doors so the smoke doesn’t get in.
It might still bother you, but it doesn’t last more than a day. You’d only remember having the fun Teppanyaki meal with your friends and family.
How to Make Delicious Yakiniku Sauce
Now let’s talk about the homemade Sauce that will elevate your Teppanyaki experience at home. It has all the complex, sweet-savory flavors that go so well with grilled food. Tell your family and friends that you make it from scratch. They would not guess that it’s ridiculously easy to make!
Ingredients you’ll need:
- Soy sauce
- Sake
- Mirin
- Sugar
- Sesame oil
- Garlic
- Ginger
- White sesame seeds
That’s it! Pretty standard pantry condiments for Japanese cooking, right?
For all the JOC recipes that require sake and mirin, I use Sho Chiku Bai Classic Junmai Sake and Takara Mirin. You can purchase them in Japanese grocery stores and some Asian grocery stores (with alcohol permits).
For non-alcohol options, you can substitute sake with water, and mirin with water and sugar, although it does not have the same result.
Sake Pairing with Takara Sake
When you enjoy teppanyaki at home, pairing it with delicious sake is inevitable. We are big fans of Takara Sake and among our favorites is Sho Chiku Bai REI Junmai Daiginjo. A daiginjo sake means a high percentage of the rice is polished to create sake with superior texture and flavors.
REI’s signature floral characteristic blends really well with fatty and rich food. The smooth and creamy sake supplements the meaty short rib slices and shiitake mushroom perfectly.
After dipping the various ingredients in the homemade yakiniku sauce and savoring every bite, take small sips of sake and let it intertwine with the food. It is simply amazing. The sake also clears the palette so you can fully experience the next bite and let your taste buds enjoy the journey again.
Get to Learn More about Teppanyaki
The Origins of Teppanyaki
The origins of the Teppanyaki grill are debatable, but it is evident that this method of cooking has been around in Japan for a long time. Many families would gather together and cook their dinners over small grills.
In 1945, Misono, a restaurant in Kobe introduced the idea of cooking Western-influenced food on a teppan. The chain restaurant was believed to be the pioneer of the Teppanyaki-style steakhouse. As they featured beef steak, it became popular with the American army that was stationed during the post-WWII occupation. The foreign patrons also enjoyed watching the skilled chefs preparing the food right in front of them. As popularity continues amongst the tourists, the chain leveraged on the performance aspect of the chef’s preparation by making it the main draw.
Teppanyaki in Japan
Today, outside of Japan, we often associate teppanyaki with the pinnacle of Japanese grilled food served at casual dining restaurants. In the US, you’d probably be most familiar with Benihana, the famous teppanyaki restaurant chain that has been around for over 50 years.
A tableside chef cooks the dishes while performing cooking acrobatics of flipping shrimp tails, egg juggling, and onion ring volcanos. The place you go with your friends and coworkers where you can eat, entertain and have a great time.
However, the true Japanese teppanyaki is rather different from what you experience at American-style Teppanyaki. When we mention Teppanyaki in Japan, it means fancy steak dining where Wagyu beef is being served and a meal can easily cost you $100 and more.
My grandfather used to own Teppanyaki restaurants in Osaka where it offered courses featuring the finest Wagyu beef and exquisite seafood like abalone and lobster. The highly skilled chefs take great pride in preparing the foods and presenting them as a work of art.
There are no flying shrimp or onion volcanoes. The theatrical performance is almost non-existent at teppanyaki restaurants in Japan. There’s no yum yum sauce or fried rice as a filler either. You still get to watch the chefs in action, but the real focus is all on the cooking techniques and the ingredients.
As teppanyaki also refers to any dishes cooked on a teppan, you’ll find a broader range of menus being offered. In Osaka and western regions of Japan, casual restaurants serve up street foods such as Okonomiyaki or Yakisoba or Yasai Itame (stir-fried vegetables) that cooks prepare over large flattop griddles, offering a whole different kind of dining experience.
Teppanyaki vs. Hibachi Grill
In the United States, the term ‘hibachi grill’ is often used interchangeably with Teppanyaki steakhouses which leads to confusion that they are the same.
The traditional teppanyaki grill has a flat, solid surface and is typically heated by gas. Some residents in Osaka and the western region of Japan own a special Teppanyaki equipped table so they can prepare their food easily. My grandparents used to own one too in their kitchen! It was usually covered with a wooden top, but when it was time for okonomiyaki, you could remove the top and turned it into a gas-heated iron griddle.
These days, these tables are not common anymore. Instead, most modern Japanese families use a non-stick teppan, an electric griddle that we call “hot plate” (ホットプレート), like the one I use to make teppanyaki at home. In the meantime, the restaurants generally use commercial-size teppanyaki grills that are fitted for cooking for a crowd.
What exactly is hibachi (火鉢) then? Hibachi is actually not a cooking grill as explained by many English websites. It is, in fact, an ancient indoor heater where you warm your hands and boils water for tea. It has been mistaken as shichirin (七輪), which is a small, cylinder outdoor stovetop that is heated by charcoal.
So yes, hibachi is a complete misuse of the word. How did it get so wrong?
More BBQ Recipes You’ll Enjoy
- Yakitori (Japanese Grilled Chicken Skewers)
- Bulgogi (Korean Grilled Beef)
- Traeger Baby Back Ribs Inspired by Franklin BBQ
- BBQ Short Ribs
- Yaki Onigiri (Grilled Rice Balls)
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Teppanyaki Recipe with Homemade Yakiniku Sauce
Ingredients
- 12 oz boneless beef short ribs (slice to ⅛ inch, 3 mm thick; 6 oz, 170 g per person is a good amount to start; you could use chicken, pork, or seafood instead; for vegan, use tofu or other vegetables)
- 4 oz green cabbage (4 small cabbage leaves)
- 3 oz carrot (2 inches, 5 cm)
- 4 oz kabocha squash (⅛ of a whole kabocha with seeds)
- 4 shishito peppers
- 2 oz shimeji mushrooms (½ package)
- 2 shiitake mushrooms (2 oz, 57 g)
- 1 king oyster mushroom (2 oz, 57 g)
- 3.5 oz bean sprouts
- 1 Tbsp neutral oil
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt (to taste)
- freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
For the Yakiniku Sauce (yields 100 ml, enough for 4 servings)
- 1 Tbsp sake (I use Sho Chiku Bai Classic Junmai)
- 2 Tbsp mirin (I use Takara Mirin)
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ½ tsp ginger (grated)
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp toasted white sesame seeds
Instructions
To Make the Yakiniku Sauce
- Gather all the sauce ingredients. Please note that my Yakiniku Sauce recipe makes twice the number of Teppanyaki servings—this way, there‘s plenty of extra dipping sauce to go around. Also, I‘ve doubled the standard 4-serving sauce recipe here so it‘s easier to see in the step-by-step photos.
- In a small saucepan, combine 1 Tbsp sake and 2 Tbsp mirin. Turn the heat to medium and let the alcohol evaporate for 1–2 minutes.
- Add 2 Tbsp sugar and whisk to combine.
- Add ¼ cup soy sauce.
- Peel and grate the ginger and reserve ½ tsp ginger (grated, with juices). Note: The photo shows 1 tsp because I made 8 servings for demonstration purposes.
- Mince or crush 1 clove garlic (I use this garlic press) into the saucepan. Then, add the grated ginger.
- Add 1 tsp toasted sesame oil.
- Add 1 tsp toasted white sesame seeds and whisk together.
- Turn off the heat and it‘s ready to use. To store: Transfer to a sterilized jar and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 weeks or the freezer for a couple of months. Tip: The flavor will improve if you let it sit for a day. If you have time, I highly recommend making the sauce a day in advance.
To Prepare the Ingredients
- Gather all the Teppanyaki ingredients. Set 12 oz boneless beef short ribs on a serving platter and keep in the refrigerator until you’re ready to cook.
- Remove the tough core of 4 oz green cabbage leaves. Cut the leaves into 1-inch (2.5-cm) squares.
- Peel 3 oz carrot and slice into slabs ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick.
- Remove and discard the seeds from 4 oz kabocha squash. Cut it into ⅛-inch (3 mm) slices.
- Poke a few holes in 4 shishito peppers for the steam to release while cooking and avoid popping. Cut off and discard the ends of 2 oz shimeji mushrooms and separate them into small clusters.
- Remove and discard the stem of 2 shiitake mushrooms and cut the caps into thin slices ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick.
- Cut 1 king oyster mushroom in half lengthwise and then slice into thin slabs.
- Rinse 3.5 oz bean sprouts and drain well. Put all the vegetables and mushrooms on another serving platter. Bring the meat and vegetable platters to the table where you have set up a portable electric griddle.
To Cook the Teppanyaki
- Preheat the electric griddle to 375ºF (190ºC). When the griddle is hot, grease the cooking surface with 1 Tbsp neutral oil. If the meat is well-marbled, you do not need to grease the area where you will cook the meat. We usually divide the griddle space into different sections, such as the meat section, vegetable section, or mushroom section. Next, put the vegetables and meat on the griddle in a single layer; depending on the size of your griddle, you may need to cook the ingredients in batches. Season the vegetables and mushrooms with Diamond Crystal kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; keep the meat unseasoned.
- Prepare a medium plate and a small bowl of Yakiniku Sauce for each person. As the food finishes cooking, transfer the cooked ingredients to the individual plates. Dip in the homemade Yakiniku Sauce and enjoy!
To Store
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and keep them for 3 days in the refrigerator or for up to a month in the freezer. You can also keep the airtight jar of Yakiniku Sauce in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 weeks or in the freezer for a couple of months.
[…] Teppanyaki Recipe 鉄板焼き […]
That was really interesting! Thanks for sharing 😀 I would love if you include a picture of hibachi and shichirin in the post!
Hi Vina! Thank you very much for reading Nami’s post and for bringing this to our attention.
We had added pictures of Hibachi and Shichirin in the post.
We hope you can see the difference. 🤗
Hello 🙂
How much oil do you use when cooking teppanyaki?
My dining room was a bit oily after we cooked teppanyaki.
I’m wondering if there are ways to avoid this.
Thank you!
Hi Yvonne! Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe!
We usually grease the cooking surface lightly with oil and don’t pour the oil. Using a brush or paper towel to grease the surface will help minimize the use of oil.
As for the room getting oily, we open the nearest window a bit and turn the kitchen vent fan (any ventilation fan in the room) or use Air Purifier to clean the air. Some portable grills in Japan come with a fan for collecting smoke, and it is getting popular too.
We hope this helps find you the best solution.🙂
Wonderful introduction and recipes.
Thank you very much!
Hi Luis! Thank you very much for reading Nami’s post and trying the recipe!
We are happy to hear you enjoyed it.😊
Hi,
I love this idea and I’m keen to try it. I’ll need to buy a griddle or plate, and will purchase one to go on our gas stove. I’ve seen your recommendation on what to buy in the comments below. If you think electric is better than one to go on a gas hob, can you please let me know. I’ll let you know when I’ve given it all a go. I love your blog BTW 😍
Hi Cairo, Thank you very much for reading Nami’s blog. Nami and JOC team are so happy to hear you love our site!
Nami or most Japanese enjoy cooking Teppanyaki at the table with family and friends. That is why we like portable type which electric or gas grill.
We recommend electric ones in this post, or if you have a portable gas grill like this one for making Donabe dish (hot pot, etc.) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013U7AUA4?ref=exp_justonecookbook_dp_vv_d, you can use this top plate for Teppanyaki. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001028IWY?ref=exp_justonecookbook_dp_vv_d
Both do a great job! So it depends on which one is more convenient for you is the best.
Here is the link to Nami’s kitchen items:
https://www.amazon.com/shop/justonecookbook?listId=2U85QFHG8JUD1
We hope this helps!
Thanks for the reply and the sharing of the Amazon page.
Our gas hob is built into the breakfast bar, so we can sit around it and cook. We made a Teppanyaki meal yesterday afternoon and loved it! So yummy and great social fun.
I made the sauce according to the recipe and found it a little too sweet for my liking, so I will knock that back a little next time. Otherwise – it was FAB!
Hi Cairo, Awesome setting!! We are glad to hear you enjoy the Teppanyaki with everyone!
Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe and for your kind feedback.
We made this dinner last night for ourselves and two friends. Looked at all kinds of electric griddles. Settled on the Presto 22″ from Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Presto-22-inch-Electric-Griddle-Removable/dp/B005FYF3OY/ref=psdc_13838461_t2_B01LYCHJ9O); best size/price combo we could find and we were really pleased with it.
1500 watts, on high cooked the food really quickly when set to Hi (400). East to clean, easy to store! Big enough for 4, maybe 6.
I’ve been inspired by your electric griddle. I plan to repurpose my Swiss raclette griddle to make teppanyaki–it’s the perfect setup! It has a regular griddle on top and the little raclette pans that fit underneath (to melt cheese) can be used as well. Can’t wait to try this! Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Hi J,
Wow! Swiss raclette griddle looks very nice and would probably work great for this recipe too!
Thank you for sharing!
We hope you enjoy this Teppanyaki recipe.😊
one of the best cooking ideas in a long time. very precise and just good looking on how to do it right
Hi Terry,
Thank you very much for your kind feedback! 🙂
Can you also use the tabletop butane grill and a flat pan? Would this be suitable/legitimate for teppanyaki?
Hi Kristin,
Hum…. maybe not the flat pan with a handle. But yes. you may use a cast iron griddle or skillet etc.
Another item like this Tepanyaki plate on top of butane is more suitable:
https://amzn.to/3kYk1o1 (plate)
https://amzn.to/39eI1kG (burner)
We hope this helps!
this recipe and grill was exactly what i was looking for! could you tell me if the zoriyishi grill you use and recommended is big enough for family of 5?
Hi Christy!
Most Japanese families use this size. So we think it would work for you too. 😊
Thank you for posting this recipe for teppanyaki! I am Japanese-American. We had teppanyaki very often growing up. But my mother (a nisei) didn’t use tare; but rather served the grilled food with oroshi (grated diamond). My mother sadly passed away. Do you think this a regional preference. I am not sure if this preference was from my mother’s mother or from my father’s side of my family. He was an Issei. thank you again for the recipe. I am going to try to make it with your tare!
Thank you again!,
Kathi
Hi Kathi,
Daikon oroshi is not a “common” way to eat Yakiniku. It doesn’t seem to be a regional thing (we looked it online up in Japanese)… so it could be an individual preference? Some sites said it’s a healthier way to eat. We eat meat with daikon oroshi to give a refreshing taste, but it’s usually with sauce (ponzu or yakiniku sauce), and not daikon oroshi by itself. Hope this helps!
I wonder what sauce is used to marinate the marbled meat.
I often eat yakiniku in restaurant without dipping any sauce after cooked, because it already tastes nice after the restaurant marinated the meat.
Hi Sylvia! I’m not sure if you’re referring to yakiniku restaurants here in the US (or where you live) vs. Japan. Typically in Japan, the meat is not marinated, and they sometimes pour the tare (usually the same dipping sauce) drizzle over the raw meat just before they bring to the table. Meat is never marinated because the meat quality is very good and sweet and flavorful. So if you are referring that drizzle sauce, then it’s the same as the dipping sauce.
Hi Nami! I just bought the Zojirushi electric griddle and matching Takoyaki plate you have using the link on this post—I hope Amazon gives you credit :). My mom lived in Osaka for 5 years and misses Okonomiyaki, Takoyaki and Teppanyaki. I’m planning to prepare these for Mother’s Day using your recipes. Can I make Takoyaki and Okonomiyaki in advance, so we can use the griddle for Teppanyaki or am I being too ambitious?
Hi Elizabeth! You did! Thank you so much for supporting us. We love the Zojirushi griddle and takoyaki plate! So convenient and we use it often to cook at the table! You can make Okonomiyaki ahead of time (super freezer friendly!) and reheat in the oven. Takoyaki…they become less round as time pass by (from moisture etc). So if I have to pick, I’d make it at least on the day of… Your Mother’s Day menu seems amazing!!! Hope you have a fabulous party!!
Hello! This looks so great! Can we substitute sugar with honey for teppanyaki tare? If yes, what is the recommended composition? Thank you 🙂
Hi Luna! I haven’t sub with honey but sure you can. Please adjust according to your taste?
This is great! I will definitely try this recipe. When my family and I visited Osaka last year, we tried Kobe Beef teppanyaki. It was delicious. The way the chef cooked the meat was great. The display and the taste toppled with beautiful view of Dotonbori river was just fantastic! We visited Korea before we went to Japan so we had a currency miscalculation mishap. The meal costed almost $500 for three of us but I can say it was totally worth it. 💕
Hi Shannon! Hahaha I can imagine the surprised face when you see the check! xD But I’m sure it was one memorable meal in Japan! 🙂
I irritates me that Americans us the word hibachi in reference to that terrible stuff they cook on griddles at “Japanese” steakhouses. If I want a silly floor show, I’ll go to Chuck E. Cheese. It’s almost as bad as Americanized sushi.
The best teppanyaki I ever had was on at the Grand Via Hotel in Osaka. I really enjoyed the awabi!
We own an antique hibachi and have a jizai kagi hanging over it. I’ve been tempted to fire it up (outside of course) but my wife has wisely stopped me.
Hi Bkhuna! Haha Chuck E. Cheese! I heard about it but had never been there. It’s interesting how misunderstanding happens. I’m sure we have those in Japan as well, but can’t come out with one at this time… I’m happy to hear you have a memorable Teppanyaki experience in Japan! And I’m jealous of your antiqeue hibachi!