Easy Slow Cooker Beef Teriyaki Freezer Meal and Gluten-Free

Make an easy Beef Teriyaki Slow Cooker version with just a few pantry style ingredients. This slow cooker or crockpot beef meal can be made gluten-free, it also can be prepped in advance to make as a freezer meal. The full freezer meal instructions are below.

It’s that time of year when my slow cooker is about to get worked hard, is yours? We are nearing the time when all the activities pick up again in the evenings and I need dinner ready to go when we walk in, long enough for us to eat and head right back out the doors. My latest to add to our lineup is this Beef Teriyaki Slow Cooker version.

This recipe is straightforward to make gluten-free with one simple swap, plus you can use a few shortcuts to make it too if you prefer.

What ingredients do you need for Crockpot Beef Teriyaki?

• Flank Steak
• Onion
• Soy Sauce or Gluten-Free Soy Sauce
• Brown Sugar
• Honey
• Ginger
• Garlic Powder
• Cornstarch
• Water

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Place sliced onions in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker.
2. Add the cubed flank steak on top of the onion and set aside.
3. In a saucepan, mix the water, soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, ginger, and garlic powder.
4. Place on the stove at medium-high heat and bring to a boil for 5 minutes.
5. Make the cornstarch slurry by mixing the cornstarch and hot water in a small bowl.
6. Add the slurry to the boiling mixture in the saucepan and whisk well.
7. Simmer for an additional 2-3 minutes or until desired thickness.
8. Pour the sauce over the steak and onion.
9. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours, or HIGH for 3 hours.

How do you make Gluten-Free Beef Teriyaki in the Slow Cooker?

The only swap needed to make this gluten-free is to use Gluten-Free Soy Sauce. I have found this readily available at our local Walmart or Sprouts.

Outside of this swap, all the remaining ingredients are naturally gluten-free, but as always check all ingredients before using.

Tips for Making Beef Teriyaki Slow Cooker version:

First, if you want to take a shortcut, you can also use store-bought teriyaki sauce. This will skip the entire portion of the instructions where you are making the sauce.

I prefer to make our sauce from scratch so that I can make it gluten-free.

We used a 6-quart Crockpot to make this recipe, adding the cubed flank steak and onion to the bottom of the Crockpot or Slow Cooker.

Once this was added and our sauce was made in a small saucepan on the stove, then we poured it over the steak and onion.

This can be cooked on LOW for 6 hours. We prefer to pair ours with Ninja Foodi Rice. I will either make the rice in the Ninja Foodi or a Rice Cooker, it is quickly cooked in minutes and ready to serve with the Beef Teriyaki.

This dish can be garnished with green onions or sesame seeds.

Can you use other cuts of meat?

I prefer to use flank steak; however, you can also use stew meat, chuck roast, or round steak.

Variations of Beef Teriyaki Slow Cooker:

• Make it Spicy – Add red pepper flakes or cayenne and give it a spicy kick.
• Make it Deluxe – Add Parmigiano Cheese and sauteed mushrooms or spinach. Garnish the meat with fresh parsley.

Freezer Meal Instructions:

If you want to prep this ahead to store in the freezer, prepare the sauce as instructed and let fully cool.

Once the sauce is cooled, add all ingredients to a freezer-safe storage bag. Label the bag and freeze flat in the freezer. This can stay frozen for up to 3 months.

When ready to serve, defrost or thaw the bag overnight in the refrigerator. It’s best to place it into a pan to catch any liquid as it defrosts. Dump all ingredients into the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.

If you are freezer prepping for the week, you’ll also enjoy this Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken Freezer Meal and Slow Cooker Italian Roast Freezer Meal.

How to store leftovers?

Store the leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When ready to reheat, rewarm in a saucepan on medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes or in the air fryer on a ramekin for 3-4 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Are you ready for this EASY Slow Cooker Recipe? It’s time to enjoy this delicious Gluten-Free Beef Teriyaki all made in the slow cooker or Crockpot!