Skip take-out tonight when you make the BEST Crockpot Sesame Beef! Tender strips of flank steak are slow cooked in a rich, savory sauce with bold notes of garlic, ginger, and sesame.
Crockpot Sesame Beef
Don’t you just love those dinner recipes where your slow cooker basically does all the work for you? This crockpot sesame beef requires about 10 minutes of effort (or less), then you set it and forget it! At the very end, you have to stir in a simple slurry to thicken up the sauce, and then it’s good to go. Just make sure to serve it with something like white rice to help soak up every last drop of that rich sauce, because trust me – you don’t want it going to waste. It’s sweet, savory, and honestly pretty addictive. Oh, and don’t forget the sprinkle of green onions on top for the perfect pop of freshness!
Enjoy more of the very best Asian-inspired dinner recipes like sesame garlic beef stir fry, crockpot teriyaki chicken, and teriyaki noodles.
Do I need to sear the meat?
Nope! This recipe was developed with simplicity in mind, so you can toss the raw beef straight into the crockpot. If you do happen to have some extra time on your hands, though, you can certainly give the meat a quick sear for extra flavor. Just make sure you do NOT cook it all the way through!
How to Make Crockpot Sesame Beef
- Make the sauce. Whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, water, vegetable oil, sesame oil, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger in a slow cooker set to medium or low.
- Cook the beef. Add the beef and stir. Set the heat to low and cook for 5-6 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
- Add the slurry. Whisk the cornstarch into 2 tbsp of water and pour it over the beef. Make sure the crockpot is set to high!
- Let it thicken. Stir, then cover and cook for 20-30 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened to your liking.
Storing
Leftovers store very well! Let the sesame beef fully cool to room temp, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When reheating, make sure to heat it until just warmed through. If it’s reheated too much, it’ll dry out and get tough.
Ingredient Notes
- Low Sodium Soy Sauce – Coconut aminos or tamari also both work well.
- Brown Sugar – This adds a caramelized depth of sweetness that white sugar alone can’t achieve.
- Vegetable Oil – This is just to help with the consistency of the sauce.
- Sesame Oil – Do NOT skip this ingredient! It adds the perfect touch of rich sesame flavor that elevates the sauce like you wouldn’t believe.
- Rice Vinegar – The acidity in this vinegar really helps to cut through the sweetness of the brown sugar.
- Garlic – Add more or less to taste.
- Ground Ginger – You can swap this with some freshly grated ginger if you’d like.
- Flank Steak – Flank steak works best in this recipe because it gets so tender when slow cooked! However, you can absolutely substitute it with skirt steak, sirloin, or chuck roast if that’s what you have on hand.
- Cornstarch – This is what thickens the sauce to the best consistency. Measure with care!
Enjoy!
~Nichole
Crockpot Sesame Beef
Ingredients
- 3/4 Cup Low sodium soy sauce
- 1/3 Cup Brown sugar
- 1/4 Cup Water plus more for the cornstarch slurry
- 2 Tbsp Vegetable oil
- 2 Tbsp Sesame oil
- 2 Tbsp Rice vinegar
- 4 Cloves Garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp Ground ginger
- 2-3 Pounds Flank steak cut into 1/2-inch-thick strips
- 2 Tbsp Cornstarch
Instructions
- Whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, water, vegetable oil, sesame oil, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger in a slow cooker over medium heat.
- Add the beef and stir, then set the heat to low and cook for 5-6 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, or until the beef is cooked through and tender.
- Turn the crockpot up to high if it was previously on low.
- Then, whisk the cornstarch into 2 tablespoons of water and pour it over the beef.
- Stir, then cover and cook for 20-30 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened to your liking, stirring occasionally.
- Serve with rice, sliced green onions, and sesame seeds for garnish if desired.
Video
Notes
This crockpot sesame beef can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
