Make This Easy Beef Scallion Negimaki Recipe Tonight!

I LOVE beef negimaki!

When ordering take out from our local Japanese restaurants I will often order beef negimaki – and it is definitely a dish that I would have not thought to replicate at home!

Then my mom gave me a supplement from The New York Times, and there was a negimaki recipe that looked so easy that I decided to give it a try. I believe it was part of a collection of “5 ingredient or less” type dishes, which encouraged me even more.

what is beef negimaki?

For a literal translation of this Japanese dish, “negi” means scallions and “maki” means rolls. So beef negimaki translates to beef scallion rolls.

This dish is made by rolling thinly sliced steak around scallions, and then broiling or grilling the rolls till browned. They’re served with a sweet salty sauce and make a perfect dinner, cocktail snack or appetizer!

what ingredients do you need for this beef negimaki recipe?

To make these delicious little rolls you need a literal handful of simple ingredients, all easily sourced at the local grocery store:

scallions

soy sauce

mirin

sake, or other cooking wine

sugar

flank steak or skirt steak

vegetable oil

sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

how do you make them?

Turns out – much to my pleasant surprise – that there are no special instructions involved in making these beef rolls! Here’s how to do it:

You’ll start by blanching the green onions, which will be cut to separate the lighter and darker ends. Boil the white ends for a minute and then add the darker ends to boil for another minute. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a bowl of ice water and then place on a towel to dry.

Make the sweet savory sauce by combining the soy sauce, mirin, sake and sugar in a small bowl.

To make the steak rolls place the steak on a work surface or cutting board with the long side facing you. The direction of the grain should be running parallel to where you are standing.

Then use a very sharp knife to cut the steak against the grain (along the short side) into 4 strips.

Butterfly each strip by cutting through almost all the way and then opening the strip like a book. Cut those strips in half crosswise.

Cover the steak with a piece of plastic wrap and use a meat mallet to pound thin. You don’t want paper-thin slices here as they will not hold up when rolled and cooked.

Place the strips in a shallow pan, cover with your marinade and let sit for at least 5 minutes.

To assemble the rolls, remove the strips from the marinade (do not discard) and place a few scallions on one short end of each strip, parallel to the grain. You should have about 3-4 scallions on each strip. Roll the strips up and secure with toothpicks.

Simmer the marinade in a small sauce pan for 15 minutes.

Heat the oil in a large skillet and saute the steak, turning every few minutes till nicely browned. Serve with the remaining sauce on the side.

can you broil or grill the rolls?

Yes! You can run the rolls under the broiler and cook till done, turning once or twice. To grill rolls cook over medium-high heat on a lightly oiled grilling grate and turn occasionally till nicely browned.

what do you serve with beef negimaki?

I like to serve with white rice or sushi rice and sometimes add charred broccoli or steamed green beans to go with!

can you use pre-sliced beef?

I never have but you could absolutely use it to save time!

This is one of those weeknight dinners that feels special, yet comes together quickly and easily. Let me know if you try it!

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Posted in dinner irl, recipes, wheat-free