Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
Learn how to cook this Hibachi Vegetable Recipe with that distinct Benihana flavor in the comfort of your own home. Ready in 15 minutes. No grill needed.
Can you really make Hibachi style vegetables at home?
With a few tips, you can totally make this Hibachi Vegetable Recipe at home. Instead of a flat top grill, heat up a cast iron skillet on the highest temperature possible. All the ingredients are easily available at your local grocery store. To get the most authentic flavor, make the special Benihana Garlic Butter ahead of time. It makes a huge difference and is the secret to that authentic Japanese steakhouse flavor. Its super easy to make and requires only a few minutes of prep work - the oven does the rest. Frankly, it's so tasty you will want to make an extra batch to keep in the fridge, especially during grilling season. It's fantastic on everything from pan roasted chicken, seafood, steak to stir-fried vegetables!
If you don't have time to make the Benihana Garlic Butter, heat up a little oil, then sauté some minced garlic until golden brown. Remove the garlic and cook the vegetables as directed in the garlic infused butter.
What veggies are in hibachi?
Typical hibachi vegetables include fresh squash, zucchini, mushroom, carrots, and onions. The different vegetables used in a Japanese restaurant usually depends on the chef's house blend.
My suggestion is to use a colorful mixture of vegetables since a hallmark of Japanese cooking is not just the taste but the presentation.
Below is a list of vegetables that work well with hibachi style cooking. While buying frozen vegetable is really tempting, I strongly recommend using fresh vegetables whenever possible.
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Yellow squash
- Green pepper
- Mushrooms - especially sh*take
- Onion
- Red pepper
- Snow peas
- Zucchini
How do you simulate a Hibachi Grill at home
This at-home version depends on the heat retention capacity of a cast iron pan. Basically, you heat up the cast iron pan for at least five minute so that the pan gets really hot. The very high heated surface allows you to simulate the cooking technique used for delicious grilled hibachi vegetables at home.
If you do not have a cast iron pan (optimal) use a heavy bottomed skillet or pot.
Key Ingredients
In this recipe I use a combination of onions, zucchini,and a littlered bell pepper. This recipe is very versatile - you can use any combination of your favorite vegetables when making this dish. Fresh is always better than frozen vegetables. Sautéed zucchini is the most popular vegetable that I have seen used in local hibachi restaurants.
The secret to the unique flavors is the special Benihana Garlic Butter and soy sauce. If you do not have time to make the Benihana Garlic Butter, you can still add flavor to the vegetables - see the section below. Low sodium soy sauce is fine.
Alternatives to using Benihana Garlic Butter
The secret to that unique Japanese steakhouse flavor is the Benihana Garlic Butter. Without that extra hit of flavor, the vegetables will taste no different from regular stir-fried vegetables.
My Benihana Garlic Butter copycat recipe includes roasted red garlic, soy sauce a splash of lemon juice and whipped butter. If you do not have time to make the special butter, you can also add flavor to the vegetable dish by doing the following:
- Garlic Infused Butter: Sauté some minced garlic on medium-high heat until golden brown in hot butter. Remove the garlic from the butter before cooking the vegetables because the garlic will burn and turn bitter. Cook the vegetables as usual - add a splash of lemon juice at the end.
- Olive Oil and Sesame Oil Combo: Make a fragrant oil by combining two tablespoons of olive oil to one teaspoon of sesame oil. The sesame oil gives the vegetables a delicious nutty flavor.
Step-By Step Instructions
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Wait at least five minutes so that the skillet is very hot. Melt the Benihana garlic butter. Add the onions and zucchini and sear on each side. Add the red peppers and sauté. Toss with soy sauce and cook for about 2-3 minutes before removing from heat. Sprinkle with some sesame seeds, bean sprouts or sliced green onions if desired. Taste for seasoning - add salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. Serve hot.
Chef's Tips
- Heat the skillet for at least five minutes so that it gets really hot and simulates the heat of a hot flat top grill.
- Use a large skillet so that more of the vegetables are in direct contact with the bottom of the hot pan.
- Cook the vegetables in stages - starting with those that need to cook the longest.
- Vegetables should remain crispy - do not overcook them.
- Adding a little vegetable oil to the butter can be a game changer if you want to cook the vegetables at a higher smoking point.
Storing and Reheating
All the Hibachi Vegetables to cool thoroughly then store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Stored in this way, the vegetables will last up to four days. For optimal flavor eat within two days.
How to serve Hibachi Vegetables
This hibachi style vegetable recipe goes really well with main courses like Benihana Hibachi Chicken, Hibachi Fried Rice, Hibachi Noodles, Hibachi Steak and Hibachi Shrimp. The recipe is also a great side dish for non-Japanese dishes like Braised Beef, Pot Roast and Baked Bratwurst.
You can also serve this delicious dish with a small bowl of Yum Yum Sauce, Ginger Sauce, Teriyaki Sauce or your favorite hibachi sauce.
Nutrition
Each serving of this Hibachi Vegetable recipe has about 91 calories with 10g of carbohydrates, 5.4g of fat and 2.6g of protein.
This recipe yields approximately 4 servings.The nutrition information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator and is intended for informational purposes only and should be used as a general guideline. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should independently verify it using your preferred tool.
FAQs
What is hibachi?
"Hibachi" is a Japanese term for cooking food on a traditional cooking grill. The Benihana restaurant franchise made this type of cooking famous - their meals are cooked in front of guests on a "teppanyaki" or flat grill top table. As part of the experience, a specially trained Benihana chef demonstrates breathtaking tricks and flourishes while cooking hibachi (hot grill) style dishes in front of guests.
The traditional cooking device uses heated charcoal as food, which also imparts a wonderful smoky flavor to grilled meat, vegetables and seafood.
What seasoning do they use in hibachi?
Hibachi chefs typically flavor meat and vegetables with garlic, soy sauce, butter, lemon juice and sesame oil.
Are hibachi vegetables healthy?
Hibachi style vegetables are very healthy because the vegetables are quickly grilled over very high heat so that they retain their flavor and most of their nutrients. The dish can become unhealthy if the served vegetables are then drizzled with butter or high fat/sugar/salt sauces.
What sauce is used for hibachi cooking?
Hibachi is cooked with soy sauce which comes in both regular and low sodium varieties. Soy sauce is made with soybeans, wheat, salt and a fermenting agent.
Can you use vegetable oil for hibachi?
You can use vegetable oil like canola and peanut, sesame oil, olive oil and avocado oil when making hibachi. Higher smoke point oils like peanut oil complement the high heat cooking process.
More Hibachi Recipes
Benihana Hibachi Chicken Recipe (Copycat). This Hibachi Chicken Recipe takes less than 30 minutes to come together and tastes like you just ordered it from Benihana! Juicy, succulent chicken is seared in that fabulous roasted garlic butter then drizzled with oodles of magic mustard sauce! Simple, yet absolutely delicious!
Hibachi Fried Rice Recipe - Benhinan Copycat. If you'd like to recreate some of that Benihana magic at home - look no further. This is the perfectHibachi Fried Rice Recipe - Benihana Copycat!
FINALLY, IF YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE
I’d love to hear how it went – please leave a comment and rate this recipe.Above all, I love hearing from all of you and will do my best to answer each and every comment! And of course, if you do make this recipe, please don’t forget to tag me onInstagram! It will make my day!
Print Recipe
5 from 16 votes
Hibachi Vegetable Recipe
Learn how to cook this Hibachi Vegetable Recipe with that distinct Benihana flavor in the comfort of your own home. Ready in 15 minutes. No grill needed.
Prep Time5 minutes mins
Cook Time10 minutes mins
Total Time15 minutes mins
Course: Side, Side Dish
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: benihana hibachi vegetables, benihana vegetables, hibachi vegetables, japanese stir-fried vegetables, japanese vegetables
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 91kcal
Author: Lima
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Benihana garlic butter
- 3 zucchini cut into strips
- 1 red bell pepper cut into strips
- 1 red onion cut into strips
- 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Heat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Melt the Benihana garlic butter. Add the onions and zucchini and sear on each side. Add the red peppers and sauté. Toss with soy sauce and cook for about 2-3 minutes before removing from heat. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Heat the skillet for at least five minutes so that it gets really hot and simulates the heat of a hot flat top grill.
- Use a large skillet so that more of the vegetables are in direct contact with the bottom of the hot pan.
- Cook the vegetables in stages - starting with those that need to cook the longest.
- Vegetables should remain crispy - do not overcook them.
- Adding a little vegetable oil to the butter can be a game changer if you want to cook the vegetables at a higher smoking point.
Nutrition
Each serving of this Hibachi Vegetable recipe has about 91 calories with 10g of carbohydrates, 5.4g of fat and 2.6g of protein.
This recipe yields approximately 4 servings.The nutrition information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator and is intended for informational purposes only and should be used as a general guideline. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should independently verify it using your preferred tool.
