If you want an amazing homemade Teriyaki Sauce recipe, you’ve found it! This sauce takes just 10 minutes to make, uses simple ingredients, and tastes incredibly delicious. Once you try this homemade version, you may never want to buy store-bought teriyaki sauce again.
I’ve been in this situation more than once. I needed teriyaki sauce for a recipe, thought I had some in the pantry, and then discovered I was completely out of it after preparing everything else. Maybe you’ve had the same thing happen with teriyaki sauce or another condiment like tahini paste, tomato paste, black bean sauce, or hoisin sauce.
That’s when I started making my own homemade teriyaki sauce. It’s quick, easy, and tastes so much better than most store-bought versions. After you make this teriyaki sauce recipe yourself, you’ll understand why I never went back to the bottled kind.
What is Teriyaki Sauce?
Teriyaki sauce is a thick, glossy Japanese sauce that is now popular all over the world. It has a delicious combination of sweet, salty, savory, and umami flavors.
The main ingredients usually include soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, honey, and mirin. The word teriyaki refers to both the Japanese cooking method and the sauce itself.
Teriyaki was developed in Japan in the 17th century and has become closely associated with Japanese cuisine. The word teri refers to the shiny appearance the sauce gives food because of its sugar content, while yaki refers to grilling or cooking.
Because teriyaki sauce creates a beautiful glossy coating and has such a rich flavor, it works especially well with grilled foods.
Ingredients & Substitutions
This recipe uses 8 simple ingredients. Most are pantry staples, with mirin being the one ingredient you may not already have. If you don’t have mirin, there are easy alternatives.
Here’s what you’ll need:
Tamari: You can use low sodium soy sauce instead. Tamari has a deeper flavor and is lower in sodium than regular soy sauce.
Brown sugar: Adds sweetness and flavor to the sauce. If you want a sugar-free teriyaki sauce, you can use a brown sugar alternative.
Fresh ginger: Gives the sauce a fresh, slightly spicy kick.
Fresh garlic: Adds flavor and depth.
Honey: Adds extra sweetness and makes the flavor more complex.
Sesame oil: Adds a rich, nutty flavor.
Mirin: Adds sweetness and depth of flavor. If you don’t have mirin, you can use sherry with a small pinch of sugar or leave it out.
Cornstarch: Helps thicken the sauce and gives it that classic sticky texture.
Teriyaki Sauce Recipe
This homemade teriyaki sauce is very quick and easy to make. You only need a few simple steps.
1. Combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, honey, sesame oil, mirin, and water mixed with cornstarch in a small saucepan.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil.
3. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 4 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
4. Remove it from the heat and let it cool.
That’s it! Your homemade teriyaki sauce is ready.
You can use it immediately or store it in the refrigerator. The flavors become even better as the sauce sits.
Made in less than 10 minutes, this sauce is delicious and contains no unnecessary fillers or junk ingredients. There’s really no reason to rely on store-bought teriyaki sauce when making your own is this easy.
Enjoy!
How To Use Teriyaki Sauce
Teriyaki sauce is very versatile. Its sweet and savory flavor works well with meat, seafood, vegetables, noodles, rice, and many other dishes.
Here are some of the best ways to use it:
Marinating Meat, Poultry, Seafood or Tofu: To use this sauce as a marinade, simply leave out the cornstarch. Place your meat, poultry, seafood, or tofu in a ziplock bag, pour in the sauce, and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
Grilling: Brush the sauce over meat, seafood, tofu, or vegetables while grilling. It creates a delicious caramelized glaze.
Stir-Fries: Use this sauce as an easy and flavorful base for all kinds of stir-fries.
Chicken Teriyaki, Teriyaki Salmon, Teriyaki Tofu, and Teriyaki Pork: Brush the sauce over your protein before baking or cooking to create a sticky, flavorful glaze.
Dipping Sauce: Serve it as a dipping sauce for sushi, spring rolls, dumplings, tempura, or other appetizers.
Bowl or Rice Topping: Drizzle teriyaki sauce over rice bowls with grilled teriyaki chicken, pork, beef, salmon, or tofu. Add some steamed or stir-fried vegetables for a complete meal.
Glaze for Roasted Vegetables: Brush the sauce over roasted vegetables for a sweet and savory finish.
Sandwiches, Wraps or Burgers: Add a little teriyaki sauce to sandwiches, wraps, or burgers for an extra boost of flavor.
Noodles: Toss the sauce with noodles such as udon or soba for a quick and flavorful meal.
Salad Dressing: Mix teriyaki sauce with a little oil, vinegar or lemon juice, and sesame oil to make a flavorful salad dressing.
BEST Teriyaki Sauce Recipe
The best homemade teriyaki sauce recipe EVER! It’s quick, easy, flavorful, and you may never want store-bought teriyaki sauce again.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Equipment
Small saucepan
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup tamari, if salt sensitive start with less and add more to taste; can substitute
- low sodium soy sauce. Tamari has more flavor than soy sauce and less sodium.
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- See brown sugar alternative for a low-sugar option
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon honey (Vegans: use agave nectar or a sweetener of your choice)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 3 tablespoons mirin, see note
- 1/4 cup water mixed with 3 teaspoons cornstarch
Instructions
Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 4 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the sauce to cool.
Store the teriyaki sauce in the refrigerator for up to a week. This recipe makes about 1 1/4 cups of teriyaki sauce.
Notes
Mirin: Mirin is a sweet Japanese rice wine. It is similar to sake but has a lower alcohol content and more sugar. If you don’t have mirin, you can use sherry with a small pinch of sugar.
For Marinades: If you are using this sauce as a marinade, leave out the cornstarch. Allow the sauce to cool completely before using it as a marinade.
Nutrition
Calories: 48 kcal
Carbohydrates: 10g
Protein: 1g
Sodium: 574mg
Potassium: 26mg
Sugar: 7g
Vitamin C: 0.1mg
Calcium: 6mg
Iron: 0.3mg
Course: Condiment, Sauce
Cuisine: Asian, Japanese