Give your meals an infusion of flavor with the best teriyaki sauce recipe ever!
Savory soy sauce, brown sugar, fresh ginger and rice wine are heated together to produce a complex salty-sweet umami seasoning to enhance meats, noodles, rice, and veggies.
Use this recipe for teriyaki sauce anytime you need a glaze, a marinade, a dip, or a salad dressing!
Easy Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
- Homemade teriyaki has the “yum factor” in spades! It’s so much better tasting, and better for you, than anything from a jar. Plus, you know it’s preservative and filler free.
- Teriyaki is so versatile, that you’ll find yourself reaching for it repeatedly! Use it as a grill glaze for fish and salmon, as a marinade for chicken or beef, or to infuse noodles and rice with extra savory flavor.
- Make your vegetarian dishes or veggie stir fries sing with flavor! Teriyaki lends that savory umami flavor, but without the meat!
Ingredients and Variations
Soy Sauce: Use the brand that suits your taste, because they are all a little different! Kikkoman is easy to find anywhere, but you can also experiment with less commercial brands from an Asian grocer if you have access to one. Tamari is a soy sauce alternative that can be substituted. It has a richer flavor and is less salty. For soy-less versions try coconut aminos.
Aromatics: Ginger’s pungent spice provides a distinctive bite and flavor. Fresh has more flavor than dried, but you might not always have it on hand. Dried ginger can be substituted in recipes by halving the amount. Garlic adds a deliciously sweet flavor to the sauce which pairs well with ginger.
Sweeteners: Use light brown sugar if you have it. Dark will also work, but will be sweeter, so adjust the amount accordingly.
Rice Wine: This dry, light and fresh flavored wine will add depth to the flavor profile. You can also substitute mirin wine, which is very sweet so you would have to adjust the amount of sugar, or eliminate the honey.
Corn Starch: Use corn starch to thicken for a transparent, shiny sauce. Arrowroot or tapioca flour will give similar results. Avoid wheat flour for thickening teriyaki.
Variations: Add hot pepper flakes or fresh or dried garlic. Toasted sesame oil or seeds will add a layer of nuttiness to your sauce.
How to Make the Best Teriyaki Sauce
This easy recipe for teriyaki sauce is ready to use in minutes!
- Stir together all ingredients except cornstarch in a bowl and microwave for one minute, as described in the recipe below.
- Make a cornstarch slurry with water and microwave for three minutes.
Use immediately and refrigerate or freeze any unused portions.
Ways to Use Teriyaki Sauce
This is the best teriyaki sauce for injecting extra flavor into any recipe, Asian or otherwise!
- Drizzle it on roasted bok choy or use it as dip for wonton crisps.
- Give your chicken or beef dishes extra savor. Use them on teriyaki chicken wings or as as marinade for poultry or beef.
- Use homemade teriyaki in any Asian dish, like egg-roll-in-a-bowl, kung pao chicken, or Mongolian beef!
Tips and Tricks
- Adjust the thickness by adding more or less cornstarch to suit your preference.
- Keep fresh ginger on hand by cutting the rhizome into pieces and freezing in a zip bag. Then just use what you need.
- Refrigerate any unused portions for up to a week. Or store in the freezer for up to three months.
- Freeze teriyaki in ice cube trays and then transfer to a zip bag for easy portioning!
More Savory and Sweet Sauces
Have you tried this recipe for Teriyaki Sauce? Leave a comment and rating below!
Best Teriyaki Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar light preferred
- 3 Tablespoons rice wine or Mirin
- 1 Tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons ginger fresh, minced
- 1½ teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ¼ cup water
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine soy sauce, sugar, rice wine, honey, ginger, sesame oil, and garlic.
- Whisk to combine and microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove from microwave and whisk again.
- In a small bowl, combine water and cornstarch to create a slurry. Add to the teriyaki mixture and whisk to combine.
- Microwave for 3 minutes, whisking after 90 seconds.
- Use immediately, or cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Yields about 1¼ cups (or 20 Tablespoons)
- You can use an equal amount of tamari in place of soy sauce for a low sodium option.
- Mirin can be used as a substitute for rice wine. Mirin has more sugar and less alcohol content than rice wine.
- Dark brown sugar will turn out a bit sweeter, so if using, consider reducing the amount slightly.
- Ground ginger will not have the same flavor, but can be used. Use 1 teaspoon ground in place of fresh ginger.
- Stovetop instructions – place ingredients (Step 1) in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until mixture comes to a simmer. Add slurry to the mixture, and stir until it thickens (2-3 minutes).
- Freeze sauce for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
- Use fresh ingredients when possible for best results!
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information does not include optional ingredients or garnish and is an estimate. It may change based on actual ingredients and cooking methods used.
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