An easy homemade teriyaki sauce recipe made from pantry staples. This sauce is bold and thick and is great as a marinade or as a sauce served with your favorite meats or vegetables.
In the mood for teriyaki? Make up a batch of this sauce and then use it to make Teriyaki Chicken Pizza or Bacon Wrapped Teriyaki Chicken Skewers!
Homemade Teriyaki Sauce Recipe
There are lots of things I used to never considered making before, turning instead to the conveniently bottled versions. Salad dressings, mayonnaise, etc. Some of them I still buy bottled – mayonnaise – and some I make from scratch at home – salad dressings. One of these condiments that I love to make from scratch is homemade Teriyaki sauce. It is so super easy and good, it made me wonder why I ever bought the store bought kind!
This homemade teriyaki sauce recipe only takes minutes to make, and tastes a lot better than the jarred sauce. This sauce is great just served as a sauce alongside your favorite meats as well as a marinade. I love that it is so versatile!
Ingredients
- Brown Sugar: I use light brown sugar. You could also up the amount of honey, but I think they both bring in different flavors, so I like to use both.
- Soy Sauce: I always use low sodium soy sauce. You could also use tamari.
- Honey: If you like the sauce sweeter, use 2 tablespoons, otherwise just use one.
- Garlic: I always have fresh garlic on hand, so I like to use fresh. You could sub in garlic powder. If you do, you’ll need about 1/4 teaspoon.
- Ginger: I don’t always have fresh ginger on hand, so that is why I use ground ginger. Feel free to use fresh if you do have it, though. You’ll need 1-2 tablespoons of fresh ginger if you do sub.
- Cornstarch: This is what will thicken up your sauce. The sauce will get decently thick, so if you prefer a thinner sauce, feel free to cut this amount in half.
How to Make Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
It really doesn’t get much easier than this recipe!
1: Start by combining all of your ingredients except the cornstarch and 1/4 cup of water. Whisk to combine, and set over medium heat.
2: In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and the 1/4 cup water.
3: Pour the cornstarch mixture into the saucepan.
4: Cook, whisking, until the sauce thickens.
How to Use This Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
This homemade teriyaki sauce makes a thicker sauce that the bottled sauce, so it would be good served on top of something, but I have also used it as a marinade. If you don’t want it thick as a marinade you can skip adding the cornstarch and extra water.
Here are some of my favorite ways to use this sauce:
- As sauce with grilled chicken
- Add it to chicken pieces and broccoli and serve over rice
- As a glaze for salmon
- Mixed into noodles
- In any stir fry
Homemade Teriyaki Sauce Video
If you want to watch how this teriyaki sauce is made, watch the video above.
Storage
I usually make this teriyaki sauce when I need it, but it’s also great to just have on hand for an easy dinner.
I store it in a mason jar in the refrigerator. I will usually try to go through it in a week or less, but really, it should be good for 2-3 weeks if stored properly.
I have not tried to freeze this, although I’m assuming it would freeze well.
More Asian Inspired Recipes
Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Mongolian Beef
General Tso Chicken
Orange Chicken
Sweet and Sour Chicken
Kung Pao Chicken
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Homemade Teriyaki Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup (8 oz) water
- 5 tablespoons (67 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (2 oz) low sodium soy sauce
- 1-2 tablespoons honey
- 1 large clove garlic ,minced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 cup (2 oz) cold water
Instructions
- Combine the 1 cup water, brown sugar, soy sauce, honey, garlic, and ginger in a medium saucepan and set over medium heat.
- In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch with the 1/4 cup water and whisk until dissolved. Add the cornstarch mixture to the saucepan.
- Heat the sauce until it thickens to your desired thickness. If the sauce becomes too thick, add more water to thin it out.
Brenda Hicks says
Made with Balsamic Vinegar instead of soy sauce! It is now my go to! Thank you
Heather says
I’ve used this recipe two nights in a row because it’s so amazing. I love it more than store bought bottles. Absolutely saving this in my favorites. Thank you for sharing!
Trin says
I really loved this recipe so much! So simple to mix it up. I’m wondering how long the unused sauce will last in the fridge for?
Lis says
This was great and I know where my ingredients come from. I used San-J Tamari brewed soy sauce and local honey. Perfect on my chicken wings and pork steak on the grill using oak wood
Lea J says
This recipe was delicious & a hit.. The best sauce I’ve made by far.
Edwin says
Made this sauce for two pork tenderloins, and boy were they a hit… Will do this again but this time do ot on the grill!
Martha Turner says
We have a niece with terrible food allergies (why would wheat even be in teriyaki sauce?) I made this recipe and in addition to being super easy to make it’s DELICIOUS! Thanks for a new “go to”!
Terry says
Wheat is in soy sauce. If the wheat is a problem try using tamari sauce 🥰
Julie W says
I made this for the first time tonight for stir fry and it was a hit! I’ve tried other teriyaki sauce recipes and there was something that seemed to be missing. But your recipe was spot on! I don’t know how it was different than the others but it’s really good.
Emani says
It was so delicious 🤤
Kate R says
Family favourite! I have shared this recipe with all of my friends
Veronica says
The best teriyaki recipe I’ve tried. Will definitely only use this one from now on. So yummy and easy!! Thank you!!
Frances Eden says
It came out sweeter than I expected. I liked a more savory kick so I added 1/8 cup of Light soy sauce and another 1/8 cup of sake
patricia sordiff says
gonna try this tonight for dinner,will get back to you and let you know how it turned out,thank you
Eric H. Bowen says
I made this sauce to serve over meatballs for a party. Easy to make and tasted great!
Caoimhe says
Substituted ground ginger with ginger purée and turned out just as nice!
Tea B says
Great recipe! I Sautéed some onions, green onions, extra garlic and a Chile pepper… and I’d add sesame seeds if only I had them. Then proceeded to the teriyaki sauce ingredients (+ 1tbs apple cider vinegar). Turned out amazing, would have been great on its own, but I just felt the need to tweak it.