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.
Denisa says
I made this teriyaki sauce this evening for grilled chicken! Hands down the best homemade teriyaki sauce! This will be my go to recipe from now on.
Thank you so much.
Cheryl A Jackson says
Turned out great!
Esther Schlittenhart says
This is the first teriyaki recipe I tried and it was a big hit! Thanks
Hannah t says
Add ning chi spicy pot sauce if you like spicy, it totally changes the sauce
Samantha says
I used 1/4 cup honey, and 2tb molasses, ground garlic, and left out the sugar. I have to say this recipe is great! I will definitely keep rotating it into my meals!
Thanks for sharing.
Deborah says
I’m so glad you loved it!
Alicia says
This saved dinner 🥘 tonight. Many thanks
Grace says
This recipe was great for my late night need for teriyaki sauce. I had made some chicken kebabs and only after they were made did I realize that there wasn’t any teriyaki sauce in my pantry. Fortunately, I had everything to make this, I just needed to combine them and let it thicken. It was so quick and easy to make AND it tastes absolutely delicious. I didn’t have a clove of garlic so I ended up putting in garlic powder, and I used dark brown sugar as well as a reduced sodium soy sauce. To me this teriyaki sauce is perfect. I don’t think I’ll ever want to go buy teriyaki sauce from shelves anymore.
Deborah says
I’m so glad you’re a convert!
Vonnie says
Sounds delicious, will definitely try to make it! How can I store it please?
Deborah says
I store mine in a jar in the refrigerator.
Majid says
Thanks for the recipe! Really!
A quick related question though, How many days I can store the sauce in the refrigerator?
Thanks!:-)
Deborah says
I have stored it for easily 5-7 days, but beyond that, I’m not sure how long it would last.
Teja says
Just made this and it is delicious! Way better than the bottled stuff I was buying, thank you!
Deborah says
I’m glad you liked it!
Jimmy Doors says
When do you add THE KETCHUP ?
Deborah says
Hi Jimmy – there is not any ketchup in this recipe. 🙂
Rosalyn says
made this. so delicious!
how long can it be stored in fridge for?
would it only last 2 days or more?
thanks!
Claire says
Thank you for this great recipe! Absolutely fabulous! If someone has a problem with the high sodium content in soy sauce, try BRAGG LIQUID AMINOS. It is an all purpose seasoning from Soy Protein. It is a natural soy sauce alternative with only 6% sodium, gluten-free, NON-GMO, and contains no preservatives. My sister has a problem with the high sodium content in a lot of foods so I try to use only no sodium or low sodium ingredients when I am preparing her dinners. My grocery store carries it and the manager said most grocery stores should carry it. It has the same great soy sauce taste without the sodium, gluten, GMO’s, and preservatives.
PS: I do not work for this company but wanted to share this information in case someone has a high sensitivity to the usual ingredients in store bought soy sauces. Again, thank you for this great recipe!
Michelle says
Hi Claire, just wondering how long Brag Liquid Aminos lasts once opened and kept in the refrigerator? I think I read it only lasts for 2 or 3 days? Is this true?
Brooke says
What can u substitute for cornstarch? Recipe looks great, but I have a corn allergy. Thanks!
Mitch says
You can use arrowroot, potato starch, or tapioca starch. Use them the same way you would cornstarch. You can also let the sauce simmer for a really long time to reduce/thicken the sauce.
Wanda J says
Thanks so much for this recipe! I’ve been wanting to make teriyaki tempeh ever since I went to a restaurant and had a teriyaki tempeh sandwich. It was delicious! So this past weekend I bought the tempeh, but forgot to buy the teriyaki sauce. Today, I decided it was time to make the tempeh so I jumped online and found your teriyaki recipe. It was sooooo easy, but good! I put just a drop of sesame oil in a little bit of it just to see what it would taste like. It was good, too! My husband prefers liquid aminos over soy sauce so when I send him to the store, that’s what he comes back with, so I sub’d the soy sauce with liquid aminos. It was a little salty, but so good! I actually told a friend about it today when he said he was making teriyaki chicken. I told him he had to try this recipe! Will definitely be making this again! Thanks!
Deborah says
I’m so glad it was a hit!! And I am going to try the sesame oil next time – that sounds wonderful!
Amber says
We loved the sauce! I added a bit more brown sug and less honey. Also used fresh ginger. This recipie is written down for fruture use! Thank ypu for sharing!!
Deborah says
Awesome – I’m so glad you loved it!
Lori says
I love this sauce! It’s so easy to make. I stir fry chicken then add broccoli, red pepper and zuchinni. Put it all over rice and drizzle the teriyaki sauce on top. Delicious!!!!