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.
Veronica Cain says
I just made to use for a large church dinner so I quadrupled the recipe, then added more soy sauce and a little water. The flavor is intense and delicious. My pot boiled over so it’s not as thick as I’d like but I will reheat before I use as a sauce for chicken lo mein. And the it should thicken up. Thanks!
Diane says
I made it today and used it to season wok stir-fried noodles. So good!
It took 5-6 minutes of whisking the ingredients over med-high heat to douse the bubbles, deepen the sauce to a dark, rich brown, thicken it to a perfect consistency, and meld all the flavors after adding the water-cornstarch mixture.
I cut the packed brown sugar to 4T, used 1.5T honey and it was plenty sweet for me.
I like knowing making it from scratch means one less store-bought glass bottle to buy and recycle..
Thanks Deborah!
Sandra Meltzer says
This is a really delicious recipe. I made it on the spur of the moment. Everyone loved it. I used it with stir fry and tofu with rice. We’re all looking forward to having it again.
Robbin says
It is very easy and flavorful but it was too sweet for me so I added more of everything else and then it turned out very nice.
Liam W. says
Good recipe, but I found it’s missing something. Needs a touch of sourness.
I added 1 Tablespoon of Rice Wine Vinegar and it made all the difference.
Steven McKegney says
Wow…..amazing recipe!!!!! A must try. Absolutely perfect beef stir fry!
Polly says
This is Devine.. I chop up chicken thighs and coat in corn flour and fry with a bit of oil in pan, once cooked I coat in this teriyaki sauce serve with salad with pickled ginger and rice..family favourite!
Kathleen S says
This turned out AWESOME! I did sub 1/2 orange juice for the water for a bit extra flavor and all in all super yum!
Rebecca Y. says
I’ve made this sauce using this recipie. My daughter and i love it! So muchso, that my daugter could just drink it if i let her!
So easy and quick to make. Thanks for sharing. 🙏🌻
John says
Finally a teriyaki sauce that isn’t too salty! So good!
Natalie Blakey says
Perfect! Thanks for this. I added a dash of apple cider vinegar as it was quite sweet and it was spot on. Thanks again!!
Crystal D. says
Made this for family and friends last night. EVERYONE loved it (even my super-picky eater who is 11 and hates just about everything I cook)!!! This will be a permanent recipe for our family. Quick. Simple. Easy. Delicious!
Deborah says
This makes me so happy – I’m so glad it was loved by all!
Christine Colby says
Perfect!!!!!!
KAT says
How long does it last in fridge?
Deborah says
It should be good for 5-7 days.
Jessie says
This has become my go to teriyaki recipe! I work for an assisted living and recently made teriyaki wings and they loved it!
Melissa Tump says
We doubled the recipe for a large family and it worked beautifully and tasted delicious