Simple Teriyaki Sauce Recipe

Once you try making this homemade teriyaki sauce, youll never reach for the store-bought versions again. This tangy, sweet, and rich sauce is perfect for glazing, marinating, or dipping. The best part? You only need a handful of common pantry ingredients like soy sauce and brown sugar to whip it up.

Teriyaki refers to a Japanese cooking style where proteins and vegetables are glazed with a thick, savory-sweet sauce. The term loosely translates to glossy broil, which reflects the shiny, bold flavor profile that defines the dish. Teriyaki sauce is incredibly versatile it works wonders as a marinade, a basting sauce, or even a dip for your favorite dishes like stir-fries, steaks, and seafood.

Lets dive into how to make your own teriyaki sauce, what ingredients youll need, and how to store it.

What is Teriyaki Sauce?

Teriyaki sauce is a key element in Japanese cuisine, known for its balance of sweet and savory flavors. Traditional versions include soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and sake. Western adaptations often add ingredients like honey, garlic, and ginger for extra flavor. Cornstarch is typically used as a thickener in the sauce, so it sticks beautifully to your food.

Ingredients for Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

• 1 cup water
• cup soy sauce
• 5 teaspoons packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon honey (adjust to taste)
• teaspoon ground ginger
• teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• cup cold water

How to Make Teriyaki Sauce

Follow these simple steps to make your own teriyaki sauce:

1. Step 1: Gather all the ingredients you'll need.
2. Step 2: In a saucepan, combine 1 cup of water, soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, ground ginger, and garlic powder. Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook until the mixture is nearly heated through, about 1 minute.
3. Step 3: In a separate cup, mix the cornstarch with cup of cold water. Stir until fully dissolved.
4. Step 4: Slowly add the cornstarch mixture to the saucepan, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
5. Step 5: Continue cooking and stirring for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency.
6. Step 6: Remove the sauce from heat and allow it to cool before using.

Its as simple as that! You now have a flavorful, homemade teriyaki sauce ready for glazing, marinating, or as a dipping sauce for your favorite dishes.

How to Store Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

If you have any leftover sauce, store it in an airtight in the refrigerator. It should last for up to a week. Just be mindful that added ingredients like garlic or fresh herbs can shorten its shelf life.

What the Community is Saying

Many home cooks have praised this simple recipe for its versatility and flavor:

"I have no complaints with this recipe," says Ashley. "Used it to switch up leftovers. Perfect sweet-salty balance and super simple."

"Great basic stir-fry sauce!" raves Jumpiwan. "Just what I was looking for. You can go any which way from here sweeter, spicier, thicker, or thinner, but this sauce is great just the way it is."

"This recipe saved my life tonight!" says Sherri. "My bottle of store-bought sauce got knocked off the counter and shattered. Almost every teriyaki sauce recipe I found had ingredients not in my pantry. This recipe uses ingredients I always have on hand."

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (1 tablespoon):

Nutrition	Amount
Calories	20
Total Fat	0g
Saturated Fat	0g
Cholesterol	0mg
Sodium	293mg
Total Carbohydrates	5g
Dietary Fiber	0g
Total Sugars	3g
Protein	0g
Vitamin C	0mg
Calcium	4mg
Iron	0mg
Potassium	28mg