This homemade teriyaki sauce is a blend of soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and sesame oil, all simmered together to make a sweet and savory condiment. Teriyaki sauce is great as a marinade or brushed over grilled chicken, meat and vegetables.

My family loves Japanese food including restaurant classics such as yakitori, shrimp tempura roll, and any dish that involves teriyaki sauce. I often keep a jar of this sauce in my fridge for quick and easy meal options.

This homemade teriyaki sauce is a blend of soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and sesame oil, all simmered together to make a sweet and savory condiment. This homemade teriyaki sauce is a blend of soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and sesame oil, all simmered together to make a sweet and savory condiment.

A jar of teriyaki sauce shown next to a plate of vegetables and chicken.

In my opinion, homemade sauces and seasonings taste way better than the store bought versions. My teriyaki sauce is packed with flavor, and best of all, takes just minutes to put together.

What is teriyaki sauce made of?

This staple sauce contains basic ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen.

  • Soy Sauce: I recommend using low sodium soy sauce, as this will give you greater control over the salt level of the finished sauce. You can always add a pinch of salt later if you feel that you need it. If you need to make your teriyaki sauce gluten free, use tamari sauce instead of soy sauce.
  • Brown Sugar: This adds the classic sweetness associated with this sauce, as well as depth of flavor.
  • Garlic: Fresh garlic is best here. You want to mince it as finely as possible, or use a garlic press to make short work of the chopping task.
  • Ginger: Again, go for the fresh stuff. The ginger can be finely minced, or grated with a microplane.
  • Honey: I find that the honey and brown sugar sweetener combination makes the sauce more flavorful.
  • Sesame Oil: Choose toasted sesame oil whenever possible, as it tends to have a stronger flavor.

Glass bowls of ingredients including soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic and ginger.

How do you make teriyaki sauce?

Place all of the sauce ingredients in a pan, then bring the mixture to a simmer. Whisk together corn starch with cold water, then slowly pour the corn starch into the sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil to activate the corn starch. Cook until the sauce is just thickened, then use right away or store for later use.

A pan of soy sauce, garlic, ginger, brown sugar and honey.

Tips for the perfect sauce

  • Be sure to slowly mix the corn starch into the sauce, because if you pour it in all at once it may clump up. If you have any clumps of corn starch in the sauce, simply strain the sauce before use.
  • Teriyaki sauce will stay fresh in the fridge for up to one week and can be frozen for two months.
  • Use this sauce to marinate meats, or simply grill your meat and brush the sauce on during the last few minutes of the cook time. This sauce also works great for stir fries, or serve a drizzle of it over steamed rice.
  • This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled if you’re serving a crowd or simply want to always have some sauce on hand.

A whisk in a pan of teriyaki sauce.

Flavor Variations

While this recipe is great as-is, you can add other ingredients to make the flavors your own.

  • Tropical Sauce:  Substitute pineapple juice for water for a tropical flavor, and reduce the amount of brown sugar by 2 teaspoons.
  • Spicy Sauce: Stir in sriracha or crushed red pepper flakes to taste.
  • Double Sesame Sauce: Add a few teaspoons of toasted sesame seeds to the sauce.

Teriyaki sauce on diced chicken served with rice and vegetables.

Once you try this homemade sauce, you’ll never go back to the store bought variety again!

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5 from 13 votes

Teriyaki Sauce

AuthorSara Welch
A jar of teriyaki sauce shown next to a plate of vegetables and chicken.
This homemade teriyaki sauce is a blend of soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and sesame oil, all simmered together to make a sweet and savory condiment. Teriyaki sauce is great as a marinade or brushed over grilled chicken, meat and vegetables.
Time
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course Sauce
Cuisine Asian
Serves 4

Ingredients 

  • 1/4 cup soy sauce low sodium
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon corn starch

Instructions 

  • Place the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, honey and sesame oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer.
  • Whisk the corn starch with 2 tablespoons of cold water until dissolved. Slowly add the corn starch mixture to the sauce and boil for 1-2 minutes or until sauce has thickened, stirring occasionally.
  • Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to one week.

Nutrition

Calories: 78kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 715mg | Potassium: 43mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg

Hello! I’m Sara!

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This is an easy and quick recipe that is delicious. The only thing I did to it was add an ounce or two of scotch or Apple cider vinegar to help the marinade penetrate and break down the protein a little quicker.

  2. 5 stars
    Not only was this super quick and easy, but I love that this is homemade without all the additives and preservatives of a store bought version! Definitely, a new favorite!

  3. 5 stars
    Love that you can make this gluten-free, since teriyaki sauce typically isn’t. It looks so easy, and the spicy variation sounds too good!

  4. 5 stars
    This teriyaki sauce turned out to be so flavorful and easy to make!! I also loved that I could control the ingredients and amount of sugar in the recipe!

  5. 5 stars
    I love a good homemade sauce, so much better than store bought! Iโ€™ve made teriyaki chicken with this sauce and it was so delicious!

  6. 5 stars
    Such a delicious sauce that is so simple to make! No need to buy a premade one, will this teriyaki sauce with chicken!

  7. 5 stars
    My family loves teriyaki sauce, I’d love to make it from scratch. I’ve got all the ingredients and can’t wait to give this a shot!

  8. 5 stars
    Teriyaki sauce is a must have in the refrigerator for quick meal ideas. Thrilled to find this recipe so I can make it from scratch!

  9. 5 stars
    There is nothing better than any homemade sauce. And this one is no exception. It is SO good. Never buying store-bought again!