Teriyaki Sauce

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Teriyaki Sauce in a small bowl

If you like the sweet and savory flavor of teriyaki, you’ll love how easy it is to make this homemade Teriyaki Sauce using ingredients you already have at home.

Around our house, there are sauces we buy and sauces we make. For a long time, teriyaki was planted firmly in the “we buy” camp. But a few years ago, I discovered that it’s actually one of the easiest Asian-style sauces to make at home and uses ingredients that we almost always have in the pantry.

pouring sauce into a small bowl

Teriyaki sauce is also one of those things that is legitimately better when made from scratch. Instead of just tasting sweetness (which is all I taste now in those bottled sauces), this version has depth and tanginess and a hint of tart spice from fresh ginger.

(And even though I love the flavor of fresh ginger here, I’ll tell you a little secret….if you don’t add it, the sauce is still great.)

Teriyaki Sauce, garlic and ginger on a wooden board

Once a jar of this teriyaki sauce is in your fridge, you’ll find so many uses for it! I’ve got one of my favorites coming at ya later this week. Hope it’s off to a good start friends!

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Teriyaki Sauce
4.80 from 5 votes

Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

Homemade is so much better than store-bought when it comes to Teriyaki Sauce. This recipe is a staple in our fridge - comes together fast and is all the excuse we need to make a noodle bowl or stir-fry for dinner.
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
Servings: 1 cup

Equipment

  • Saucepan
  • Whisk

Ingredients 

  • 1/2 cup and 2 Tbsp Water, divided
  • 1/4 cup Light Brown Sugar, packed
  • 1/4 cup Soy Sauce (I typically use low-sodium, but any kind will work)
  • 1 tsp Rice Vinegar
  • 2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp grated Fresh Ginger (optional; see note)
  • 2 tsp Cornstarch

Instructions 

  • In a small saucepan combine ½ cup Water, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and ginger. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
  • While the sauce is coming to a simmer, whisk together cornstarch and 2 Tbsp water.
  • When sauce is simmering, slowly add cornstarch / water mixture while whisking. Simmer sauce until thick, 5 to 7 minutes.
  • Use immediately in a stir-fry or drizzled over noodles or rice. Sauce can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Notes

Fresh ginger will add a hint of spiciness to the finished sauce. If you don’t have fresh ginger, 1/4 tsp ground ginger will work. You can also skip the ginger entirely if you prefer.

Nutrition

Serving: 3g | Calories: 270kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 3263mg | Potassium: 196mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 54g | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef
Cost: $1.50
Calories: 270
Keyword: stir fry, teriyaki
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We made our first batch of pumpkin muffins of the fall season! These ladies give them two muffin-filled thumbs up. This recipe is our favorite.

two little girls at a table eating muffins

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About Jess Smith

Jess is the recipe creator and photographer at InquiringChef.com. She spent nearly a decade as the Chief Recipe Developer for the award-winning meal planning app Cook Smarts. Her colorful, healthyish recipes have been featured in popular online publications including Parade, Hallmark, and HuffPost.

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6 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    loved this recipe. I used coconut sugar and liquid aminos, turned out SOO GOOD!!!! I love the garlic and ginger flavors!

  2. 5 stars
    I’m a fan of Asian-style food. Your recipe is creative. I will try it tonight.

  3. 4 stars
    Thank you! I’ve been trying to find teriyaki sauce that doesn’t use mirin or sake. This is very helpful, I will try this recipe.