This easy homemade teriyaki sauce is made with just three ingredients and is ready in only 10 minutes! Pair this simple Japanese teriyaki sauce in stir fries with any protein and vegetable or use as a marinade, dip, or glaze!
This homemade teriyaki sauce is easy, authentic, and best of all, made with just three ingredients! It's based off of my mom's recipe for authentic Japanese teriyaki sauce. I think you'll find it to be the best homemade teriyaki sauce!
Japanese teriyaki sauce is traditionally made without cornstarch and thickened by reducing the sauce on the stove until it's sticky and syrupy, similar in consistency to honey or maple syrup.
This easy homemade teriyaki sauce can be used with any protein - salmon, beef, chicken, tofu, pork, or shrimp! My favorite is to pair this with chicken teriyaki and use the sauce as a glaze.
Once you try this simple, easy recipe for homemade teriyaki sauce, you'll never want to buy it again! It's thick, syrupy, and tastes just like it's from a Japanese restaurant!
Ingredients
- Soy sauce - I used low sodium soy sauce as I find regular soy sauce to be too salty in this recipe.
- Mirin - This is what gives this recipe an authentic Japanese flavor. Mirin adds subtle sweetness and acidity to this sauce.
- Sugar - I prefer using white granulated sugar for it's clean flavor but you can use brown sugar or honey if you prefer.
How to make teriyaki sauce
- Add all the ingredients to a sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Once it boils, reduce the heat to medium and let it reduce until it's thickened to your liking.
- To check the thickness, drop a small amount of sauce onto a plate and let it cool. Run your finger or spoon through it to check the consistency.
- If it's too thin, boil longer. If it's too thick, add a teaspoon of water at a time.
- Let the sauce cool then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
How to use teriyaki sauce
- Stir fries: Add the sauce at the end once your protein and vegetables are cooked.
- Glaze: Apply at the end and be sure to watch carefully as it can easily burn due to the sugar.
- Dip: Great for dumplings, chicken tenders, wings, lettuce wraps, egg rolls, etc.
- Teriyaki chicken, beef, or shrimp - Add the sauce during the last 2 minutes of cooking as it's already thickened.
- Marinade - Great for marinating any proteins! Brush on meats on the grill or oven.
Recipe Tips
- Lower the heat once the sauce comes to a boil. This is to prevent the sauce from boiling over which can happen if the heat is too high.
- It took me about 6 to 8 minutes for the sauce to thicken. The high sugar content can cause it to burn quickly so watch carefully.
You can substitute sake or white wine with a teaspoon of extra sugar as mirin is slightly sweet.
You can substitute brown sugar, honey, or agave.
Though not traditional, you can use cornstarch to thicken the sauce. Mix 2 teaspoons of cornstarch with 2 Tablespoons of water. Add this mixture once the sugar has fully dissolved and the teriyaki sauce comes to a boil. Continue stirring until the sauce thickens.
I hope you enjoy this recipe! Please share, rate, or comment below. I'd love to hear from you!
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Thanks so much for stopping by! 🧡 -Jamie
More sauce recipes:
3 Ingredient Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
☑ Ingredients
- ⅓ cup low sodium soy sauce
- ⅓ cup mirin - see Notes for substitutions
- ⅓ cup sugar
Instructions
- Boil: Add all the ingredients to a sauce pan and heat over medium high heat uncovered. Once it comes to a boil, lower to medium heat and let it gently boil until it's thickened and reduced to your liking. Keep an eye on it as it can burn due to the high sugar content.
- Check thickness: To test that it's thickened properly, drop a small amount of sauce onto a plate and let it cool. Check to see if it's reduced enough to your liking by running a spoon or finger through it.If it's too thin, boil for longer. If it's too thick, add a teaspoon of water at a time.
- Store: Allow the sauce to cool then store in an airtight container in the fridge. Use within 5 days. This makes about ⅔ cup of sauce.
How to use teriyaki sauce:
- Stir fries: Add the sauce at the end once your protein and vegetables are cooked.
- Glaze: Apply at the end and be sure to watch carefully as it can easily burn due to the sugar.
- Dip: Great for dumplings, chicken tenders, wings, lettuce wraps, egg rolls, etc.
✎ Recipe Notes
- This makes about ⅔ cup of sauce.
- Store in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Mirin - Substitute with sake or white wine with 1 teaspoon of sugar since mirin is slightly sweet.
- Soy sauce - For a gluten free version, substitute with tamari or liquid aminos.
- Sugar - Substitute with honey, brown sugar, or agave.
- 1 teaspoon - grated ginger or garlic
- 1 teaspoon - sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon - rice wine vinegar for more tang and acidity
- 1 teaspoon - red pepper flakes for spicy teriyaki sauce
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is an estimate, calculated using online tools.
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