An easy homemade teriyaki sauce that’s full of flavour and made without any nasty ingredients! Easily made gluten-free and vegan, it’s so good that you’ll never go back to store-bought.
I’ve got a quickie for you guys today!
Well, a quick recipe. And an easy one. And one I feel like should be a staple in everyone’s recipe books… at least if you like stir fries. Which I do.
Actually, stir fries were one of the only ways my mom could get me to eat vegetables as a child… and even then I’d do my best to pick out as many veggies as I could without it being too obvious. Except the carrots. Carrots were okay in my books.
Looking back at it, though, I’m pretty sure the only reason I tolerated veggies in stir fries were because they were covered in sauce. Homemade teriyaki sauce…
How To Make Healthy Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
It’s so quick and easy that I’m betting you never go back to the store-bought kind! So let’s start by talking about what goes into the sauce:
- I like to used a reduced-sodium soy sauce because I find the regular kind a little too overpoweringly salty for my tastes, and even so, the sauce is still pretty salty. And because most soy sauces contain wheat, be sure to use a certified gluten-free tamari if you need this sauce to be gluten-free.
- Most teriyaki sauce recipes call for water to dilute the soy sauce, but I like to use orange juice instead. I find it adds some extra sweetness, tanginess, and depth to the flavour.
- For sweetness, I use a combination of honey and coconut sugar because I find it gives the best taste and texture. If you need this sauce to be vegan, you can just use coconut sugar, but you need to increase the amount to 1/2 cup (100 g).
- Rice vinegar. Used mostly to balance out the sweetness. If you don’t have rice vinegar, you can substitute with apple cider.
- I know it’s a little bit of extra work, but fresh ginger and garlic really do make a difference. If you don’t have them on hand, you can use 1/2 tsp of each, ground.
- Cornstarch is used to thicken the sauce, otherwise it would be super runny instead of nice and saucy. Combine it with a tablespoon of water before adding it to the sauce just to get any clumps out and make sure it’s nice and smooth. And if you’re avoiding corn, arrowroot works fine as well.
See? All good stuff and none of the nasties that you often find in store-bought sauces.
Okay, But What’s It Like?
Salty. Sweet. Tangy… Saucy? There’s really not much else to say about a sauce.
I made a few different versions of this sauce and these quantities ended up being my favourite, but your tastebuds probably differ from mine so don’t be afraid to do some experimenting! Want a sweeter sauce? Add more sugar. Saltier? Add a few more splashes of soy sauce. Thicker? More cornstarch. That’s one of the best things about making things at home! Well, that and it lets you avoid a lot of the preservatives that end up in store-bought sauces.
As for how to use this sauce, my favourite is obviously in a stir fries (I’ve got a recipe coming up for you guys soon!), but it also works great as a marinate. I hope you love it!
Happy eating!
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easy homemade teriyaki sauce
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari*
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) orange juice
- 1/4 cup (80 g) honey**
- 2 Tbsp (24 g) coconut sugar**
- 1 Tbsp (15 ml) rice vinegar
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp (7 g) cornstarch***
- 1 Tbsp (15 ml) water
Instructions
- In a small saucepan set over medium heat, combine the soy sauce, orange juice, honey, sugar, vinegar, ginger, and garlic. Bring it to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally.
- In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and water, mixing until smooth. Add this mixture to the sauce, stirring occasionally, until the sauce begins to thicken, about 1 minute.
- Remove the sauce from the heat and let it cool completely before transferring it to a sealed container and storing in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Use as desired.
Notes
* Use a certified gluten-free tamari if you need this to be gluten-free. I also recommend using a reduced-sodium version so that you have more control over how salty it is.
** Omit the honey and increase the sugar to 1/2 cup (100 g) if you need this sauce to be vegan.
*** You can use arrowroot powder instead.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
Looking for more tasty vegan recipes? Try one of these!
Healthy Vegan Mac & Cheese
Loaded Sweet Potato Nachos
Instant Pot Black Bean Burrito Bowls
*Disclosure: Some of the links included in this post may be affiliate links, meaning I’ll earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I personally use and believe will add value to my readers. Thank you so much for helping support Spoons!
This homemade teriyaki sauce recipe sounds fantastic!Great!！！
i always struggled with store-bought teriyaki flavor
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Quick question — does this approach still work if the conditions are slightly different? I’d love to see a follow-up on that.
This homemade teriyaki sauce recipe is fantastic! Love that it uses simple pantry ingredients and comes together so quickly. Perfect for weeknight dinners!
This homemade teriyaki sauce recipe sounds fantastic! I love that it’s gluten-free and vegan, making it accessible for many. The combination of orange juice and honey for sweetness sounds delicious. I’m excited to try this for my next stir-fry!
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The fresh ginger in this teriyaki sauce is such a nice touch\u2014it really makes a difference compared to the store-bought versions. I’ve been looking for a gluten-free and vegan option that doesn’t compromise on flavor, and this one hits all the right notes. Thanks for sharing such a simple yet versatile recipe!
Love this homemade teriyaki sauce recipe! There’s something so satisfying about making things from scratch at home. I do find myself getting lost in recipe sites though, scrolling way longer than intended.
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Do you have any other quick sauces you rely on when you’re in the kitchen?
This homemade teriyaki sauce sounds delicious! I love that it uses simple pantry ingredients and fresh ginger — so much better than store-bought. I can’t wait to try it with grilled chicken and veggies this week. Thanks for sharing!
This homemade teriyaki sauce sounds like the perfect balance of salty and sweet. I love that it uses simple pantry ingredients and fresh ginger. I’m already planning to use it on grilled chicken and veggies this week. Thanks for sharing such a clean and easy recipe!
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This teriyaki sauce recipe is a total game-changer — I finally stopped reaching for that sad bottle in the back of my fridge!
This teriyaki sauce is exactly what I needed — so simple and full of flavor! I love that it’s made with clean ingredients I already have on hand. Can’t wait to try it on some stir-fry this week.
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This teriyaki sauce recipe is exactly what I needed. So simple and delicious!
I’ve been wanting to make my own teriyaki sauce instead of buying the bottled kind, and this recipe looks perfect. Love that it’s made with simple pantry staples and still packs so much flavor. Can’t wait to try it on some grilled chicken and veggies this week!
Love this clean teriyaki sauce recipe!
This recipe looks super approachable, especially for beginners. Simple ingredients but really rich flavor, which reminds me how small tweaks can make a big difference
I appreciate the recipe, but I’m curious about the trade-off. Using coconut aminos instead of soy sauce definitely makes it gluten-free, but doesn’t that significantly alter the classic salty-sweet flavor profile? I’ll have to try this version from Nano Banana Pro to see how it compares.
I’ve been looking for a teriyaki sauce recipe that doesn’t rely on too much refined sugar, and this version with honey and ginger looks perfect. The consistency in your photos is exactly what I’m aiming for—thick enough to glaze but still smooth.
As a developer who deals with complex 3D geometries and spatial logic (mcshapes), I actually find the ‘chemistry’ of sauce-making quite similar—it’s all about getting the ratios and the timing just right for the perfect result. Can’t wait to try this on some grilled salmon tonight. Thanks for the clear instructions!