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
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Love how flexible this is: more sugar, more soy, more cornstarch depending on what you’re in the mood for. Also very relatable about only tolerating veggies in stir fries because of the sauce. Bookmarking this so I can finally stop buying the bottled stuff.
Using orange juice instead of water to dilute the reduced-sodium soy sauce is a clever trick for adding natural sweetness and depth. I am definitely going to try this on roasted vegetables next.
Using orange juice instead of water to dilute the reduced-sodium soy sauce is such a clever way to build natural brightness and depth. Having a batch of this stored in the fridge would make weeknight stir-fries so much quicker and flavorful.
文中提到用橙汁代替清水来稀释酱油，这个巧思确实能为照烧汁增添自然的甜味与深邃的果香，避开了市售酱汁单一的咸度。除了用于经典的炒菜和腌料，其实还可以将这种自制酱汁用来制作烤蔬菜拼盘的刷酱，或者作为亚洲风味冷面沙拉的淋汁，不仅能让家常菜快速吸收风味，还能完美保持纯素和无麸质的饮食需求。
The picking out veggies “without it being too obvious” thing is so real—I did the exact same thing and thought I was being sneaky about it.
The recipe’s appeal is that homemade teriyaki sauce can be quick to make and easy to adjust for sweetness, saltiness, or thickness. ai short could turn that same quick recipe idea into a short social-video draft.
Using orange juice instead of water to dilute the soy sauce is such a clever way to add brightness without sacrificing depth. Storing a jar of this in the fridge would make weeknight meal prep so much quicker.
The orange juice instead of water is the detail that stands out—it sounds like it would add brightness and depth rather than just diluting the soy sauce. I also appreciate the clear vegan note: omit the honey and increase the coconut sugar to 1/2 cup, since honey otherwise makes the sauce non-vegan. The fresh ginger and garlic reminder is useful too, especially for a sauce where those flavors are central.
The orange juice swap for water is an interesting twist—does it actually come through as citrus, or does it just read as extra sweetness? And for the vegan version, if the honey is still in there, that’s not really vegan; I’d swap it for maple syrup and maybe dial back the coconut sugar instead of bumping it to 1/2 cup. The tamari and rice vinegar base sounds solid, though, and I’m curious how the kudzu or cornstarch holds up after chilling.
Using orange juice instead of water to dilute the reduced-sodium soy sauce is a clever way to build natural sweetness and tang without needing extra refined sugar. Freshly grated ginger and garlic definitely elevate the flavor profile compared to store-bought bottles.
The separate cornstarch-and-water step is clearly explained, and the ingredient notes make the substitutions easy to follow. Using orange juice in place of water is an interesting way to add sweetness and tang.
The orange juice instead of water is a clever touch—it must give the sauce a nice brightness that plain water wouldn’t. I usually keep tamari on hand anyway, so I’ll try that swap and maybe dial back the coconut sugar since I prefer things less sweet.
The orange juice trick is genius! I’ve made teriyaki sauce at home before but always used water like most recipes say, and I could never quite figure out why it tasted a little flat compared to restaurant versions. Definitely trying it with OJ next time.
Also really appreciate the note about fresh ginger and garlic. I’m sometimes guilty of reaching for the ground stuff when I’m feeling lazy, but you’re right that it makes a real difference in a sauce where those flavours are front and centre. And the fact that this comes together so quickly means there’s really no excuse!
Your childhood stir fry story made me laugh — I was the exact same way, except I was picking out the carrots and eating everything else. Funny how tastebuds change. Anyway, this is going straight into my weeknight dinner rotation. Thanks for sharing such an adaptable recipe!
The orange juice instead of water is a clever touch—it probably gives the sauce a nice brightness that plain water wouldn’t. I usually just grab a bottle of teriyaki from the store, but this looks simple enough that I might try making it at home. Do you find the cornstarch holds up well if the sauce is made a day or two ahead?
The orange juice instead of water tip is such a great idea! I never would have thought of that, but I can imagine how much depth it adds compared to just diluting the soy sauce. Store-bought teriyaki has always bugged me with its long ingredient list, so I love that this is all recognizable stuff. Also, your childhood veggie story made me laugh – I was the exact same way, and honestly sauce is still the reason I enjoy stir fries so much today, haha. I usually just use brown sugar when I attempt homemade sauces, so I’m curious to see how the honey and coconut sugar combo compares. And thank you for the reminder to mix the cornstarch with water first – I’ve had one too many clumpy sauce disasters from skipping that step. Definitely making a batch this weekend!
The ingredient notes make the two adaptations much clearer: certified gluten-free tamari for the gluten-free version, and extra coconut sugar instead of honey for the vegan version. For batch preparation, could you add the approximate finished yield and whether the sauce needs loosening after it has chilled?
Homemade teriyaki really is a game changer — once you taste the fresh ginger and garlic version you can never go back to the bottled stuff. I tried your ratio last night with chicken thighs and the glaze came out perfectly sticky in about ten minutes. Saving this for meal prep! It reminded me how satisfying small do-it-yourself projects are; my current one is Project Moon Life, a free browser city-life sim, which is my five-minute reset between cooking and work. Thanks for another reliable recipe!
Using orange juice instead of water is the detail that makes this one stand out — water dilutes the soy and you end up chasing the tang back with more sugar. The cornstarch slurry note matters too; skip the cold-water step and you get pale lumps instead of a glossy sauce. Nice touch keeping the honey and coconut sugar split so the vegan version still works. The only thing I’d add is a line about how long it keeps in the fridge, since this is the kind of sauce that’s worth doubling.
I love that this teriyaki sauce is easy to make gluten-free and vegan, and the story about picking veggies out of stir fries (except the carrots!) made me laugh. Having a homemade sauce ready in the fridge really does make weeknight stir fries quicker. I’m on the PhotoMerge.app team, and recipe step photos are one of the things people combine with it most. 🙂
The tip about using orange juice instead of water is interesting—I usually just dilute with water and the sauce ends up tasting a bit flat, so I want to try that swap. Does the orange flavor stay noticeable after it simmers, or does it mostly just add background sweetness?
Love that this teriyaki sauce can be made gluten-free just by swapping in tamari, since the store-bought bottles are almost always wheat-based. Do you find it keeps well in the fridge for a week or so, or does the cornstarch-thickened version start to separate? I’d love to batch it for weeknight stir fries.
I love that this is a pantry-staple sauce rather than another bottle in the fridge door. Stir fries were my childhood veggie loophole too, so this made me smile. Going to try it with tamari to keep it gluten-free.
It’s great that this teriyaki sauce recipe uses orange juice for a brighter flavor profile compared to just water. I also appreciate the clear instructions for making it both gluten-free and vegan, accommodating different dietary needs.
It’s interesting how using orange juice instead of water in the teriyaki sauce adds a nice layer of sweetness and tanginess. I also appreciate the flexibility to make it gluten-free and vegan with simple substitutions.
For what it’s worth, using orange juice instead of water to dilute the soy sauce is the kind of small swap that makes a big difference. It adds sweetness and tang without extra ingredients, plus combined with honey and coconut sugar it should provide a much rounder flavour than the bottled stuff. I like that it is gluten-free plus easily vegan too. Well done!
Used orange juice instead of water for the first time and honestly not going back, way better than the watery stuff I used to make. only thing is I still found it a bit salty even with reduced sodium soy sauce, so next time I’ll cut back a little.
I’ve been wanting to make my own teriyaki sauce for ages, and the orange juice for sweetness is such a clever touch. Quick weeknight dinners are exactly what I need right now, so this is going on the menu plan tonight. On a side note, I’ve been cleaning up my old recipe screenshots with a photo tool (the random dates and watermarks were driving me nuts) and it’s actually made my saved files much easier to browse.
This recipe for homemade teriyaki sauce sounds fantastic, especially the gluten-free and vegan options. I appreciate the tip about using orange juice for added depth and the flexibility to adjust sweetness and saltiness. It’s great to have a healthier alternative to store-bought sauces, and I’m looking forward to trying it in stir-fries.
Love that this teriyaki sauce skips the nasty ingredients and can be made gluten-free and vegan so easily. You’re right that it should be a staple for anyone who likes stir fries – having a jar ready in the fridge makes weeknight dinners so much quicker.
Six hundred comments say it all — this teriyaki sauce is a staple for a reason, and I love that it is gluten-free and vegan without sacrificing flavor. I described my own glossy stir-fry photo into Nano Banana 3 and got a clean, poster-worthy version back for my recipe binder.
The orange juice tip caught my attention since most teriyaki recipes I’ve seen just call for water. I usually have fresh ginger and garlic on hand, so I’ll try the fresh versions rather than the ground substitutes. The note about arrowroot working in place of cornstarch is helpful too.
Using orange juice instead of water is such a good idea—I usually just dilute with water and the sauce ends up tasting flat. I’m curious how the coconut sugar and honey combo holds up in a marinade overnight; does the sweetness mellow out much?
I always struggled with store-bought teriyaki sauces until now. Making it from scratch with clean ingredients sounds so much better, especially since I use it for stir-fries almost every week!
This teriyaki recipe is hitting all the right notes! I love that you called out using reduced-sodium soy sauce – that makes such a difference. I find regular soy sauce can sometimes just dominate whatever you’re making, and with teriyaki, you really want those other flavors to shine through. It reminds me of how sometimes, when I’m trying to make a quick weeknight dinner more exciting, I’ll whip up a batch of homemade sauce. It’s so much better than the bottled stuff! Speaking of quick and fun things, I stumbled across this site called Halloween Casual Games recently. They have all sorts of little browser games, from puzzles to quick arcade challenges, that are perfect for a little distraction when you need one. It’s a fun way to pass the time, kind of like how a great sauce can elevate a simple meal.
The orange juice base and separate cornstarch slurry make the sauce steps easy to follow. One detail that would help with scaling is whether the one-cup yield is measured while warm or after cooling. Could you also state whether the arrowroot substitution uses the same tablespoon amount? Those two notes would make the printed recipe easier to use without guessing at the final thickness.
The orange juice swap is such a genius tip! I never would have thought to use it instead of water, but I can totally see how that little bit of tang and sweetness would take the sauce to another level. My homemade attempts have always tasted a bit flat compared to restaurant versions, and I’m betting this is the missing piece. Also really appreciate the note about reduced-sodium soy sauce — the regular kind tends to overpower everything else going on. And your childhood veggie story made me laugh, because I was absolutely a “pick out everything except the carrots” kid too. You’ve convinced me to finally ditch the ground ginger and garlic and put in the extra effort with fresh. Planning to make a big batch this weekend for stir fries!
The ingredient notes are more useful than a bare shopping list: orange juice has a different role from plain water, and the honey-free version has its own stated quantity. Keeping these alternatives next to the main recipe helps readers avoid mixing up the two versions. Disclosure: I maintain PhotoCraft Wiki, an independent, unofficial guide to the PhotoCraft image editor; I am not affiliated with ArtCraft or Adobe.
The orange juice instead of water trick is genius! I never would have thought of that, but I can totally see how it would add a nice tang and depth that plain water just can’t. I’ve been meaning to make my own teriyaki sauce for ages because the store-bought bottles always seem to have a mile-long ingredient list full of stuff I can’t pronounce, so this post is exactly the push I needed.
Also, your childhood veggie story made me laugh — I was the exact same way at the dinner table, picking out everything except the carrots. Clearly the sauce was doing all the heavy lifting back then!
I’m curious about the fresh ginger and garlic — do you think it’s a huge difference from ground? I rarely have fresh ginger on hand, but if it’s worth it I’ll grab some. Either way, this is going straight into my stir fry rotation this week. Love that it’s so easy to adjust the sweetness and saltiness to taste too!
Using orange juice instead of water is an interesting way to add both sweetness and tang. The separate cornstarch slurry is also a useful detail for keeping the sauce smooth. I appreciate that you give a specific coconut-sugar amount for the version without honey, rather than leaving readers to guess the substitution. Does the sauce thicken noticeably as it cools?
Using orange juice instead of water is a clever way to add sweetness and depth without extra sugar, and the tip about increasing coconut sugar to 1/2 cup when omitting honey for a vegan version is genuinely useful. For anyone tracking calories while cooking at home, tools like [url=https://fitrooted.com/]FitRooted[/url] can help estimate the impact of added sweeteners.