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!
Made this last night and it turned out amazing! So much better than store-bought.
This looks fantastic! I’ve been trying to find a good homemade teriyaki sauce recipe that’s also gluten-free and vegan, so this is perfect.
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I just made this easy homemade teriyaki sauce for a stir fry dinner and it’s amazing! I’ve been using <a href=
I just made this easy homemade teriyaki sauce for a stir fry dinner and it’s amazing! I’ve been using <a href=
This is exactly what I’ve been looking for! I’m so tired of buying teriyaki sauce from the store that’s loaded with weird additives I can’t even pronounce. The fact that you can make it gluten-free and vegan without sacrificing flavor is a game changer for my family since we have different dietary preferences. I love that you mentioned stir fries being a gateway to eating veggies – my kids are the same way, so having a quality homemade sauce will definitely make weeknight dinners easier!
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This is exactly what I’ve been looking for! I’m so tired of buying those store-bought teriyaki sauces loaded with weird additives and way too much sodium. The fact that you can make it gluten-free and vegan is a huge bonus since I’m always trying to accommodate different dietary preferences when I cook for friends. Your point about stir fries being a gateway to eating more vegetables really resonates with me—I’m definitely going to try this on my kids!
This is exactly what I’ve been looking for! I’m so tired of buying those store-bought teriyaki sauces that are loaded with stuff I can’t pronounce. The fact that you can make it at home without any nasty ingredients is a game-changer, and I love that it’s easily adaptable for both gluten-free and vegan diets. Can’t wait to try this with my stir fries this week!
This is exactly what I’ve been looking for! I’m so tired of buying bottled teriyaki sauce loaded with preservatives and ingredients I can’t even pronounce. The fact that you can easily make it gluten-free and vegan is a huge bonus since I have friends with different dietary restrictions. Your point about stir fries being a gateway to eating more vegetables really resonates with me – I’m going to try this on my kids because they’re the same way!
This is exactly what I’ve been looking for! I’m so tired of buying bottled teriyaki sauce that’s loaded with weird additives, so making it at home sounds perfect. I love that you mentioned it’s easily adaptable for gluten-free and vegan diets too – my sister is vegan and we’re always struggling to find sauces that work for both of us. Your point about stir fries being a gateway to eating vegetables really resonates with me, I’m definitely going to try this on my kids!
Once you go homemade teriyaki you really never go back! I used to buy the bottled stuff but this is so much better and surprisingly quick. I made a batch last week for a stir fry night and filmed the whole process with makeaivideo.app — the caramelization looked amazing on camera. Thanks for the gluten-free option too!
I’ve been buying bottled teriyaki sauce forever, so I’m excited to try making this homemade version! The fact that it’s naturally gluten-free and vegan makes it even better since I can finally serve it to all my friends without worrying about dietary restrictions. Your point about stir fries being a gateway to eating vegetables really resonates with me – I do the same thing with my kids now!
This teriyaki sauce recipe looks absolutely amazing! I love that it’s easy to make and avoids all those weird additives you find in store-bought versions. Plus, the fact that it’s gluten-free and vegan is a huge bonus for accommodating different dietary needs. I’m definitely going to give this a try with my next stir-fry. Thanks for sharing such a great recipe!
Really enjoyed this post. I love how you laid out the instructions so clearly. Random thought — I’ve been working on a Hytale game calculator at hytalecalc.com for players who like to plan their crafting and resources ahead of time.
This teriyaki sauce recipe sounds fantastic! I’ve been looking for a homemade version that’s both gluten-free and vegan, and it’s great to hear it’s made without “nasty ingredients.” I often find store-bought sauces are loaded with sugar or artificial flavors, so a fresh, homemade option is exactly what I need. I’m excited to try this out soon, especially since it promises to be full of flavor. Thanks for sharing such a thoughtful recipe!
This teriyaki sauce recipe sounds fantastic! I’ve been looking for a gluten-free and vegan option that doesn’t compromise on flavor, and the description makes it sound like this one hits all the marks. I appreciate the focus on using wholesome ingredients too. Can’t wait to give this a try for my next stir-fry!
This recipe sounds fantastic! I’ve been looking for a good homemade teriyaki sauce that’s both gluten-free and vegan, and it’s great to know this one is free from “nasty ingredients.” I’m always a bit wary of store-bought sauces, so making my own is definitely the way to go. I’m excited to try this out soon, especially since it promises to be full of flavor. Thanks for sharing!
This teriyaki sauce recipe sounds fantastic! I’m always looking for ways to make my favorite dishes healthier, and a homemade, gluten-free, and vegan teriyaki sauce is a game-changer. I love that it uses simple ingredients and avoids all the additives you find in store-bought versions. I’m definitely going to give this a try this week! Thanks for sharing such a great recipe.
This teriyaki sauce recipe sounds amazing! I’m always looking for healthier alternatives to store-bought sauces, and finding one that’s both gluten-free and vegan is a huge bonus. I appreciate that it uses simple, wholesome ingredients. I’m excited to try this out next time I make stir-fry. Thanks for sharing such a versatile and delicious-sounding recipe!
This is a fantastic recipe! I’ve been looking for a good homemade teriyaki sauce that caters to dietary restrictions, and this one hits all the marks. It’s so much better to know exactly what’s going into your food. I’m excited to try this out tonight for dinner. Thanks for sharing such a clear and easy-to-follow guide!
This recipe sounds fantastic! I’m always on the lookout for gluten-free and vegan options that don’t compromise on flavor, and teriyaki sauce is a staple in my kitchen. It’s great to know there’s an easy homemade version without all the unnecessary additives. I’m excited to give this a try this week!
This recipe looks fantastic! I’ve been searching for a good homemade teriyaki sauce that’s both gluten-free and vegan, and this seems to hit all the marks. I appreciate that it avoids unnecessary additives. I’m excited to try it out this weekend – thanks for sharing such a clear and well-explained recipe!
This recipe sounds fantastic! I’m always looking for ways to make my favorite sauces healthier, and finding a gluten-free and vegan teriyaki that’s also easy to make from scratch is a huge win. I can’t wait to try this out for my next stir-fry. Thanks for sharing such a great alternative to store-bought options!
This sounds like a fantastic recipe! I’m always looking for ways to make my favorite dishes healthier, and a gluten-free and vegan teriyaki sauce is a brilliant idea. I appreciate that you’ve focused on natural ingredients too. I’m excited to try this out for my next stir-fry and see how it compares to store-bought versions. Thanks for sharing!
This looks fantastic! I’ve been trying to find a good homemade teriyaki sauce recipe that’s also gluten-free and vegan, so this is perfect. It’s great to know I can make it without all those extra additives you find in store-bought versions. I’m excited to try this out next week with some stir-fry. Thanks for sharing such a clear and easy-to-follow recipe!
This is exactly what I’ve been looking for! I’m always disappointed with the sugar content in store-bought teriyaki sauces, so making my own has been on my to-do list forever. Love that you mentioned it’s easily adaptable for gluten-free and vegan diets since my partner is vegan and I have a gluten sensitivity. Can’t wait to try this on some stir fry veggies this week!
This looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it with some stir-fried vegetables tonight.
This is exactly what I’ve been looking for! I’m always disappointed by the sugar content and weird additives in store-bought teriyaki sauce, so knowing I can make a clean version at home is game-changing. Love that it’s naturally adaptable for gluten-free and vegan diets too since my family has both. Your point about stir fries being a gateway to eating more veggies really resonates with me – I’m definitely going to try this on my kids!
This is exactly what I’ve been looking for! I’m so tired of buying bottled teriyaki sauce that’s loaded with weird additives, and honestly I never realized how easy it would be to make at home. The fact that it’s naturally gluten-free and vegan is a huge bonus since I’m trying to accommodate different dietary preferences when I cook for friends. Your point about stir fries being a gateway to eating more veggies really resonates with me—I’m definitely going to try this on my kids!
This is exactly what I’ve been looking for! I’m so tired of buying teriyaki sauce with a mile-long ingredient list I can’t even pronounce. The fact that you can make it homemade without any nasty additives and easily adapt it for gluten-free and vegan diets is a game-changer for my family. I love that you mentioned stir fries being the gateway to getting kids to eat their veggies – that’s been my experience too, and now I won’t have to rely on store-bought sauce anymore!
This is exactly what I’ve been looking for! I’m so tired of buying those store-bought teriyaki sauces that are loaded with weird additives, so knowing I can make this at home easily is a game-changer. I love that it’s naturally gluten-free and vegan too since I cook for a mixed group of friends. Your point about stir fries being a way to sneak in veggies really resonates with me—I’m definitely going to use this sauce to get my kids more interested in their greens!
I’ve been making store-bought teriyaki sauce forever and honestly had no idea how easy it was to make from scratch! The fact that it can be both gluten-free and vegan is such a game-changer for me since I’m always trying to accommodate different dietary preferences when cooking for friends. Your point about stir fries being a gateway to eating vegetables really resonates with me – I’m definitely going to try this on my kids because they’re the same way with veggies!
This recipe looks amazing! I love that it’s gluten-free and vegan, and making teriyaki sauce at home sounds so easy and healthy. Can’t wait to try it out for my next meal.
This is exactly what I’ve been looking for! I’m so tired of buying those store-bought teriyaki sauces that are loaded with weird additives, so I’m definitely going to try making this at home. I love that it’s naturally vegan and gluten-free too, since that makes it way easier to accommodate everyone at dinner. Your point about stir fries being a gateway to eating veggies is so relatable – I’m totally stealing that strategy with my picky eater!
Thanks for sharing this post about Easy Homemade Teriyaki Sauce (gluten-free, vegan). I enjoyed the ideas here.
Using orange juice in teriyaki sauce is such a clever idea! I’m always looking for ways to add more flavor depth.
Using orange juice in teriyaki sauce sounds like a game-changer! I’m always looking for ways to add more depth to my sauces.
I like that this recipe uses honey and coconut sugar for sweetness, which sounds more complex than just using white sugar. I’m curious to try it as a marinade for tofu, since stir-fries have been covered.
Using orange juice instead of water is a pro move, definitely trying that next time. Way better than the bottled stuff.