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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I’ve always thought store-bought versions were too sweet. Your tip about balancing the tamari and maple syrup was spot on—it made a huge difference in my batch. I found a similar focus on clean ingredients over at Nano Banana.
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Homemade teriyaki is so much better than store-bought! Once you make it yourself you never go back. I find kitchen personality types fall into two camps — the from-scratch devotees and the shortcut lovers. This recipe converts the latter.
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This recipe looks absolutely divine and so straightforward to follow! I love how you incorporated orange juice instead of just plain water; that extra tanginess sounds like the perfect touch. Thanks for sharing such a flavorful and healthy staple sauce idea!
Making this tonight — tired of checking labels on store-bought sauces just to find a bunch of stuff I can’t pronounce.
The homemade teriyaki sauce is gluten-free and vegan, making it a great staple for stir fries.
Skipping the cornstarch and just reducing it down is such a good call, the texture ends up much better than the gloopy store-bought versions. The sesame oil at the end makes a big difference too.
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This teriyaki sauce recipe looks fantastic! I love that it’s easily made gluten-free and vegan. Definitely going to give this a try instead of buying store-bought from now on.
Great recipe idea! I love that this homemade teriyaki sauce is low in fat and cholesterol. The sodium and sugar levels seem reasonable too, making it a healthier option than store-bought versions. Thanks for sharing the nutrition facts!
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Thanks for sharing this fantastic homemade teriyaki sauce recipe! It’s so refreshing to see a version that uses wholesome ingredients like orange juice and coconut sugar instead of the usual processed store-bought options. I love how you’ve made it adaptable for gluten-free and vegan diets too—it really feels like a kitchen staple.
Stumbled upon this while researching Easy Homemade Teriyaki Sauce (gluten and glad I did. Very informative!
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This is such a game changer for weeknight stir-fries!
This is such a game changer for weeknight stir-fries! Love that it is vegan-friendly too. The fact that it only takes a few minutes to make means there is really no reason to buy the pre-made stuff anymore.
Homemade teriyaki sauce is so much better than bottled and I love that this version is gluten-free! It is amazing how a few pantry staples can come together into something this flavorful. Will be making a big batch to keep in the fridge.
This homemade teriyaki sauce recipe is wonderfully simple and healthier than store‑bought versions. I appreciate the use of common pantry ingredients and the tips for adjusting sweetness and saltiness. It’s perfect for quick stir‑fries or as a marinade. Definitely a keeper for busy weeknight dinners!
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Thanks for sharing this post about Easy Homemade Teriyaki Sauce (gluten-free, vegan). I enjoyed the ideas here.
So much better than store-bought! Love that it’s both gluten-free and vegan too.
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This recipe looks amazing! I love that it’s easy to make at home and can be customized to be gluten-free and vegan. I can’t wait to try it for my next stir-fry.
This homemade teriyaki sauce recipe sounds delicious and versatile! I love that it’s easy to make gluten-free and vegan, and the tip about using orange juice instead of water is a great idea for added flavor.
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This teriyaki sauce sounds amazing! I love that it’s gluten-free and vegan – so many recipes aren’t. I’m excited to try it and ditch the store-bought stuff with all the weird ingredients. Thanks for sharing this easy recipe!
I tried the orange‑juice twist and it gave the sauce a nice tang that store versions lack, and the tip to use tamari for gluten‑free really helped my family avoid wheat.
Made this last night and it’s so much better than store-bought! Love that it’s simple to make and allergy-friendly too.
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