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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This sounds amazing! I love the idea of a homemade teriyaki sauce, especially one that’s easy and doesn’t have any nasty ingredients. Plus, making it gluten-free and vegan is such a bonus. Can’t wait to try this recipe out!
I’ve been searching for a clean teriyaki sauce recipe for a while now, and this one looks perfect. Most store-bought brands are filled with additives, so a gluten-free and vegan version is exactly what I need for my meal prep. I love the story about how stir-fries helped you eat your veggies as a kid—it’s such a relatable way to get those greens in! I’m definitely trying this out with some tofu and broccoli tonight. Having a quick, healthy staple like this in the recipe book is a total game-changer for busy weeknights. Thanks for sharing!
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This teriyaki sauce looks fantastic—simple, flavorful, and I love that it’s gluten-free and vegan too. Homemade sauces always taste so much better than store-bought, and I appreciate recipes that use everyday ingredients without unnecessary additives. I’m always on the lookout for easy, reliable kitchen tips like this, whether it’s for cooking or just finding practical resources online. For anyone interested, I also came across switchfirmware.org/ recently, which is a helpful site for switch firmware downloads. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
I tried this with the orange juice instead of water, and it really does add a nice tangy layer. The combo of honey and coconut sugar gave it a deeper sweetness than plain sugar alone. I swapped in arrowroot for the cornstarch and it thickened up just fine. Good tip on the reduced-sodium tamari too—I used regular soy sauce the first time and it was way too salty.
I tried this teriyaki sauce last night and was pleasantly surprised by how easy it came together. The orange juice trick is genius—it really adds a nice tangy depth that store-bought stuff lacks. I used tamari to keep it gluten-free and it worked perfectly.
I appreciate that this recipe avoids all the junk in store-bought sauces. The fresh ginger and garlic make a noticeable difference—took it from okay to really tasty.
The orange juice instead of water is a great twist—I tried it and it really adds a nice tang without being too sweet. Also good call on the reduced-sodium soy sauce; the regular stuff can be overwhelming.
I’ve always thought store-bought versions were too sweet. great!!!
This homemade teriyaki sauce recipe looks so good, I might just skip the takeout and have a DIY Japanese feast tonight. My wok is ready, but my spice tolerance might need a teriyaki-powered upgrade!
Just made this for a stir-fry tonight and the fresh ginger really makes the difference! Love that it uses everyday pantry staples and comes together so quickly. Thanks for the gluten-free tamari tip — saving this one for sure.
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Thanks for sharing this fantastic homemade teriyaki sauce recipe!So great!!!
This sounds fantastic! I love the idea of making teriyaki sauce at home, especially knowing it’s easy and free from nasty ingredients. The fact that it’s also gluten-free and vegan makes it perfect for so many different diets. Can’t wait to try this flavourful recipe!
This teriyaki sauce recipe looks absolutely delicious! I love that it’s both gluten-free and vegan-friendly. Can’t wait to try making it at home and see how it compares to store-bought versions. Thanks for sharing this easy recipe!