Teriyaki Sauce Recipe
Posted Jan 18, 2026
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This easy homemade teriyaki sauce recipe is made with 7 ingredients in 15 minutes and is better than store-bought. Learn how to make teriyaki sauce that’s sweet, savory, and perfect for stir fry, marinating, etc.
This homemade teriyaki sauce recipe might be one of my favorite condiments. Whether it’s used as a marinade, brushed over grilled chicken or as the sauce in a delicious stir fry, it’s just so flavorful and delicious.
And while store-bought teriyaki sauce is convenient, nothing compares to the flavor of homemade teriyaki sauce made from simple pantry ingredients.
This homemade teriyaki sauce recipe is the one I’ve been making for years for my family because it’s so easy and so good. Once you see how quick and delicious it is to make from scratch, you may never go back to the store-bought version again.
Teriyaki Sauce Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions
I don’t suggest many substitutions in this sauce, but there are a few adjustments you can make.
- Brown sugar. granulated sugar and organic cane sugar both work well in this recipe.
- Powdered garlic and ginger. You can substitute both with freshly minced garlic and ginger.
- Cornstarch. tapioca starch or arrowroot powder both work well.
How to Make Teriyaki Sauce
Let’s discuss how to make teriyaki sauce together. We’ll walk through the process step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video if you need additional guidance.
Begin by combining all the ingredients except the cornstarch and water (which are mixed and added a little bit later) in a small or medium saucepan.
Then, whisk the ingredients together and bring the mixture to a boil. The goal here is to dissolve the brown sugar.
While the mixture is coming to a boil, combine the water and cornstarch in a small bowl.
Once the teriyaki sauce mixture is boiling, reduce the heat and whisk in the water and cornstarch mixture.
Next, bring the mixture to a boil again. Then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, whisking often, until the sauce has thickened (about 5 minutes) and lightly coats the back of a spatula.
Thickens as it cools
Be careful not to overcook the teriyaki sauce, it thickens a lot as it cools.
If you’re serving it as a sauce, pour it into a pyrex container or serving bowl to cool slightly.
Serve
You can use it as a sauce for meals like this crock pot teriyaki chicken, grilled teriyaki chicken, asian flank steak, etc.
Or you can use it to marinate meat, fish, etc. Marinate chicken and steak for 4 hours and up to overnight in the refrigerator. Marinate salmon or other fish for 30 to 60 minutes.
Store/Freeze
Store leftover sauce in an airtight container (glass jar with a lid) in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
If you’re freezing the sauce, be sure to leave space (don’t fill it all the way) for the sauce to expand as it freezes.
Teriyaki Sauce Recipe FAQS
This sauce is made of soy sauce, ginger, brown sugar, garlic, honey and the key ingredient which is mirin – a sweet Japanese cooking wine. Do not skip the mirin!
This recipe uses cornstarch to thicken the sauce. As it’s cooked the water evaporates and the cornstarch thickens the teriyaki sauce.
I do not recommend it. You can purchase mirin in every major grocery store or order it on Amazon. It’s worth waiting until you have it to make this recipe.
It can be made gluten-free by using gluten-free soy sauce.
Yes, it’s very easy to scale this recipe to make as much as you need.
If you make and love my recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, TikTok and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so I can see your creations!
Homemade Teriyaki Sauce Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar (or granulated sugar)
- 2 Tablespoons honey
- 2 Tablespoons mirin
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon powdered ginger
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 Tablespoon water
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the water, soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, mirin, garlic powder, and ginger.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking until the sugar is fully dissolved.
- While the sauce is coming to a boil, whisk the cornstarch and water together in a small bowl until smooth.
- Slowly pour the water/cornstarch into the boiling sauce while whisking constantly.
- Allow the sauce to return to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, whisking often, until thickened – it will lightly coat the back of a spatula. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
- Serve over teriyaki chicken, or use it as a marinade for chicken, fish, or beef.
Notes
- Brown sugar. granulated sugar and organic cane sugar both work well in this recipe.
- Powdered garlic and ginger. You can substitute both with freshly minced garlic and ginger.
- Cornstarch. tapioca starch or arrowroot powder both work well.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
