This homemade teriyaki sauce is sweet, savory, and ridiculously easy to make with just a few simple ingredients! Use it as a glaze, marinade, dipping sauce, or stir-fry sauce to elevate all your favorite meals. Perfect for chicken, beef, shrimp, vegetables, or rice bowls, and ready in just 10 minutes.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy – Ready in about 10 minutes with pantry staples.
- Versatile – Use as a sauce, marinade, glaze, or drizzle.
- Customizable – Adjust sweetness, thickness, or add extra flavor like sesame oil or pineapple juice.
- No artificial ingredients – Made from scratch with fresh flavors.
Ingredients
- 1 cup water (divided)
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce (or gluten-free tamari)
- 3–4 tbsp light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ tsp ground ginger (or 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Optional Add-ins:
- Splash of sesame oil, mirin, or rice vinegar
- Pineapple juice for a tropical twist
How to Make Teriyaki Sauce
- Combine the base ingredients:
In a small saucepan over medium heat, mix ¾ cup water, soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, garlic, and ginger. - Make the cornstarch slurry:
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the remaining ¼ cup water with the cornstarch until smooth. - Thicken the sauce:
Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the saucepan. Bring to a light simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce begins to thicken. - Adjust consistency:
- Too thick? Add 1 tbsp water at a time.
- Too thin? Whisk in an extra teaspoon of cornstarch.
- Serve or store:
Enjoy warm over meats, vegetables, rice, or noodles. Store leftovers in a sealed jar or container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Tips for the Best Teriyaki Sauce
- Marinade option: If using as a marinade, skip the cornstarch.
- Flavor boost: Add a pinch of chili flakes, a splash of rice vinegar, or sesame oil.
- Sweetener swap: Use all honey if you prefer a lighter sweetness.
- Storage: Sauce can be refrigerated and used multiple nights in a row—perfect for meal prep!
Ways to Use Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
- Baked teriyaki chicken bowls
- Teriyaki chicken wings
- Stir-fried vegetables or noodles
- Teriyaki meatballs
- Steak or shrimp marinade
Quick Notes
- Total time: 10 minutes
- Servings: 8
- Prep time: 5 minutes
- Cook time: 5 minutes
This sweet and savory homemade teriyaki sauce is so easy, flavorful, and versatile—you’ll want to make a batch every week!