Learn how to make Teriyaki Sauce to give your weekly meal plan a sweet and spicy kick. This easy homemade sauce is perfect on meats, veggies, noodles, and rice, and it’s ready in about 15 minutes.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!
Teriyaki Sauce can transform the most boring meals into something fun and delicious. Whether you have a package of chicken breast in the freezer or a head cauliflower rolling around in your crisper drawer, Teriyaki Sauce is here to spice things up.
I love this recipe because it’s super simple and comes together fast. That means a homemade meal on the table on the busiest weeknights, and you’ll love it.
My favorite combination is chicken (skillet-poached or leftover), baked rice, and roasted broccoli. Or my freezer-friendly teriyaki chicken bowl. Drizzle with teriyaki and grab your chopsticks: dinner is done!
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Mirin: Japanese cooking wine. It’s widely available at grocery stores, Target, and Walmart.
- Ginger: If you don’t use a lot of ginger, you can store the whole root in the freezer, as-is. You can also grate it and freeze it in ice cube trays. Some grocery stores also sell tubes of grated ginger in the produce area and tiny cubes of ginger in the freezer section.
Step-by-step instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine soy sauce, sugar, water, mirin, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to simmer. Remove 2 tablespoons sauce to a small bowl and whisk in cornstarch.
- Return to the saucepan and continue simmering until the sauce thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in honey, and cool to room temperature, or cover and refrigerate for up to one week. Bring to room temperature before using.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes about 1 cup teriyaki sauce. Feel free to double the recipe to feed more or have leftovers.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Teriyaki chicken marinade: For every 2 chicken breasts (about 1 ½ pounds), use ¼ cup teriyaki sauce. Marinade at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or up to 1 hour. Grill or sauté the chicken breasts and serve with extra teriyaki sauce on the side.
How to Make Teriyaki Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons mirin (see note 1)
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger grated (from one 6-inch piece, peeled, see note 2)
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon honey or agave
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, combine soy sauce, sugar, water, mirin, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to simmer.
- Remove 2 tablespoons sauce to a small bowl and whisk in cornstarch. Return to the saucepan and continue simmering until the sauce thickens slightly, about 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat, stir in honey, and cool to room temperature, or cover and refrigerate for up to one week. Bring to room temperature before using.
Notes
- Mirin: Japanese cooking wine. It’s widely available at grocery stores, Target, and Walmart.
- Ginger: If you don’t use a lot of ginger, you can store the whole root in the freezer, as-is. You can also grate it and freeze it in ice cube trays. Some grocery stores also sell tubes of grated ginger in the produce area and tiny cubes of ginger in the freezer section.
- Yield: This recipe makes about 1 cup teriyaki sauce. Feel free to double the recipe to feed more or have leftovers.
- Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Teriyaki chicken marinade: For every 2 chicken breasts (about 1 ½ pounds), use ¼ cup teriyaki sauce. Marinade at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or up to 1 hour. Grill or sauté the chicken breasts and serve with extra teriyaki sauce on the side.