Teriyaki Sauce Recipe

I love making this homemade teriyaki sauce to take my food over the top. I use soy sauce, mirin, sake, and honey whisked together in a bowl. It takes less than 5 minutes, requires no cooking, and keeps in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.

This teriyaki is one of the most versatile sauces I make because it works on just about anything: chicken, beef, pork, vegetables, stir-fries, and rice bowls. If you want to expand your sauce collection, my lemon caper butter sauce and my chicken pan sauce recipe are two more staples that I know you will love.

Teriyaki Sauce

Teriyaki sauce is said to have been created by Japanese immigrants in Hawaii who combined soy sauce, pineapple, and brown sugar to make a sweet and savory glaze for grilled meats. The word “teriyaki” comes from the Japanese words “teri,” meaning shine or luster, and “yaki,” meaning grill or broil. Today, teriyaki sauce is one of the most widely used Asian sauces in American home cooking, appearing in stir-fries, marinades, glazes, and dipping sauces. While there are now many store-bought versions, homemade teriyaki is remarkably simple and tastes significantly better.

Making this sauce at home is as simple as it gets. I simply add soy sauce, mirin, sake, and honey to a bowl and whisk until combined. Yes, that is the entire recipe Ha!. When you want to use it, just pull it out of the refrigerator and pour it straight into a pan with your protein.

You can also enhance the base recipe by adding ginger, garlic, onion powder, or a splash of rice vinegar for more complexity. I make a big batch every couple of weeks and keep it in a jar in the refrigerator so it is ready whenever I need it. I hope you give this easy teriyaki sauce recipe a try.

Ingredients and Substitutions

This sauce has four ingredients. The balance of salty, sweet, and savory is what makes it work.  Here are the most basic ingredients for teriyaki sauce:

• Soy Sauce – You can use dark or light soy sauce.
• Mirin – Mirin is a sweetened rice cooking wine used extensively in Japanese cooking. Sherry wine is the closest substitute.
• Sake – Sake is a Japanese rice wine that adds depth and complexity. It is less sweet than mirin.
• Honey – I prefer honey as the sweetener because it dissolves without heat and adds body to the sauce. Cane sugar or brown sugar work as substitutes, but check my cooking tip below.

How to Make Easy Teriyaki Sauce

Combine all ingredients: I add the soy sauce, mirin, sake, and honey to a large mixing bowl.

Whisk until combined: I whisk everything until the honey is fully incorporated and the sauce is smooth and uniform.

Store until ready to use: I transfer the sauce to a jar or airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator.

Serving Suggestions

I use this sauce as the base for my teriyaki chicken, where it braises with the chicken and reduces to a thick glossy glaze. It also works as a stir-fry sauce poured over stir fry noodles in a hot wok, and as a marinade for grilled salmon, beef, or grilled bone-in pork chops.

My wife uses it as a dipping sauce for shrimp spring rolls, which I had never tried before she suggested it. Now I keep a small bowl of it on the table whenever we have Asian food. My daughter drizzles it over plain rice, and I have to admit that is a good way to get a kid to finish a bowl of rice.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: I make this up to 2 weeks ahead of time.

How to Store: I cover and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks. It freezes well, covered, for up to 3 months. The sauce will need to be brought to a boil before using if frozen.

How to Reheat: This is used cold or at room temperature. If adding to a cooked dish, I pour it directly into the hot pan.

More Homemade Sauce Recipes

• Tzatziki
• Cocktail Sauce
• Homemade BBQ Sauce
• Tonkatsu Sauce
• Tahini Sauce