Description
This homemade teriyaki sauce recipe offers a perfect balance of sweet, savory, and tangy flavors, made from simple ingredients like soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, and fresh ginger. Ready in just 10 minutes, it’s an ideal glaze or dipping sauce for stir-fries, grilled meats, and vegetables.
Ingredients
Scale
Teriyaki Sauce
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated (or ½ teaspoon ground ginger)
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Thickener
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
Instructions
- Combine base ingredients: In a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, rice vinegar, minced garlic, and grated ginger. Heat the mixture until it starts to simmer, stirring frequently to ensure that the sugar completely dissolves into the liquid.
- Prepare cornstarch slurry: While the sauce simmers, in a separate small bowl, mix the cornstarch with cold water to form a smooth slurry without lumps.
- Thicken the sauce: Slowly pour the cornstarch slurry into the simmering sauce while continuously stirring to prevent clumping. Continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce thickens to a glossy, pourable consistency. If using, stir in the red pepper flakes now for a mild heat.
- Cool and store: Remove the saucepan from heat. Let the teriyaki sauce cool before using it immediately or transferring to a container. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Notes
- For a gluten-free version, use tamari sauce instead of soy sauce.
- If a thicker sauce is desired, increase the cornstarch to 1.5 tablespoons.
- Adjust sweetness by varying the amount of honey or brown sugar according to taste.
- This sauce works well as a marinade, glaze, or dipping sauce for chicken, beef, tofu, or vegetables.
- Make sure to stir constantly when adding the cornstarch slurry to avoid lumps.
