Over the years, I’ve learned that making homemade sauces from pantry staples can totally save dinner on those nights when you forget to plan ahead. This Easy Homemade Teriyaki Sauce (or marinade!) is one of my most beginner-friendly sauces because it’s so simple and versatile and uses only a few ingredients that I always have on hand. It’s sweet, savory, super easy to make, and honestly way better than anything you’d buy in a bottle. And it’s a simple way to turn plain rice, roasted veggies, or leftover odds and ends into a dinner that actually feels like a meal (all while sticking to a budget).
“This is hands down THE best teriyaki sauce recipe!! Thank you for sharing!!”
Sue
Easy Recipe for Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
This easy homemade teriyaki sauce starts with just four simple ingredients: soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger that form a fast and easy marinade, or they can be thickened up into a shiny glaze or sauce with the addition of a little cornstarch, water, and heat. Homemade teriyaki sauce has a richer, fresher flavor and a more balanced sweetness compared to store-bought brands like Kikkoman. I love that I can adjust the thickness, saltiness, and even the sweetness to my taste—something you just can’t get from a bottle.
The word “teriyaki” originates from Japanese cuisine, where teri refers to the shine of the sauce, and yaki means to grill or broil. Traditional recipes often call for mirin or sake, which add depth and sweetness, but I opted to leave them out to keep costs down. This version still brings all the flavor I look for in a homemade teriyaki sauce, with rich umami and just the right balance of sweet and salty.
Budget Saving Tip
If you don’t usually keep fresh ginger on hand, here’s a trick to get the most out of it! I like to keep my fresh ginger in the freezer (in a quart-sized freezer bag) so I can grate a little bit whenever I need it. It actually grates easier when frozen, and it lasts longer this way.
Variations to Try!
I first posted this recipe way back in 2018, and since then, some of our readers have shared their own delicious spins on it. Here are some of my favorite ideas I wanted to share:
To make a gluten-free homemade teriyaki sauce, try switching the soy sauce to liquid aminos (like coconut aminos). Coconut aminos is much sweeter and less salty than regular soy sauce, so I’d sweeten to taste if trying this variation.
Use low-sodium soy sauce if you’re watching your salt intake!
Add a pinch of crushed red pepper for a subtle heat kick
Add 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil and 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds for extra flavor
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Easy Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
This Easy Homemade Teriyaki Sauce (or marinade) takes only a few minutes and a few simple ingredients to make. Way better than the bottled stuff!Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.
Course Sauce
Cuisine Asian
Total Cost $0.59 recipe
Prep Time 5 minutesminutes
Cook Time 5 minutesminutes
Total Time 10 minutesminutes
Servings 1cup sauce (or 1/2 cup marinade)
Calories 208kcal
Author Beth Moncel
Equipment
Small Bowl
Small Sauce Pan
Ingredients
To Make the Marinade:
¼cupsoy sauce4 oz., $0.20
3 Tbspbrown sugar44g, $0.09
1 clovegarlicminced (1 tsp) $0.08
1tspfresh grated ginger3g, $0.16
1Tbspwater
To Make the Sauce Also Add:
½cupwater4 oz.
1Tbspcornstarch15g, $0.06
Instructions
To make the marinade, stir together the soy sauce, brown sugar, minced garlic, grated ginger, and water. Pour this mixture over your meat, tofu, or fish and marinate for 15-30 minutes, depending on the item.
To make the sauce, stir together the soy sauce, brown sugar, minced garlic, grated ginger, water, AND add an additional 1/2 cup water and 1 Tbsp cornstarch. (Do not turn used marinade into a sauce. Rather, make separate batches to prevent cross contamination.) Bring this mixture up to a simmer in a small sauce pot over medium heat, while whisking. Once it reaches a simmer, it will thicken into a shiny sauce. Pour or brush the sauce over your cooked meat, vegetables, or tofu.
To use as a stir fry sauce, stir together all of the ingredients in a bowl. Once your stir fry meat or vegetables are cooked, pour the sauce mixture directly into your hot stir fry pan instead of simmering separately in a sauce pot. The heat from the pan will simmer the sauce on contact and thicken the sauce (make sure the stir fry pan is very hot). Stir to coat your cooked vegetables or meat.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Video
Notes
Optional add-ins: 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil, 1 Tbsp sesame seedsThis recipe makes about 1/2 cup marinade or 1 cup of thickened sauce. 1/2 cup marinade is about enough for 2 chicken breasts, 4 boneless chicken thighs, one 14oz. block of tofu, or about four pork chops.As a sauce, one cup would be enough for about one stir fry (four servings) or to brush onto about four chicken breasts. You can easily scale the recipe up or down by changing the number in the “servings” box above, and the rest of the ingredients will adjust automatically.
To make the marinade: Stir together ¼ cup soy sauce, 3 Tbsp brown sugar, 1 Tbsp water, 1 clove of garlic (minced), and about 1 tsp grated ginger.
This mixture is very concentrated in flavor, so it will flavor whatever you soak in it deeply. Meat or tofu can marinate for about 30 minutes, fish for 15 minutes. Then, just cook your meat, seafood, or tofu using your favorite method.
To make a teriyaki sauce: Prepare the marinade as described above, but also add an additional ½ cup water and 1 Tbsp cornstarch (it’ll look milky at first). Simmer it in a sauce pot over medium heat while stirring. Once it simmers, it will go from milky to clear and watery to thick. Your sauce is now ready to pour over your cooked meat, vegetables, or tofu.
OR, if you want to use it as a stir fry sauce, you can just pour the un-thickened sauce directly into your hot stir fry pan, and it will simmer and thicken on contact.
Top Tip
The main difference between a teriyaki marinade and a glazing sauce comes down to timing and texture. A marinade is thinner and used before cooking to tenderize and infuse flavor, while a glaze is thicker and brushed on near the end of cooking to create a shiny, caramelized coating.
If you want to marinate meat and have some teriyaki sauce to add after cooking, I recommend making two batches (one to use as a marinade and one for the sauce) rather than using the used marinade to make the sauce. Reusing the marinade can cause cross-contamination issues if it is not boiled long or hard enough, so it’s best to just keep the two separate.
How to Use Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
As a Marinade: Flavor just about any meat, tofu cubes, or even fish (it’s great with our one-pan salmon dinner!) with the marinade version of this recipe. Marinate chicken, pork, or tofu for at least 30 minutes, and marinate fish for 15 minutes. Then toss it on the grill, cook in a skillet, bake, or transfer everything (meat and marinade) to a slow cooker. I love using this sauce to make my grilled teriyaki chicken kebabs or air fryer tofu.
As a Stir-Fry Sauce: Add it to a hot pan of chicken and veggies and serve over rice or noodles for a quick chicken stir fry. A weeknight win!
As a Dipping Sauce: The sauce version of this recipe makes an awesome dip for potstickers, egg rolls, or dumplings.
Make a Bowl Meal: Drizzle the thickened sauce over a bowl of rice or noodles, then load it up with your favorite toppings. Try sautéed veggies, tempeh, edamame, leftover rotisserie chicken, or a jammy egg! I can never get enough of these teriyaki meatball bowls!
Brush it over grilled, pan-fried, or oven-cookedveggies, skewers, tofu/tempeh, or meat during the last few minutes of cooking for a sweet-savory glaze.
Storage & Reheating
This homemade teriyaki sauce keeps well in the fridge for 4–5 days. Store it in a jar or airtight container. If it thickens up too much after chilling, just stir in a splash of water and reheat it gently on the stove or in the microwave until smooth and glossy again.
