Best Teriyaki Recipes You Must Make at Home

Love teriyaki dishes? From chicken teriyaki to teriyaki salmon to teriyaki tofu, we’ve rounded up some of the best teriyaki recipes you and your whole family will love.

Savory, salty, sweet, and umami-rich teriyaki dishes are probably one of the most beloved Japanese foods outside of Japan. You may think teriyaki is a sauce, but ‘teriyaki‘ (照り焼き) in Japanese refers to cooking methods—either grilling, broiling, or pan-frying, and finishing up in a sauce or glaze until the dish has a nice and delicious luster. It can be applied to many ingredients, such as chicken, beef, fish, pork, and tofu.

Here you’ll find some of the best teriyaki recipes prepared in the authentic Japanese cooking method, including the all-time favorite chicken teriyaki, teriyaki salmon, teriyaki wings, and teriyaki burger!

Once you try them, you’ll never return to store-bought sauce when preparing your teriyaki recipes at home. Hungry? Let’s make some real-deal teriyaki recipes now.

Best Authentic Teriyaki Recipes to Make at Home

1. Teriyaki Sauce

Before we start, let’s learn how to make authentic teriyaki sauce. This homemade Teriyaki Sauce (照り焼きのたれ) recipe will be the backbone of all your teriyaki dishes, and it is how we make it in Japan. All you need are just four simple ingredients: sake, mirin, soy sauce, and sugar.

Use tamari, low-sodium soy sauce, or gluten-free soy sauce if needed.

2. Chicken Teriyaki

“Absolutely delicious. This recipe is so easy to make and it’s a huge hit with everyone in the family.” — Maryna

Juicy and tender chicken, glazed in a flavorful homemade sauce, this classic Teriyaki Chicken (チキン照り焼き) recipe, prepared in the authentic Japanese cooking method, will become a staple in your dinner routine. No bottled teriyaki sauce is needed!

3. Teriyaki Salmon

Get your Omega-3 intake with this Teriyaki Salmon (鮭の照り焼き) recipe featuring an authentic Japanese homemade teriyaki sauce. Pair it with white wine for a relaxing weekday dinner.

4. Teriyaki Tofu

Crispy on the bite yet delicately soft, this pan-fried Teriyaki Tofu (照り焼き豆腐) is incredibly flavorful! Enjoy it as an appetizer or as a main dish with rice. This is the game-changer recipe for someone in your family who is certain they do not like tofu.

5. Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs

“I can’t have soy right now so left out the tofu, and it was still delicious! I don’t even usually like chicken!” — Portia

We can never go wrong with meatballs when feeding a family with children. These soft and juicy Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs (照り焼き豆腐ハンバーグ) take only 30 minutes to make. What makes the meatballs extra fluffy and delicious? Click over to the recipe to find out!

6. Beef Teriyaki

Say goodbye to boring weeknight dinners with this classic Beef Teriyaki (照り焼き牛ステーキ) recipe! Here, tender beef steak is grilled until slightly charred and glazed with the savory teriyaki sauce. I added ginger juice to the marinade mixture to give it an extra zing.

Enjoy it with a fresh citrus salad and Japanese steamed rice; it will satisfy even the biggest of appetites.

7. Pan-Fried Teriyaki Tofu Bowl with Broccoli

“This cooked tofu recipe is the best I’ve come across and I am not a vegetarian! I followed Nami’s recipe exactly as instructed using medium tofu, draining it for 45 minutes and using potato starch. JOC recipes are precise and make all the difference. Incredible texture and flavor.” — Masea

8. Teriyaki Pork Donburi

Love a good rice bowl recipe for weeknight dinner? This Teriyaki Pork Donburi (豚の照り焼き丼) will answer your call. Underneath the delicious grilled pork with teriyaki glaze lies a bed of shredded lettuce and steamed rice. Everything is cooked in one frying pan, making cleanup a breeze.

9. Teriyaki Chicken Quesadilla

“The fusion of flavours are wonderful! Quesadillas are a favourite anywhere for their simplicity and versatility, and it works beautifully with teriyaki chicken.” — Paola

Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts for juicy and tender meat! It makes a difference.

10. Teriyaki Steak Rolls

Teriyaki Beef Steak Rolls (野菜の牛肉巻き) are staples in Japanese home cooking and bento recipes. You can literally stuff the steak rolls with anything, making them a great way to use up leftover vegetables.

11. Teriyaki Wings

Cooked in one pot and finished up in the broiler to achieve the perfect char, these Teriyaki Wings (手羽先の照り焼き) are sticky and finger-licking delicious! They are unbelievably easy to make too. Serve the wings at your BBQs, potlucks, or holiday parties.

12. Yellowtail Teriyaki

Yellowtail Teriyaki, or Buri no Teriyaki (ぶりの照り焼き), is a staple fish dish you can find in many Japanese households. Before pan-frying the fish in a frying pan, lightly coat it with flour to give it a crispy texture. It’s simple and elegant, with the perfect glaze of teriyaki sauce.

13. Teriyaki Salmon Onigirazu

If you have any leftover teriyaki salmon, use the extra fillet to make this delicious Teriyaki Salmon Onigirazu (照り焼きサーモンおにぎらず). Sandwiched between steamed rice, grilled asparagus, and wrapped in nori, it makes a great work or school lunch.

14. Teriyaki Burger

Teriyaki Burger (照り焼きバーガー) may sound very American, but it was first created by a Japanese burger chain Mos Burger in 1973. Top the burger with a slice of grilled pineapple for a touch of Hawaiian flavor.

15. Orange Teriyaki Chicken

Bite-size drumettes bathed in a savory teriyaki sauce with orange marmalade—this is my rendition of teriyaki chicken. It’s a favorite with the kids!

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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on January 14, 2019. It was republished with more information on May 22, 2024.