Savory and sweet Teriyaki Sauce (照り焼きのたれ) is now a popular seasoning around the world. Did you know that Japanese home cooks actually make homemade sauce with just 4 simple ingredients? We never use the store-bought stuff because the best-tasting sauce is so easy to make at home. I’ll show you how to make a batch for a delicious seasoning that goes with just about everything!
Craving teriyaki-style recipes? Try my Chicken Teriyaki, Teriyaki Salmon, and Teriyaki Tofu recipes next!
What is Teriyaki Sauce?
Teriyaki (照り焼き) in Japanese actually describes a cooking method that first appeared in Japan in the 1600s. Teri (照り) means luster and yaki (焼き) means grilled, broiled, or pan-fried, which is the common choice for Japanese home cooks. It essentially refers to any food cooked this way that’s brushed with a shiny glaze called tare (タレ). These days, both the food cooked teriyaki-style and the sauce itself are called teriyaki outside of Japan.
Why I Love This Recipe
- It tastes better than store-bought – The best teriyaki seasoning is homemade! I really like that this homemade version uses no flavor enhancers and other additives, so I know exactly what I’m serving to my family.
- A simple sauce with only 4 basic ingredients – You’ll enjoy these authentic flavors from the foundational seasonings of Japanese cooking—soy sauce, sake, mirin, and sugar. I love how delicious yet simple it is.
- So quick and easy – Just heat, simmer, and cool. It’s done in 10–15 minutes!
- Great to make ahead – This sauce keeps in the fridge for 2–3 weeks. I suggest making a batch that you can reach for when you need to cook up something quick for a weeknight meal.
Ingredients for Teriyaki Sauce
To make the teriyaki sauce, you’ll need only the 4 most basic ingredients from the Japanese pantry:
- Soy sauce – Use only Japanese soy sauce as it has a different flavor profile from Chinese, Thai, or Korean soy sauce.
- Sake – This Japanese rice wine adds complexity and a hint of fruitiness. I recommend Gekkeikan, Sho Chiku Bai, or Ozeki brands. You can find sake at Japanese and many Asian grocery stores or at any major liquor store.
- Mirin – This Japanese sweet rice wine is an essential ingredient in many Japanese recipes. It adds a delicate sweetness and fragrance and gives the sauce a nice luster.
- Sugar – Sugar adds sweetness and balances the sauce’s savory taste. It is also what gives the glaze its thick, glossy texture.
Find the printable recipe with measurements below.
Jump to RecipeSubstitutions
- Soy sauce: You could use low-sodium soy sauce, tamari, or gluten-free soy sauce.
- Sake: If you can’t find it, you can substitute Chinese rice wine, dry sherry, or water.
- Mirin: If you don’t have it, you could substitute ¼ cup sake + ¼ cup water + 3 Tbsp sugar. To skip the sake, you could use ½ cup water + 3 Tbsp sugar.
- Sugar: We don’t use honey or maple syrup because they have distinct flavors. You can use them if that’s your preference, but be careful as they can burn easily during cooking.
How to Make Teriyaki Sauce
Cooking
Step 1 – Heat the ingredients. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine sake, mirin, soy sauce, and sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat and continuously whisk the sauce until the sugar is dissolved.
Step 2 – Reduce the sauce to thicken it. Once boiling, lower the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the sauce is thickened.
Cooling
Step 3 – Remove from the heat and cool. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools. It’s now ready to use in your favorite recipe.
Nami’s Recipe Tips
- Reduce the sauce to thicken it – We reduce Japanese teriyaki seasoning in the pan until it reaches a thicker consistency. Please do not use a cornstarch slurry as a thickener. To lock in umami and juiciness, we occasionally coat the ingredients with starch or flour, which helps thickening the teriyaki sauce a little. Authentic teriyaki sauce should be thinner than Americanized teriyaki sauce and it should not be syrupy.
- The sauce will thicken more as it cools – You’ll know the sauce is done simmering when small bubbles will start to rise and appear on the surface. Please keep in mind that the sauce will continue to thicken off the heat, so don’t simmer it longer than 10–15 minutes.
Variations and Customizations
- Change up the ratio of the seasonings. My recipe follows this ratio: Two parts soy sauce, two parts sake, two parts mirin, and one part sugar (2:2:2:1). In general, the basic formula in teriyaki-style cooking is to use equal parts of the first three ingredients, then adjust the amount of sugar to your liking. I suggest memorizing this formula, then adjust the ratio to suit your taste or the ingredient you’re preparing. While changing the balance of seasonings keeps things interesting, please keep in mind that Japanese cuisine is all about keeping a delicate balance of flavors.
- Add grated ginger and minced garlic. Depending on the protein or vegetable I’m cooking, I sometimes add grated fresh ginger and/or minced or crushed fresh garlic to my seasoning. However, I do not recommend adding certain ingredients like rice vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil, apple cider vinegar, or sesame seeds in the sauce that you might see in some online recipes. These additions do not follow an authentic flavor profile for Japanese teriyaki-style cooking.
- Add a pat of butter. I sometimes add a tablespoon of butter to the saucepan just before turning off the heat. Butter adds a smooth richness and softens the edge of this sauce. It’s a popular technique to boost the depth of flavor, and I use it in my teriyaki salmon recipe.
Different Ways to Use Teriyaki Sauce
The wonderful thing about teriyaki sauce is its versatility. Here are some of my favorite ways to use this sauce.
- As a glaze – use it over your grilled or pan-fried dishes, like teriyaki salmon, teriyaki chicken, or teriyaki tofu (see the recipes below).
- In stir-fries – Use it to season Stir-Fried Vegetables.
- In donburi rice bowls – Mix with dashi and make Oyakodon and Gyudon.
- In simmered dishes – Mix with dashi and Nikujaga (Japanese Meat and Potato Stew)
Storage and Usage Tips
To store: You can use the homemade sauce immediately as needed or store it in an airtight, sterilized jar like a mason jar in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 weeks.
To use: Add a tablespoon or more to the pan with your already cooked fish, seafood, chicken, tofu, steak, mushrooms, or vegetables. Coat well, then turn off the heat. Since this sauce is already reduced and thickened, there’s no need to simmer it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! This easy Teriyaki Sauce recipe is ideal for prepping ahead. It keeps in the fridge for 2–3 weeks, so I recommend making a batch that you can use for several different recipes.
Sugar is essential to this sauce because it counterbalances the saltiness from the soy sauce. It’s also what makes the glaze shiny and thick. If you choose to use maple syrup or honey instead of sugar, please keep in mind that they have strong flavors that will change the taste of the sauce. Please also take care as they burn more easily.
More Homemade Sauce Recipes
If you love this homemade Teriyaki Sauce recipe, you’re in for a treat with these other irresistible Japanese sauce recipes.
Teriyaki Sauce
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients. See Notes below for half-portion ingredients and substitutions for sake and mirin.
- In a saucepan, add ½ cup sake, ½ cup mirin, ½ cup soy sauce, and ¼ cup sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat and continuously whisk the sauce until the sugar is dissolved.
- Once boiling, lower the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 10–15 minutes or until the sauce is thickened. As you mix the sauce or tilt the saucepan, small bubbles will start to rise and appear on the surface. When this happens, the sauce is ready to use.
- Pour the sauce into a sterilized jar and leave uncovered to cool. The sauce will thicken as it cools.
To Store
- Once cooled, close the lid and store in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 weeks.
To Use the Teriyaki Sauce
- Teriyaki Salmon: Season thin-sliced salmon fillets with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Lightly coat the salmon with all-purpose flour. Heat a frying pan over medium heat, then add cooking oil or butter. Add the salmon to the pan and cook it on one side for 3 minutes. Once nicely browned, flip the salmon. Add 1 Tbsp sake and cover to cook for another 3 minutes. Remove the lid and spoon the teriyaki sauce over the salmon to coat well.
- Teriyaki Chicken: Season boneless, skin-on chicken thighs (or chicken breast, if you prefer) with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Lightly coat the chicken with all-purpose flour. Heat a frying pan over medium heat, then add cooking oil or butter. Add the chicken to the pan, skin side down, and cook until browned. Flip the chicken and cover the pan until the chicken is cooked through. Wipe off the oil from the frying pan with a paper towel. Spoon the teriyaki sauce over the chicken to coat well.
- Teriyaki Tofu: Drain well a block of firm tofu (pressing it or microwaving it for 1 minute). Cut the tofu into steaks (slabs) and lightly coat them with all-purpose flour. Heat a frying pan over medium heat, then add cooking oil. Add the tofu steaks and cook on both sides until golden brown. Spoon the teriyaki sauce over the tofu steaks to coat well.
- You can also pour additional teriyaki sauce onto the finished dish.
Notes
- with alcohol: ½ cup dry sherry or Chinese rice wine
- without alcohol: ½ cup water
- with sake: ¼ cup sake + ¼ cup water + 3 Tbsp sugar
- without sake: ½ cup water + 3 Tbsp sugar
- ¼ cup (4 Tbsp) sake
- ¼ cup (4 Tbsp) mirin
- ¼ cup (4 Tbsp) soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp sugar
Nutrition
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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on June 12, 2013. It was updated with a new video and images in January 2018 and with more helpful content on February 26, 2025.