Learn how to make delicious and easy homemade teriyaki sauce with this authentic Japanese method. Only 4 ingredients needed! Sweet, savory, and versatile, it will be your go-to sauce for chicken, salmon, tofu, pork, or even meatballs!
Savory and versatile, Teriyaki Sauce (照り焼きのたれ) has been becoming the mainstay seasoning outside of Japan. Many of you have asked me if you could make your own homemade teriyaki sauce without having to get the store-bought stuff. I am happy that you asked because most Japanese home cooks actually make our own sauce at home.
The best part about homemade teriyaki sauce? It takes only 4 simple ingredients, and you’ll get the most delicious sauce that goes well with everything! It’s so easy that you want to keep it on hand at all times.
What is Teriyaki?
First of all, if you aren’t aware, Teriyaki (照り焼き) in Japanese actually describes a cooking method. “Teri” (照り) means luster and “yaki” (焼き) means grilled, broiled or pan-fried. It’s not the sauce we refer to, but rather how the food is prepared. So teriyaki essentially refers to any grilled/broiled/pan-fried food with shining glaze.
All Teriyaki Sauce in Japan is Homemade
When the food is prepared in “teriyaki” style, we season the food with soy sauce, sake, and mirin (and sometimes sugar). Mirin gives the food a nice luster and it’s an important ingredient for teriyaki style cooking. Since the meaning of ‘teriyaki’ has been deviated by simply referring to a Japanese sauce outside of Japan, I’d just refer it as a sauce in this post.
How to Make Authentic Teriyaki Sauce
To make Teriyaki sauce, all you need is 4 most essential Japanese pantry: soy sauce, sake, mirin, and sugar. The basic formula is to use equal parts of the first three ingredients, then adjust the amount of sugar to your liking. The easiest way? Have this formula memorized:
2 Tbsp soy sauce : 2 Tbsp sake : 2 Tbsp mirin: 1 Tbsp sugar
Americanized teriyaki sauce always includes grated or minced ginger and garlic to produce a slightly different teriyaki flavor. You can add them if you like and in Japan we sometimes add them too as a variation of teriyaki sauce.
How to Thicken Teriyaki Sauce
Americanized teriyaki sauce is very thick and syrupy compared to the teriyaki sauce in Japan. Japanese teriyaki sauce is reduced in the pan until it becomes thicker consistency. We do not use cornstarch or honey, like other non-Japanese versions.
Of course, there is no strict rule on the recipe, you can still make a thick sauce by adding a mixture of 2 Tbsp water and 1 Tbsp cornstarch or potato starch if that’s your preference.
In a nutshell, there is no one “perfect” teriyaki sauce that fits all kinds of recipes. Adjust the ratio of ingredients each time you make a teriyaki recipe. Homemade teriyaki sauce is healthier than store-bought ones since it does not contain any additives.
The wonderful thing about teriyaki sauce is its versatility. You can use it as a marinade or a glaze, and make many of your favorite family dishes like teriyaki chicken, teriyaki salmon to beef teriyaki. Once you start to experiment with your own teriyaki sauce, you will have fun dishing out different delicious recipes with this all-purpose seasoning.
Watch How to Make the Best Teriyaki Sauce
Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want to look for substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.
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Learn how to make delicious and easy homemade teriyaki sauce with this authentic Japanese method. Only 4 ingredients needed! Sweet, savory and versatile, it will be your go-to sauce for chicken, salmon, tofu, pork, or even meatballs!
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Gather all the ingredients. See Notes for half portion ingredients or substitute info on sake and mirin.
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In a saucepan, combine all the ingredients. Add sake and mirin.
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Add soy sauce and sugar.
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Bring the mixture to a boil and continuously stir the sauce until sugar is dissolved. Once boiling, lower the heat to medium low. Cook on simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the sauce is thicken.
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When you mix the sauce or tilt the saucepan, small bubbles start to rise/appear. When this happens, the sauce is ready to use. Pour the sauce to a sterilized jar and keep the jar open until cool. The sauce will thicken as it cools. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 weeks.
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Teriyaki Salmon: Season the salmon with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Lightly coat the salmon with all-purpose flour. Heat the cooking oil or butter in the frying pan and cook the salmon one side for 3 minutes. Once nicely brown, flip the salmon. Add 1 Tbsp sake and cover to cook for 3 minutes. Remove the lid and pour the Teriyaki Sauce. Spoon the sauce over the salmon to coat well.
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Teriyaki Chicken: Season the skin-on chicken thigh (or chicken breast if you prefer) with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Lightly coat the chicken with all-purpose flour. Heat the cooking oil or butter in the frying pan and cook the chicken one side. Flip and cover to cook until it's cooked through. Wipe off the frying pan with paper towel. Pour the Teriyaki Sauce and coat the chicken well with the sauce.
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Teriyaki Tofu: Drain the firm tofu well (pressing it or microwaving it for 1 minute). Cut the tofu into smaller pieces (slabs) and lightly coat them with all-purpose flour. Heat the cooking oil in the frying pan and cook the tofu on both sides. Pour the Teriyaki Sauce and coat with the tofu.
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You can also pour additional Teriyaki Sauce on the finish dish.
Substitute for ½ cup Sake:
- If you can take alcohol: Use ½ cup dry sherry or Chinese rice wine
- If you can't take alcohol: Use ½ cup water
Substitute for ½ cup Mirin:
- If you have sake: ¼ cup sake + ¼ cup water + 3 Tbsp sugar
- If you don't have sake: ½ cup water + 3 Tbsp sugar
You can make half portion with ¼ cup (4 Tbsp) sake, ¼ cup (4 Tbsp) mirin, ¼ cup (4 Tbsp) soy sauce, 1/8 cup (2 Tbsp) sugar.
Recipe by Namiko Chen of Just One Cookbook. All images and content on this site are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without my permission. If you’d like to share this recipe on your site, please re-write the recipe in your own words and link to this post as the original source. Thank you.
Use Your Homemade Teriyaki Sauce in These Delicious Recipes:
- Chicken Teriyaki
- Teriyaki Burger
- Teriyaki Salmon
- Beef Teriyaki
- Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs
- Teriyaki Steak Rolls
- Butter Shoyu Chicken
- Teriyaki Pork Loin Donburi
- Teriyaki Chicken Quesadilla
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on Jun 12, 2013. It’s been updated with a new video, images, and content in January 2018.
Hi, I feel like I’m on a quest to create a Teriyaki sauce. So this post is really enlighten me. 🙂
For the recipe, it’s written mirin could be substituted with sugar so since I can’t use either mirin or sake, the recipe will have 5 tbsp sugar?
Hi Junny! Yes, but if you prefer less sweet, add sugar one Tbsp. at a time to get your favorite sweetness. 🙂 Mirin creates nice luster and texture to the sauce, but sugar and soy sauce can create similar flavor. Depending on the usage of your sauce, adjust the thickness with water/cornstarch. Hope that helps! 🙂
Thanks for the response Nami, now I know what I am going to cook today. 😉
Hi Nami, can pregnant women eat the original recipe that uses sake/cooking wine? I want an authentic teriyaki flavour, but also want to be safe. Do I have to substitute the sake/cooking wine with water? Thank you!!
Hi Jenny! Yes, the Japanese pregnant women use sake and mirin in daily cooking. What you need to watch out is the sake/mirin usage in NON-COOKING recipes…. which is rare, but examples are sauces and dressings that don’t get cooked at all before consumption.
You can use sake and mirin as long as it’s cooked for 1-2 minutes until alcohol is fully evaporated (just wave over the cooking liquid to see if you smell alcohol). We use this evaporating sake/mirin technique when we don’t want that alcohol smell in our cooking but need to rely on the taste and luster effect (in case of mirin).
Hope this helps!
Thank you for your thorough explanation, Nami! I tried it and it is delicious! Thank you for sharing this recipe! =)
Hi Jenny! My pleasure. 🙂 Congratulations and have a happy pregnancy! 🙂
Hi Nami, I tried this and it is wayyyy better than any store bought teriyaki sauce. I marinated extra firm tofu in the sauce, grilled it to get a crust, then brushed on more sauce and served it over rice 🙂 My vegetarian brother in law loved it! Thank you!!!
Hi Vivi! Yay, so happy to hear your brother-in-law enjoyed it! I really like the flexibility in home cooking as we can change things up depending on the ingredients or how you feel like on that day. 🙂 Sometimes I make it sweeter and sometimes less sweet…or thicker or less thick. Versatile when it’s homemade. 🙂 Thank you so much for trying this recipe! xo
Hi Nami!
Thank you for your recipes! We’ve made your sukiyaki and it was so good 😀
Can I make a batch of the teriyaki sauce and keep it in the fridge for future use? I was thinking of putting it in a bottle 🙂 And If I can, how long can I keep it in the fridge?
Thank you!
Hi Lorn! So glad to hear you enjoyed Suykiyaki. 🙂 Yes, probably 1-2 weeks would be okay in the fridge. I usually don’t make it in advance since it’s quick to make. 🙂
Hi! In the post you mention for a authentic teriyaki sauce to equal parts of soy sauce, sake, and mirin, but does it still contain the corn starch? Just want to make sure I get it right and would love to try it the way it is meant to taste. Thanks!!
Hi Cristina! Thank you for your question. Adding corn starch is really optional. If you like the sauce to be thicker, then you can add. A lot of Japanese “teriyaki” dishes doesn’t include it, but we reduce the sauce so it’s a little bit thicker (not like corn starch thickness) because mirin and sugar will caramelize and will be naturally thick. To summarize, I basically add corn starch depending on the recipes. Hope I answered to your question. 🙂
Thanks! That helps, I will give it a try.
can i put instead of mirin one of my own favorites sake into the sauce?
Hi Michael! Sure, mirin is basically sake + sugar so you need to add more sugar. 🙂
thanks a lot now i know what to make
Is not the teriyaki sauce ingredients relatively similar to mentsuyu soup base except with the addition of sugar and the reduction of the teriyaki sauce (I understand that your mentsuyu also contains katsuobushi.) In a future post could you also expand on the myriad of ways the mentsuyu base could be used other than the a cold noodle dipping sauce. Thank you.
Hi Constantine! Mentsuyu always have dashi in it, and it’s considered more like soup or dipping sauce rather than “sauce” over something. However, there are a lot of recipes that uses Mentsuyu instead of soy sauce just to change flavors (as it goes well).
For example, I like to use Mentsuyu for yaki udon (while a lot of people use soy sauce) and Japanese mushroom pasta. It’s fun to experiment with mentsuyu. Hope this helps. 🙂
Hi Nami,
Thank you for the recipe. I just want to have your opinion, how much of the prepared sauce will be needed for each dish you mentioned (salmon/chicken/beef) ?
Hi Novi! Hmmm depends on how much protein you use, but for 1 serving of the protein, probably about 2 Tbsp. Some people may prefer lots of sauce, but I don’t. 🙂
I too have been on a quest for the perfect teriyaki sauce! I love making sauces and anything humanly possible from scratch to avoid preservatives and unecessary ingredients, so I wanted the most authentic way to make it and I think I found it
Thank you!!!
Hi Chrissy! Thank you so much for trying this recipe, and I’m so glad you liked it. I agree, homemade sauces are delicious and it’s good for us. Thanks for your feedback! 🙂
Hi, Dear Nami,
I love your recipes. It is much more enjoyable if there are more spicy and (chili) hot recipes. Thank you.
Piccolo
Hi Piccolo! Well, Japanese cuisine doesn’t really have spicy food, as spice wasn’t available for a long time. Most of traditional foods are not spicy at all, and I think only recently we started to include spices in our cooking. Yet, it’s very rare to see “spicy” food even at Japanese restaurants. 🙂
Hi Nami!!
you can’t imagine how excited I m to find your recipe. its hard to find a non alcohol teriyaki sauce. I just want to make sure about the sugar that used as a substitute of mirin. so in total since i will not use miring, the sugar that i will use is 5 tablespoon?or the 2 tablespoon sugar is a brown sugar? I will cook the chicken tomorrow if God will. thank you in advance 🙂
If you avoid mirin, you need to use 5 Tbsp sugar (total). Adjust the amount of each condiment/ingredient according to what you are going to use teriyaki sauce for. Hope this helps! 🙂
Hi Nami…thank you for the respond..it took awhile for me to back to you..had been busy with a lot of papers and works! I did tried the recipe and did as you said and it becomes hit in my family..my husband request this every weekend lol. he loves the sauce and we all love the sauce!thank you so much for the recipe. i even share this with my in laws! 😀
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for your feedback and sharing with your in laws!! 😀
No worries..keep sharing your wonderful recipes!:D *cheers*
Thank you so much for sharing. I lost my other recipe and found this one which was closest to the one I had. I made it with 2 1/2 tbsp sugar (didn’t have mirin) and just a pinch of cinnamon and it was perfect. Thanks again for sharing this wonderful recipe.
Hi Eddie! A pinch of cinnamon! I never tried that and definitely will check it out next time. Thank you for trying my recipe and I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the feedback! 🙂
Thank you for the reply. I tasted it before the meal was complete and it was “missing” something, a friend recommended ginger but I was out of that also. So, I went online and cinnamon was on the list as a substitute.
I see! Thank you for sharing!! 🙂
I used an AGED balsamic vinegar as a mirin substitute. It is a sweet yet slightly tart vinegar and the flavor came out well for what I was making
Hi Colin! Hmm sounds wonderful! If love to try that some day!
Can I add a little Cayenne to the sauce to add a little kick to it and if yes what is the amount u recommend? Thanks in advance
Hi Layl! Yes you can. It’s up to your preference on how spicy you like. I personally can’t take too much spice, so I’d just put a little, but you may enjoy adding more. 🙂
I’m so happy I found your recipe for teriyaki Sauce me and my family loved it its so much better than store brought thank you
Hi Jasmine! So happy to hear you and your family liked this teriyaki sauce recipe! Thank you for your kind feedback! 🙂
Hi,
What kind of soy sauce should I use? I use chinese soy sauce so not sure whether i should use the dark soy sauce (mainly used for color) or the light soy sauce (salty)? Going to make it tonight!
Thanks for your advice?
Hi S Lai! I hope you haven’t started cooking yet. Japanese use Japanese soy sauce (https://www.justonecookbook.com/pantry/soy-sauce/). It’s different from dark soy sauce. I have never used light soy sauce… are they similar to one you dip gyoza etc? Basically you need that kind of soy sauce. Someone told me Chinese soy sauce is different from Japanese soy sauce, so I’d recommend you to use Japanese soy sauce if you make teriyaki sauce. 🙂
ok thanks Nami. Will have to go shoppong!
Hi. As per your article, there seems to be 3 kinds of Japanese sauce: dark, light and sweet. Which one is it used for this recipe?
Hi Sylvia! Unless mentioned, I (or regular Japanese recipes) use regular soy sauce (we do not say “dark” soy sauce like Chinese soy sauce).
Oh. I got confused between the 2 types of Japanese soy sauce in the soy article: Usukuchi (light) and Koikuchi (dark). So wasnt sure by ‘soy sauce’ in this teriyaki sauce if the normal Kikkoman is separated into either Usukuchi/Koikuchi types. :/
Hi Sylvia! Unlike Chinese dark soy sauce and light soy sauce that texture and flavor are different, Japanese have regular soy sauce. Different regions use different soy sauce like Usukuchi soy sauce or Amakuchi soy sauce, but regular soy sauce is considered just one – Koikuchi Soy Sauce, or just soy sauce. Kikkoman is a company and they sell regular soy sauce, Usukuchi soy sauce, and Amakuchi soy sauce etc. Most house has just regular Koikuchi soy sauce and in Japanese recipes, that’s the standard soy sauce. Some people in different regions may know how to swap it with their own Amakuchi soy sauce etc. But it’s just regional flavor. 🙂 Hope it’s clear…
How long will meat keep in teriyaki sauce? I made teriyaki beef for oshogatsu and barbequed most of it but still have some meat marinating. Are shoyu and sake preservatives or should I dump the batch?
Thanks
Hi Neal! Personally, I do not marinate the meat (or any ingredient) more than 1 day as it gets too salty. It’s been several days since Oshogatsu… I found good article on this topic here:
http://startcooking.com/marinating-101-an-introduction-to-marinating-beef-chicken-and-fish
Hope that helps! 🙂
Thanks! I’m 12 and I could still make it. The instructions were easy to follow and it was delicious
Hi Jack! I’m so glad you tried this recipe. Thanks so much for your kind feedback! 🙂
Very nice and lovely way out to make sauce
Thank you Shahid!
thanks so much you have this, i’ve been craving for some chicken teriyaki and here in KSA, alcohol is very much forbidden, thanks so much 🙂
Hi Kathy! Glad to hear you like this recipe! Homemade teriyaki is the best! 🙂
Thanks for share this wonderful method for teriyaki sauce so if their is no have sake so what can i do please thanks
HI Nadeem! Sake is very important in Japanese cooking, so I’d highly recommend to use. But, if you cannot take alcohol, you can substitute with water. If you don’t have sake at home, you can use Chinese rice wine or dry sherry, which are closer (but it’s not the same… :)). Hope this helps!
Thank you very much for reply so i found sake now and i already cook teriyaki sauce wow so yummy thanks may God bless you all
Oh I’m so glad! Thanks so much for your kind feedback. I am terribly sorry that I couldn’t respond sooner…
Hi Nami, i made this teriyaki souce and i have a question, can i keep it in refrigerator?? And how long can i keep it??
Thanks it’s delicious btw,..
Sorry for my late response! Yes, up to a week at most. 🙂 Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Sorry, i’m confused! Does the recipe mean that if i do not have mirin (or sake to substitute), then the mirin ingredient becomes ‘4 Tbs water and 1.5 Tbsp sugar’?
This would mean a total of 3.5 Tbsp sugar for the whole recipe, right?
But according to 2 questions posed by your readers, they keep mentioning 5 Tbsp of sugar?? Please advise as my son adores teriyaki and has been bugging me to cook it for him!
Thanks so much!
Hi Jasmine! I’m so sorry for the confusion. The recipe was originally suggesting 3 Tbsp. sugar for replacement. However, I have updated my substitute for Mirin page (https://www.justonecookbook.com/pantry_items/mirin/) and the new rule has been “1 Tbsp. mirin = 1 Tbsp. water or sake + 1 tsp. sugar”. So I changed this recipe’s substitution as well following to my rule.
Some people don’t have both mirin and sake, some have sake, and some don’t take any alcohol due to religion. Therefore I wrote both version with sake and water for mirin’s substitute…
If you have sake: 4 Tbsp. mirin –> 2 Tbsp. sake + 2 Tbsp. water + 1 1/2 tsp. sugar.
If you don’t have sake or can’t drink sake: 4 Tbsp. mirin –> 4 Tbsp. water + 1 1/2 tsp. sugar.
I hope this makes sense. And you’re correct, don’t miss the sugar for the teriyaki sauce. Total of sugar will be 3.5 Tbsp. 🙂
Thank you, you answered my question perfectly! My 10 year old son sends his thanks too!
Sorry to sound a bit thick but tried making the sauce with equal parts and it doesnt taste right so not sure what im doing wrong. Used 4 tablespoons soy sauce, Mirrin and Sake and then 2 tablespoons of castor sugar. Is this right? Just find the alcohol takes over a bit.
Hi Katy! Assuming you use the right ingredients (Japanese soy sauce, right kind of sake – not like “nigori sake” etc, mirin, and maybe sugar), how did you make the sauce? Did you cook in the frying pan with the food still inside or you just mix in the mixing bowl and taste it? Alcohol smell should be completely removed after cooking. It should not smell it by smelling the sauce. Most alcohol is evaporated after leaving some umami from sake (made of rice so it gives sweetness). Whether you cook the sauce in a pan alone or over the chicken, you need to cook the sauce. The sugar needs to be melted and saicr will be thicken as a sign. Hope this makes sense. If you cook with food, the oil and flavors from food (like chicken) will mix with the sauce. It’s very common equation for what we consider teriyaki style cooking so it should work. But I also want to mention this is not like American teriyaki sauce flavors which is completely different from authentic sauce (just have to make sure you are not aiming for the same flavors…) Hope this helps, and let me know how I can help you.
Thanks very much for ur reply. I used Doragon Sake, Mirrin and Amoy Soy Sauce. I boiled the ingredients together in a saucepan then once boiling added the Sake. I tried to burn the alcohol off but could not get it to light. I will try again though using a Japenese Soy sauce and boiling all ingredients together instead of adding Sake later.
Hi Katy! I looked up, and dragon sake (I never heard of it before) seems okay. However, I’ve never tasted Amoy soy sauce before. Try adding sake first. Traddtionally, sake and mirin is added first so it can be evaporated. Then add sugar or sweetner before soy sauce. Once soy sauce is added, no matter how much sugar you add, it will not become sweeter. So follow that order, even the interval is only a few seconds difference. 🙂
Hi Nami!
Thanks for your recipes, love them!:)
Would it be possible to use sugar substitute to those who are watching their weight….. instead of sugar?
Thank you!
Hi Shelly! I’m so happy to hear you like my recipes! You can use honey or any sweetener you normally use. 🙂 And of course decrease the amount too. This recipe is more like “typical” Japanese taste. 🙂
Can you subsitute katakuriko (potato starch) for the corn starch? Would you have to use less of it, or can you use the same amount?
Thanks! Love your recipes!
Hi Gina! You can use corn starch (same amount). I’ll update the recipe with both ingredients. 🙂
Thanks Nami!
I think making our own is much better than store-bought ones! I have a huge bottle of mirin and don’t know how to use it.
I will also try it with honey instead of sugar.
Love your recipes! 🙂
Hi Samantha! I believe so too! Yes, honey is great! Thanks so much for reading my blog! 🙂
Hey when i try to make teriyaki with equal parts Sake (Gekkeikan), Mirin, Soy Sauce and sugar to liking it comes out bitter every time!!! I am so confused.. the first time i made it the turn out was perfect. But every time now it turns out bitter do you know the reason for this?
first I add equal parts sake and mirin in pot with sugar to simmer for 5 minutes approx. then i add the soy sauce and simmer until the consistency starts to thicken. Taste it once cooled down and it seems to be bitter every time im so lost 🙁
Hi Darcy! Bitter, not salty? What kind of soy sauce do you use? Try to understand why it’s “bitter”. I understand if it was salty but bitter…? One part that can become bitter is that when you cook the sauce, maybe the burnt soy sauce gives bitterness?
Hi Nami, what kind of sake do you recommend? My grocery store has a few types of sake, I didn’t buy any yet because I’m not sure which sake is suitable for cooking.
Hi Bernie! I usually use one of these 3 brands: https://www.justonecookbook.com/pantry_items/sake/
I tried the mirin version last week and it was a Favourite. I couldn’t find the 3 types so sake in your web page, but I managed to find ryorishu in my supermarket so this week I’m trying the recipe with ryorishu.
Hi Bernie! 3 kinds of sake are mentioned right under the 2nd picture.
Cooking sake (ryorishu) is fine, but it includes other condiments like salt so it’s not pure sake (you can’t drink cooking sake). 🙂
This is a great recipe thanks! Just wondering, if I make this and store in the fridge will it keep for a few months?
Hi Dain! I’m happy to hear you liked this recipe! Since it has water, it’s not meant to last that long. Usually water is the one that goes bad. Without it, it can last longer.:)
Hi Nami, I’m curious of what kind of soy souce you are using for teriyaki sauce. Is it the dark or light soy sauce or could be a soy sauce from Japan, which have a distinct flavor?
Japanese don’t have dark or light soy sauce like Chinese soy sauce. I use organic soy sauce from Kikkoman: https://www.justonecookbook.com/pantry_items/soy-sauce/
Are there regional differences? My great grandma’s recipe used homemade chicken stock instead of sake/mirin, and added ginger slices and granular garlic. Fresh garlic makes the sauce bitter. Perhaps her recipe was adapted during prohibition?
Note: I keep seeing addictive when you mean additive.
Hi Dannielle! Hmm I don’t think it’s regional difference (except for southern Japan use sweet soy sauce instead of regular soy sauce – so the flavor is sweeter), but more like personal preference.
Some prefer to add garlic, ginger, vinegar to make variations. We don’t really have “chicken stock” in Japan except for granule kind (no liquid chicken stock) so we rarely use “chicken stock” unless it’s chinese dish (in fact, we call chicken stock Chuka Dashi / Chinese dashi).
Thanks for noticing my typo. I only found one “addictive”… and fixed it. Thank you!
Can I use this teriyaki sauce as a marinade?
Should I then put a bit of oil on meat once I take it out of the marinade given it has no oil in it >
Hi Rosalee! If you use this as marinade, I recommend wiping off the the marinade before you cook as it can easily burn the food before food is cooked through. It’s just the soy sauce gets easily burnt… so I usually recommend pouring the sauce toward the end of cooking. However, you can definitely marinate. In Japan, we don’t marinade with sauce for a long time as it can be too salty and lose the flavor of the ingredients, so we marinate about 30 to 60 mins at most. Hope this helps!
Hi Nami,
I love your recipes!! May I know if it’s okay to substitute sake with something else?
Sorry I didn’t realise there’s a recipe note :\ apologies for the trouble!
Hi Lina! No problem. 🙂 Hope you enjoy!
Hi Nami. How long will this teriyaki sauce keep in the refrigerator. Thanks.
Hi Lee! 2-3 weeks. 🙂
Thank you for the very simple recipe for teriyaki sauce. I also realized that the sauce can use used in many recipes and not only with teriyaki.
Hi Marissa! Sure! I hope you enjoy this sauce! 🙂
My favourite restaurant uses Teriyaki sauce with sesame seeds in it. I would like to try that at home. Would you recommend roasting the sesame seeds together with the sauce in the pan, or adding them into the finished sauce?
Hi Melanie! If I would include the sesame seeds in the recipe, I’d roast sesame seeds in the empty frying pan (no oil necessary) until fragrant (swirl around until 1-2 sesame seeds pop like popcorns). Then set aside. When you finish making teriyaki dish, I’d sprinkle it on top. That way, the flavor of sesame seeds won’t be covered by the teriyaki sauce (or diluted, in a way)…
Good morning Nami! You have such a wonderful site with so many great recipes. I can’t wait to make the Teriyaki Sauce. Bottled sauces have so many chemicals and yours are so natural. Now all I have to do is choose what to make from one of your recipes. Thanks again for such a wonderful and informative site. Enjoy your day.
Hi Jacquie! Thank you for your kind words! I hope you like this teriyaki sauce. Yes, not only it has so many ingredients that I can’t pronounce, but it also doesn’t have the right “teriyaki sauce”….(if it is delicious and authentic…. maybe….). Hope you enjoy homemade version! 🙂
Hi Nami, I like to know how long I can keep the can of teriyaki sauce in the refrigerator, thank you.
Hi Wendy! About 2-3 weeks. 🙂
This version of Teriyaki is better than the first. Next the naming of a number of dishes that would use teriyaki is a great idea.
Thank you Tom!
What type if sake do you use for your teriyaki sauce?
Hi Rachel! I use regular drinking sake (inexpensive, about $8-10 for a big bottle) that I mentioned here: https://www.justonecookbook.com/pantry_items/sake/
You have made this necessity absolutely fool proof: no more reason to say ‘I have run out of it!’ . . .
Hahaha! True! Thank you Eha!
Wow never thought it would be this easy to make!❤️ Well at least it’s better than having an instant Teriyaki Sauce from store, but Nami-san, should we add sake (alcohol)? Since alcohol is prohibited in Indonesia, do you have any recommendation to enrich the taste? Thank you ????
It is very easy to make! It’s really hard to find a good substitute for sake as we use it for the effect that sake does, not just the slight sweetness coming from fermentation of rice…. so a substitute like water is not exactly same, but that’s the best non-alcoholic sub I can find… do not use vinegar, although some website may suggests. There is no vinegar/sour taste in sake… But you don’t have to use sake if I use it for tenderizing the meat. 🙂
Love Teriyaki Sauce, and I’m glad to have your approved recipe. 🙂 This looks great — thanks. And BTW, Happy 7 Year Blog Anniversary!
I discovered that a “basic” teriyaki sauce is just sugar water, soy sauce, and a thickening agent (usually Corn Starch). All other ingredients are there only for adding more flavors to the sauce.
Hi Alec! In Japan, all teriyaki methods involves mirin in the sauce – it’s the classic way to make it, and there is no corn starch thickening necessary (although you “can” do it).
Hi. I tried to make my own teriyaki sauce using your recipe. Instead of using Japanese sake and Japanese soy sauce, I used Chinese rice wine and Chinese soy sauce because those are what I have at home. I’m not sure of what went wrong, but my teriyaki sauce hardened after it cooled down. Then I tried to heat it up again and add more soy sauce and water because it tasted too overpowering the first time, and the sauce lost its sweetness. Is it normal for the sauce to harden after it cools down? Or did I add in too much sugar?
Thanks!
Hi HY! It sounds like yours got caramelized. I don’t think the issue is from Chinese rice wine and Chinese soy sauce. First question – did you replace mirin with sugar? Just like caramel (sugar and water), the mixture gets thicker as it cools down. So it’s important not to reduce so much. If you see in my video, I show the consistency. It’s syrupy, but still more like liquid right? For Teriyaki sauce, mirin plays a big role… and it just gives good sweetness and luster without adding too much sugar. So that’s one thing. When you try to heat up again, you only added soy sauce and water. When you season, you have to add sugar or sweet thing first before adding salty ingredients. Because no matter you add sweet ingredients later, sweetness doesn’t come back. So always sweeten first, and control the salty ingredients. Here you add soy sauce and water later – there is a balance between sweet and savory, and you can’t add just soy sauce here. I need to see the result and how you did it to tell what went wrong, but from what you wrote, that’s what I can advise. Please try following my recipe (maybe watch video together) as it works every time and I’ve tested many times before I share my recipe on my blog. Hope that helps! 🙂
Imagine you’ve followed Nami’s instructions to the letter, resisted any form of ‘thickening’ other than a simple simmer reduction … resisted the urge to ‘add’ anything and indeed even dialled down the sugar to a hint … and then, 4 days later you are contemplating those luscious swordfish steaks and wondering ‘what shall I dress these with tonight?’ and you see the jar, sitting proudly on the refrigerator shelf, beckoning. You sneak a little taste – the SMOKY, rich taste hits your tongue and you know you’re on to a winner. This is not your bottled sauce. This is heaven.
Hi GaijinCyn! 🙂 Your kind compliment means a lot to me! Thank you!!! So happy to hear you liked the sauce. Yes, resist corn starch/potato starch…. 😀 😀
I absolutely love this recipe, thank you for sharing. No more store bought chemical laden sauces anymore!
Thank you Lian! So happy to hear you enjoy this recipe! 🙂
Great recipe! I flambe’d the alcohol off in the sake and mirin prior to adding the rest of the ingredients (added ginger and garlic). Love the flavors. Btw: I left the pot with some remaining sauce out overnight – is it no good and should I discard?
Hi Jeremy! Thanks so much for trying this recipe and I’m so glad you enjoyed it. The sauce should be okay – if you’re worried, you can heat up and kill any possible germs before storing or reusing it. 🙂
could you pls tell me, how much ginger and garlic i can add
Hi Jakir! If you want to add them, usually just 1/2 to 1 teaspoon each. But it’s really up to you. 🙂
I was looking for basics of teriyaki and you have cleared all my doubts. Thanks for sharing
Hi Ritu! Glad I could clear your doubts. 🙂 Thank you for checking my recipe!
Sake and mirin are alcoholic right? Can you please give any suggestions for a non-alcoholic recipe? Alcohol cannot be consumed it my religion, so I need a recipe that dsoesn’t use sake and mirin but still has an authentic Japanese flavour. Thank you so much! ^^
I’ve been using your website to make deserts for a while and I want to try making meals now. I hope it’s not too much trouble.
Hi Maan! Thank you so much for trying my dessert recipes!
Sake and mirin are very essential condiments in Japanese cooking (mentioned here: https://www.justonecookbook.com/sake-mirin/) and to make it authentic flavors I always use them in my recipes.
However, I understand your situation and here’s my suggestion.
There is non-alcoholic mirin here (See #4):
https://www.justonecookbook.com/pantry_items/mirin/
You can replace sake with water.
https://www.justonecookbook.com/pantry_items/sake/
Its really so easy to do. I will try this at home and let you know. However, i would like to clarify one thing though. Can i use any other wine as substitute to sake and add sherry or chinese rice wine ?
Hi Carolina! Hope you enjoy this recipe! The best substitute for sake would be Chinese rice wine or dry sherry. 🙂
This looks great! You mention in the notes that the sake can be substituted for Chinese rice wine. Is Chinese rice wine the same thing as mirin?
Hi Nedra! No, Sake or Chinese rice wine are similar BUT mirin is not. Please read this post: https://www.justonecookbook.com/sake-mirin/
Hi, thank you for this recipe!
I have a question about storing it. For how long is it ok to keep it in the fridge? I might want to make a larger amount to safe some time 🙂
Greetings from Germany
Hi Helen! It lasts 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator (step 5). Hope you enjoy! 🙂
Do I have to add sugar for Teriyaki sauce? Is there a reasonable substitute – we are a no sugar family.
HI Miriam! You don’t have to, but classic teriyaki sauce requires mirin to be included, so soy sauce, sake, mirin. Those 3 ingredients are necessary to make it authentic taste. You can use other sweetener to make the sauce sweeten if you need to.
This sauve is amazing and I have made it multipe times! I have tweeked it a bit, though: I substitute brown sugar for the white sugar, although that was mostly becuase I was out of white sugar; and I prefer my sauce to be thicker, so I add a couple of tablespoons of corn starch (in a slurry) after it has simmered according to the recipe’s directions.
Hi Helene! Thanks so much for your kind feedback. I’m so happy to hear you enjoy this teriyaki sauce! 🙂
Very easy recipe, and great guide to find the ingredients. Tasted great!
Thank you so much for your kind feedback, Y B!
Hi Nami
Wish you and your family a nice weekend
Wanted to mention that the new layout is very nice
Mathi
Hi Mathias! Thanks so much for your kind words on my new blog design! Really happy to hear that! 🙂 Happy Holidays!!
I cannot thank you enough for this fantastic recipe! I had leftover salmon from Christmas Eve dinner and some thawed boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I was tired, and wanted something easy to make. First, the teriyaki sauce is so perfect that I will never buy it again! The salmon turned out perfectly as did the chicken thighs. Once I added the teriyaki sauce, it thickened up beautifully.
I didn’t change a thing, and everything turned out perfectly. My family was very happy.
Absolutely love your recipes!ありがとうございます
I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe and thank you for your kind feedback! どうもありがとう！！
Hi Nami, How long can you keep the teriyaki sauce in the frig? How long does it stay fresh in the frig? Love this recipe. Thanks very much.
Hi Jill! 2-3 weeks, but if you keep it well, one month should be okay. I’m glad you like the recipe! 🙂
Hi Nami!
First of all congrats for this blog !!! Very helpfull and also very good explain all the recipes for ‘europeans or non japan people’ ✌🏻️☺️☺️
I have a question what is the different between TERIYAKI and YAKITORI sauce?
Thanks in advange
Ursula
Hi Ursula! Thank you for your kind words! So in Japanese, teriyaki means a style of cooking. You cook the ingredient first (whether on the grill or pan) and coat with the soy sauce based sauce (soy sauce, sake, mirin, and sometimes sugar). It’s not the sauce’s name. Yakitori is a dish name, yaki (grill) and tori (chicken), which specifically name for grilled chicken skewers. So for this dish, you usually have salt seasoning option or “tare (pronounce ta re)”. This sauce is translated to “Yakitori sauce”, made from soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sometimes sugar, and other ingredients such as green onions, ginger, whatever people want to add. Hope this helps!
thank you very much for your quick answer !
yes, i did understand that teriyaki is a style of cooking and not a sauce, bcause you have already explain very clear in this recipe post above ✌🏻️☺️ but my question is when you write ‘how to make the AUTHENTIC TERIYAKI SAUCE’ you are refering to yakitori sauce…? Is the same ‘sauce’ (i know teriyaki isnt a sauce) when we are saying ‘teriyaki sauce’ or ‘yakitori sauce’? …
thank you very much and sorry for my silly question !
Have a nice day
Hi Ursula! I am referring to the “Teriyaki Sauce” that people are calling (we don’t use this word in Japan). And “teriyaki sauce” is different from “yakitori sauce”. The ingredients are different, although it’s similar.
Yakitori sauce is very thick, reduced A LOT, and add more ingredients besides condiments. 🙂
Hi Nami !
Thank you. I’ve got it now ✌🏻️ You are the BEST! 😊
Thank you!
Which brand of soy sauce do you use?
Hi Stacie! I use the soy sauce shown in the second picture. 🙂 https://www.justonecookbook.com/soy-sauce/
Tried this recipe out and it taste almost like the one I’d have at Edo Japan in food courts but not as thick. I love how its very simple to make but there’s room to experiment so I’ll definitely try the ginger + onion next time I make another batch of the sauce.
I made the sauce tonight and let it cool off while I prepared some sliced chicken thighs and a bunch of veggies to stir-fry. At the end of it all I spoon about 1-2 Tbsp of the sauce and did a final fry of all the ingredients and it turned out REALLY good. I think once the sauce cools off next day it will thicken up for sure but I was really blow away by the flavour!
Hi Kevin! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this sauce and thank you for your kind feedback. Yes, as the sauce cool down, moisture continues to evaporate and it gets thicken. We don’t add corn starch or potato starch when we make this sauce in Japan (but you can, and sometimes we do to save time or extra thick sauce etc). Glad yours came out well and thank you again!
Hi Nami, thank you so much for the recipe!
I have a question, which one is a better substitute for sake, ryorishu or goseishu? This is my first time trying an authentic teriyaki sauce, and I’m kinda confused 😂
Hi Jinnie! I’d say Ryorishu 料理酒 – cooking sake. 🙂 Hope you enjoy!
My mother showed me how to make her teriyaki sauce when I went off to college so I could cook for myself (she also gave me a very small “National” rice cooker, which shows how long ago I went to college!), and her recipe, which I’ve basically followed ever since, is very much like yours. And thank you for explaining to your non-Japanese audience that teriyaki sauce in Japan isn’t thick and gloppy!
Hi Gil! I have to be like your mom when my kids are off to college one day. 🙂 It’s wonderful that you keep making the traditional chicken teriyaki since then! Thank you so much for your kind comment. I was bothered by the taste and texture of the sauce when I first encountered teriyaki sauce here. 😀
Hi Nami. Is it okay if I use honey instead of using sugar in this recipe…
Hi Fira! Please adjust the amount as sweetness probably varies. And remember, honey burns easily so be careful. Enjoy! 🙂
My teriyaki sauce is not thickening? Why?
Hi JK! First of all, I want to ask if you use any substitute for this recipe and if you change the amount of each condiment. Secondly, when you stopped cooking, how was the consistency? Was this comment made before the sauce is cooled? While cooling, the sauce continues to evaporate and it will thicken. Let me know. I make this sauce often and I think you probably didn’t go reduce enough (if you follow my timing only). Everyone has different stove/heat and reduction time will vary. 🙂
I’m not sure when you were last in Japan but, contrary to your “Fun Fact” statement, Japanese supermarkets DO carry bottled teriyaki sauce….and with variations of teriyaki sauce designed to go with various types of food….low-salt teriyaki sauce, low-calorie teriyaki sauce, etc.
Some traditional housewives and foodies may still make their own teriyaki sauce, but most Japanese people (especially working women) buy bottled teriyaki sauce.
FYI, I’ve lived in Japan for 30+ years….am now retired and so am the full-time “homemaker” (including chef) for my Japanese wife, who is very busy at work.
Hi Kirk! The last time I was in Japan was this past summer and I spend 2 summer months in Japan every year (my family lives in Yokohama). I’m not too far “off” from life in Japan as I still go shopping and cook while I’m in Japan. And yes, there are “a few” brands like Ebara that make teriyaki sauce (in fact, you can google in Japanese and you will find only a couple unique house brands carrying teriyaki no tare). After reading your comment I was curious and asked around my friends who are working moms (in Japan). They think most people still make teriyaki-style food with soy sauce, mirin, sake because it’s easy and the condiments are used for the majority of Japanese food. In the US, the “Teriyaki Sauce” has that specific taste that’s well known, but in Japan, this combination of condiments are used in fish, grilled food, nimono, and so many things and it’s not one single taste (due to different ratios). I assume that’s why teriyaki no tare is not something everyone has in their fridge?
Hi! I tried to make this teriyaki sauce today. Am i suppose to still taste the alcohol after it is done? Or is it because i have not reduced it enough? I let it simmer for at least 20mins i think (did not time 😅)
Hi Cindy! Nope, alcohol should be already evaporated, so no alcohol taste or smell. 🙂
You must be complimented on your website. It was very precise and to the point with nicely done photos. The one question I have is what brand and kind of Sake can I use without spending a lot of money and not buying cooking sake which has salt in it ? Thank you, Jerry S
Hi Jerry! Thank you so much for your kind feedback on the site. I’m glad to hear you like it. 🙂
For sake, I buy one of these 3 sake brands that you can get in Japanese grocery stores or Asian markets. It’s roughly $5-10 (I get them on sale, so it’s closer to $5 for a big bottle).
https://www.justonecookbook.com/sake/
I’ve made the la-yu oil {bought the same as the picture once). I like your oil because you can control the heat. Also made the teriyaki sauce. never bought any from a store and never will because your sauce is fantastic. Also made the mentsuyu sauce for the yakisoba noodle dish. also fantastic.
We have been eating a lot of Japanese inspired food. Love it.
We (on a few occasions) have had Japanese university students stay with us for a 2 week Home stay and fell in love with Japan. I could leave the house with 10 students at home and come back in a couple hours and the house would be neater than when I left. loved the humor and the teaching English as well. I think of those students often. GO GIFU.
Hi Terry! Aww thank you so much for sharing your sweet stories! How wonderful that you sometimes host Japanese students! I’m happy to hear you enjoy cooking Japanese food at home! 🙂
OMG – this is awesome! I used to buy Kikkoman Teriyaki sauce. Yours is sooooo much better, no comparison and easy to make. Thank you so much for this!
One question – I like to marinate things before cooking to provide additional flavor (like chicken and shrimp). Is this common in Japan to marinate before cooking, and if so, how long to marinate?
Thanks
Steve
Hi Steve! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe! 🙂 Most recipes that require marinating in Japan is 30 minutes. You rarely see “overnight” marinating. I think because the ingredient gets salty and we do care about the flavor of the ingredients in our cooking. Anyway, that’s another reason why you see adding flavor while cooking not before. The marinate unless you wipe off burns as soon as it hits the pan. So you can’t properly sear food as you would worry about marinate getting burnt. Hope this helps!
Hi! Thank you very much for this recipe! I’m wondering if the alcohol in the same evaporates while cooking?! Thank you!
Hi Liv! Yes, alcohol will evaporate while cooking so it’s safe for kids, too. 🙂
Hi I tried this recipe it was vert good but there’s too much sugar which is not healthy..Any healthier version for this sauce?
Hi Nikita! Please feel free to adjust the sweetness as you like, but remember that soy sauce is salty and needs some sweetness to balance it out. I also recommend using less amount of teriyaki sauce for making a dish. 🙂
I made this recipe with great success. The family loves it. I made a large batch and froze in 1-cup containers so I can just pull some out when I need it. Question: I’m trying to go low(er) carb. Has you or anyone else ever used erythritol in this recipe?
Thank you
Hi Margate! Thanks so much for trying this recipe! So happy to hear your family like it. Thank you for your kind feedback. 🙂 I’ve never tried using erythritol before. Sorry I wish I can tell how it is using it.
This recipe is great and I have created it as well as used it, however I am curious. In a separate recipe, namely the Chicken Teriyaki, in that one you mixed the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl without heating it then poured it with the chicken at the end of cooking. My question is, is there a difference between boiling the mixture before hand like in this post or just dumping the mixture,without needing to boil it, as in the Chicken Teriyaki.
Since we boiled it prior I’m guessing we wouldn’t have to wait longer for it to reduce.
Hi David! That’s correct. You can drizzle this sauce more like just to coat with whatever you’re working with – like grilled chicken. In Japan, we don’t really make “teriyaki sauce” as we always cook with the sauce. But I wanted to share this recipe to replace everyone’s store-bought ones. 🙂
Thank you so much for this recipe. Yes much better than store bought and healthier. Nothing like a true janpanese to follow…thank you.
Hi Chit! Thanks so much for trying my recipe! So happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe. 🙂
Hi.
I warmed up my overnight teriyaki sauce and it is too thick I feel. Do I add water to it or other things like sake or mirin?
Hi Bop! If you plan to keep this for a longer time, do not add water (as we didn’t add in the recipe). Put the teriyaki sauce back in the saucepan and add a bit of sake and let it evaporate completely and loosen up. Remember, the reduced sauce always thicken as it cools and moisture evaporates. 🙂
Hi Nami, I just discovered your site, and am super excited to try your recipes! If I substitute the sake for cooking sake, would it be an equal substitution? Or add less, because of the salt?
Hi Myra! I’d say try the taste would be a subtle difference, but not that much. You can always adjust the salt, later on before finishing, so you can reduce salt first, too. 🙂
Hi! delicious !! I was wondering: can I use this sauce as a marinade? Thanks a lot!!! 🙂
Hi Gail! It’s concentrated though, so it’s better for final finish than using for marinading. But I guess you can do that. 🙂
Can I store this at room temp?
Hi Janice! I recommend storing it in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 weeks. 🙂
Hi Nami, just a quick question. I first saw teriyaki sauce in the salmon teriyaki recipe. In there you put – 1 tbsp sake, mirin, sugar – and – 2 tbsp soy sauce -. In this recipe though, you have different portion (1 cup sake, mirin, soy sauce, and 1/2 cup sugar). So which portion is correct? More sugar or more soy sauce? Thanks..
Hi Fifi! Please know that we never make the same sauce for all dishes in Japan. Depending on ingredients, cooking method, feeling, we change up the portion. In Japanese cooking, we use soy sauce, sake, mirin, and sugar in 80-90% of the recipes… and we cook dishes in different portions of these ingredients. There is no standard “Teriyaki sauce” in Japan as everyone makes the sauce differently based on the recipe/ingredients. Even the same recipe, we change up the portions! Hope I answered your question. 🙂
Hi Nami, i’m Felix from Colombia, love you page i have a doubt, what is the diference between teriyaki and unagi sauce
Hi Felix! We make a lot of dishes with soy sauce, sake, and mirin (and sugar sometimes). This combination is for almost all Japanese dishes. It makes the sauce for Unagi (which is why we call Unagi Sauce), and sauce for meat etc (Teriyaki style), or seasoning for simmered dishes. So if you ask for the “difference”, then it’s how it’s prepared and used. We don’t really make “Teriyaki Sauce” like this and keep in a jar in Japan (we could), because we want to adjust the flavor of dishes differently. Otherwise, all our foods will end up with the same taste! Therefore, a lot of Japanese recipes won’t say “teriyaki” even with the same ingredients. Teriyaki is only specific when the “grilled meat” is seasoned with the sauce made of these ingredients. Hope I answered to your question??? Let me know if I wasn’t clear.
Yes very clear, thank you very much for you respose. I love japanese food so i’m trying to learn as much as i can and with the ingredientes that i found here in Colombia. Your page is a deligth thank you
Aww thank you so much for using my recipes in Colombia! I’m honored! Have fun cooking!