Learn how to make delicious and easy homemade Teriyaki Sauce the authentic Japanese way. You only need four ingredients! Sweet, savory, and versatile, it will be your go-to sauce for chicken, salmon, tofu, pork, and even meatballs.
Savory and versatile, Teriyaki Sauce (照り焼きのたれ) is now 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.
Table of Contents
What Exactly 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.
When the food is prepared in “teriyaki” style, we season the food with soy sauce, sake, and mirin (and sometimes sugar). Since the meaning of ‘teriyaki’ has been deviated by simply referring to a Japanese sauce outside of Japan, I’d just refer to it as a sauce in this post.
As mentioned briefly, we actually don’t use bottled teriyaki sauces in Japan as we make our own sauce. Sometimes I get asked which brand of teriyaki is the best and I can only say the best teriyaki sauce is homemade and it’s as easy as 1-2-3 steps shown in this recipe.
How to Make Authentic Teriyaki Sauce – The Japanese Method
Ingredients You’ll Need
To make the teriyaki sauce, you’ll need only 4 most basic ingredients from the Japanese pantry:
- Soy sauce – Please use only Japanese soy sauce as it has a different flavor profile from Chinese, Thai, or Korean soy sauce. You could use low-sodium, tamari, or gluten-free versions.
- Sake – This is Japanese rice wine. It imparts a hint of fruitiness and complexity to the sauce. You can find sake at Asian grocery stores with an alcohol license, or at any major liquor stores. I recommend Gekkeikan, Sho Chiku Bai, or Ozeki.
- Mirin – This is Japanese sweet rice wine. It adds a delicate sweetness and fragrance and gives the sauce a nice luster.
- Sugar – Sugar adds sweetness and balances the savory taste of the teriyaki sauce. It is also crucial to give the sauce its sticky texture. We don’t use honey or maple syrup because they have a strong flavor. But, if that’s your preference, go ahead but take care as it burns easily.
Both sake & mirin are important ingredients for teriyaki-style cooking. If you can’t consume alcohol, please read the substitution options in my sake and mirin pantry pages. I also included specific substitutions in the recipe card below.
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:
Ratio For Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
2 Tbsp soy sauce:2 Tbsp sake:2 Tbsp mirin:1 Tbsp sugar
Overview: 3 Easy Cooking Steps to Make The Best Teriyaki Sauce
- Heat: In a medium-sized saucepan, combine sake and mirin, and add the soy sauce and sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat and continuously stir the sauce until the sugar is dissolved.
- Thicken: Once boiling, lower the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the sauce is thickened.
- Enjoy: Remove from heat and cool. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
Notes on Non-Japanese Style Teriyaki Recipes
I’ve seen many non-Japanese recipes include ingredients such as rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil, or fresh garlic in the teriyaki sauce. Some also use ground ginger or garlic powder. I would not recommend them if you wish to follow the authentic Japanese cooking method.
The addition of these ingredients produces a slightly different flavor and potentially overpowers a dish. Japanese cuisine is all about delicate taste.
That said, you have the freedom to do what you like and adapt a recipe to your liking. Depending on the protein or vegetable, I sometimes add grated ginger, minced garlic, and butter in my teriyaki sauce for extra flavors.
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 reaches a thicker consistency. We do not use cornstarch slurry 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.
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.
How to Store Your Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
You can use the homemade sauce immediately as needed or store it in an airtight, sterilized jar like mason jar in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 weeks.
Teriyaki sauce is great to make ahead so you can always reach for the sauce when you need to cook up something quick for a weeknight meal.
How to Use This Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
The wonderful thing about teriyaki sauce is its versatility. Here are some of my favorite ways to use this sauce:
- As a marinade for meat or seafood
- As a glaze over your grilled or pan-fried dishes
- In stir-fries
Once you start to experiment with your own teriyaki sauce, you will have fun dishing out different delicious recipes with this all-purpose seasoning.
Delicious Recipes with Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
- Chicken Teriyaki
- Pan-Fried Teriyaki Tofu Bowl
- Teriyaki Burger
- Teriyaki Salmon
- Beef Teriyaki
- Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs
- Teriyaki Chicken Quesadilla
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Teriyaki Sauce
Video
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients. See Notes for half-portion ingredients and substitutions for sake and mirin.
- In a saucepan, add ½ cup sake and ½ cup mirin.
- Add ½ cup soy sauce and ¼ cup sugar.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat and continuously stir 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 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
Nutrition
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on Jun 12, 2013. It’s been updated with a new video and images in January 2018 and with updated content in August 2022.
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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
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!!
Very easy recipe, and great guide to find the ingredients. Tasted great!
Thank you so much for your kind feedback, Y B!
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! 🙂
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.
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! 🙂
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/
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. 🙂
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/
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!
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 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. 🙂