Sauces & Dressings Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Teriyaki Sauce
A glossy homemade teriyaki sauce balancing soy, mirin, and sherry for glazing grilled meats and vegetables.
Contains common allergens
In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.
Good to know
- One-pot
- Ready in under 30 minutes
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: one-pot dinners30-minute meals
Instructions
5 steps- 1
Combine the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, honey, garlic, and ginger in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
- 2
Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes to let the garlic and ginger infuse the sauce.
- 3
Whisk in the cornstarch slurry and continue to simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- 4
Remove from the heat and stir in the sesame oil.
- 5
Let cool slightly before using as a glaze or dipping sauce; it thickens further as it cools.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
78/100
Good fit for most families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving60
Calories
2 g
Protein
10 g
Carbs
0 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Teriyaki is a Japanese cooking method whose name combines teri, the glossy shine, with yaki, to grill or broil, describing food cooked in a glaze of soy, mirin, and sugar until it lacquers. The classic Japanese version is a simple four-ingredient blend brushed onto fish or chicken, while the thicker, garlic-and-ginger-loaded bottled sauce familiar in North America is a Hawaiian and mainland adaptation. Both share the defining sweet-salty balance and the signature sheen.
Listahan note
This version makes the from-scratch sauce that thickens to a real glaze, so it clings to chicken or salmon instead of running off like the watery bottled kind.
Technique cues
- Simmer the sauce until it coats the back of a spoon, because teriyaki is defined by its glossy cling and a thin sauce will never lacquer onto the food.
- Add any cornstarch slurry only at the end and off a hard boil, since overcooked starch turns the glaze cloudy and gluey.
- Reduce the soy and sugar together slowly rather than at a rolling boil, which prevents the sugar from scorching into a bitter edge.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Mix the slurry and grate the ginger while the soy and mirin come up to a simmer, so the finish is seamless.
- Make-ahead
- Make a jar of sauce ahead; it keeps for weeks and turns any weeknight protein into a quick teriyaki dinner.
- Leftover move
- Brush leftover sauce on grilled vegetables, toss it through fried rice, or glaze a roast salmon fillet.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Soak the saucepan right away, since the sugar glaze hardens fast onto the pan as it cools.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
soy sauce
salty umami base
Purpose: Soy sauce provides the savory, salty backbone that balances the sweetness and gives teriyaki its depth.
Handling: Use a Japanese soy sauce for the most authentic balance.
Adaptation: Tamari makes the sauce gluten-free with nearly identical flavor.
mirin
sweet rice wine
Purpose: Mirin adds a gentle sweetness and the subtle alcohol depth that distinguishes real teriyaki from a plain soy glaze.
Handling: Add along with the soy so it reduces together.
Adaptation: A spoon of sugar plus a splash of rice vinegar approximates mirin if you have none.
sake
aromatic depth
Purpose: Sake adds complexity and helps the sauce taste balanced rather than flatly sweet-salty.
Handling: Simmer it in so the alcohol cooks off and leaves the aroma.
Adaptation: Dry sherry or extra mirin stands in acceptably.
sugar
sweetness and shine
Purpose: Sugar provides the sweetness and the glossy lacquer that gives teriyaki its name.
Handling: Dissolve fully as the sauce warms to avoid graininess.
Adaptation: Honey or brown sugar gives a deeper, more caramel sweetness.
fresh ginger
aromatic lift
Purpose: Ginger brings a warm, fresh bite that brightens the sweet-salty base, common in the North American style.
Handling: Grate fine or smash and remove before bottling for infused flavor without bits.
Adaptation: A pinch of ground ginger works in a pinch, with less brightness.
Technique notes
- Reduce the sauce a little further than you think for a glaze, because it thickens more as it cools on the food.
- Brush it on in the last few minutes of cooking rather than at the start, so the sugar caramelizes without burning.
- Finish with a few drops of toasted sesame oil off the heat for a nutty aroma that store-bought sauce cannot match.
Ingredient swaps
- Gluten-free direction
- Use tamari or a certified gluten-free soy sauce in place of regular soy for the same flavor without wheat.
- Lower-sodium direction
- Use reduced-sodium soy sauce and lean on extra ginger and a splash of rice vinegar for punch.
- Alcohol-free option
- Replace the sake and mirin with apple juice plus a little rice vinegar and sugar.
Serve alongside
- Steamed jasmine rice
- Grilled chicken thighs
- Sesame broccoli
- Quick cucumber pickles
- Green tea
- Cold Japanese lager
- Sparkling yuzu soda
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Keep in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to two weeks; the sauce thickens further as it chills, so warm it slightly to loosen. Stir before each use in case any starch settles. It freezes well in small portions for up to three months.
Equipment
- Small heavy saucepan
- Whisk
- Microplane for ginger
- Sealable glass jar
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