Forget the store-bought stuff, this homemade Teriyaki Sauce is rich, flavorful, and incredibly easy to make. In just a few minutes, you can whip up a sauce that's perfect for chicken, stir-fry, salmon, or even a rice bowl. This is one of those simple, from-scratch staples that makes weeknight dinners taste like a restaurant meal, without the takeout bill.
Once you get the hang of making sauces from scratch, you'll never want to go back. And this one is a great place to start! Whether you're drizzling it over a rice bowl, tossing it with noodles, or glazing chicken wings, having this teriyaki sauce recipe in your back pocket will take your meals to the next level.
Table of contents
This is my go-to whenever I want that classic sweet and savory Japanese-inspired flavor. I love mixing a spoonful of this with my spicy sauce to make my Spicy Teriyaki Chicken Wings, it's one of my absolute favorite combos for game day or a fun family dinner!
Why I Love This Recipe
- Balanced Flavor Profile: A great teriyaki sauce hits the perfect harmony of sweet, salty, and savory. The richness of soy sauce is balanced by a blend of fruit juices that brings a subtle sweetness and depth without making the sauce overly sweet.
- The Perfect Consistency: You want a glossy sauce that's thick enough to coat your spoon without becoming sticky or goopy. As it cools, it thickens slightly, but once warmed up on hot food, it returns to a silky, pourable texture.
- Pantry-Friendly: Made with basic staples you likely already have in your kitchen.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- The Juice Trio (Apple, Orange & Pineapple): Instead of relying solely on refined sugar, this blend of fruit juices brings natural sweetness, acidity, and complexity to balance out the salty soy sauce.
- Soy Sauce: Standard regular soy sauce works best for this recipe. Low sodium Soy Sauce or Coconut Aminos are great substitutions.
- Light Corn Syrup (or Honey): Light corn syrup gives the sauce its signature restaurant-style shine and prevents sugar crystallization. If you prefer to make this without corn syrup, you can easily substitute an equal amount of honey, agave nectar, or maple syrup!
- Cornstarch Slurry: A simple mix of equal parts cornstarch and cold water thickens the sauce as it boils into a beautiful glaze.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and exact measurements.
How To Make Teriyaki Sauce from Scratch
This recipe comes together quickly with simple pantry and fridge staples. Here's how to make your own teriyaki sauce from scratch:
STEP 1
In a medium saucepan, combine soy sauce, water, apple juice, orange juice, and pineapple juice. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
STEP 2
While the mixture heats, whisk together cornstarch and water in a small bowl to create a slurry. This will thicken your sauce later.
STEP 3
Once the sauce is simmering, whisk in brown sugar and corn syrup. Continue whisking until the sugar has fully dissolved.
STEP 4
Increase the heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Whisk in the cornstarch slurry and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. The sauce will thicken as it boils and continue to thicken slightly as it cools.
STEP 5
Remove from heat and let cool. Use immediately or store for later use.
See the recipe card below for the full recipe.
Teriyaki Glaze vs. Teriyaki Marinade
Depending on how you plan to cook, you can easily adapt this base recipe:
As a Glaze: Follow the recipe with the cornstarch slurry. Baste over cooked meats, vegetables, or proteins during the last 2 to 3 minutes of cooking so the sugar caramelizes without burning.
As a Marinade: Skip the cornstarch slurry entirely! The un-thickened liquid makes a fantastic marinade for chicken breasts, pork tenderloin, or steak. Let the meat soak for 2 hours in the fridge before cooking.
Delicious Ways to Use This Sauce
Here are a few of my favorite recipes to make with Teriyaki sauce:
Chicken Teriyaki - Toss your pan-seared, grilled, or baked chicken in the finished sauce for an easy weeknight meal!
Teriyaki Salmon - Brush over fresh salmon fillets right before finishing them.
Chicken Wings - Toss crispy baked wings in this glaze for an easy game-day appetizer.
Stir-Fries & Noodles - Stir into a pan of sautéed veggies and noodles for a fast weeknight dinner.
Storage & Freezing Tip
Refrigerating: Allow the sauce to cool completely, then transfer to an airtight glass jar or container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Freezing (my favorite storage method): Transfer the cooled sauce to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. You can pull the container straight out of the freezer and easily scoop out exact portions with a metal spoon.
Reheating: Simply drop your scooped portion straight into a hot pan or small saucepan over low heat. As it warms, it melts right back into a silky, glossy, beautiful glaze ready to toss with your chicken, fish, or veggies!
Frequently Asked Questions
Stored in an airtight jar or glass container in the refrigerator, homemade teriyaki sauce will stay fresh for up to 7 days. For longer storage, freeze the sauce and use as needed.
Yes! This sauce freezes exceptionally well. Pour cooled sauce into a freezer-safe container and store for up to 3 months. You can pull the container straight out of the freezer and easily scoop out exact portions with a metal spoon.
Teriyaki sauce thickens as it boils and cools. If yours still feels too thin after cooling, bring it back to a gentle boil on the stovetop and whisk in an extra ½ teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with 1 teaspoon of cold water.
I hope you enjoy making and using this homemade teriyaki sauce in your kitchen as much as I do. It is so easy to make and tastes so much better than store-bought!
-Sky🩷
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📖 Recipe
Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup apple juice
- ¼ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup pineapple juice
- 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons water
Instructions
- In a medium pan combine the soy sauce, water, apple juice, orange juice and the pineapple juice. Bring to a simmer.
- While the soy sauce mixture is heating up, in a small bowl mix together the cornstarch and water. This is the cornstarch slurry that will be used to thicken the sauce.
- Bring to a simmer then whisk in the ⅓ cup plus the 2 tablespoons of sugar and corn syrup. Whisk until the sugar is fully dissolved. Bring the mixture to a boil and whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Boil for 1 minute while whisking rapidly. Remove from the heat and the sauce is ready to use.
Joshua Benson says
We made this and put it on meatballs. It was delicious!! Thanks for the great recipe!
Simply Scratch Made says
I am so glad that you liked it!
zidane says
very nice food teriyaki
Nick says
The best teriyaki recipe out there!!