Homemade Teriyaki Sauce Recipe (super easy!)
This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission. Full Disclosure Policy.
This homemade Teriyaki Sauce Recipe is the real deal. Sweet, salty and perfectly balanced with the addition of garlic and ginger – who needs take-out? Add it to some chicken, serve it over rice. Hello, dinner!
If you love making your own pantry staples, you’ll love my recipe showing how to make your own Chicken Stock, Homemade Italian Seasoning and even Homemade Hamburger Helper!!
Step-by-step photos and instructions are below. Jump to the recipe card if you wish!
Ever get to the end of a long day, and want dinner super fast, but also want something other than frozen pizza or a bowl of cereal? Yeah, me too.
This homemade teriyaki sauce is YUMMY and so quick and easy, you’ll be kind of shocked (and hopefully – impressed!). It will be done before your chicken and rice are cooked (around the same time if you prep ahead with pre-cooked chicken and have some rice hanging about too).
Add something green on the side, and you have yourself quite the tasty dinner without resorting to calling for take-out!
It’s a salty, sweet, sauce that thickens to a perfect texture, just right for drizzling over your chicken. A quick sprinkle of some sesame seeds (or not, whatever), and dinner is DONE.
Did I mention that it is easy? And, gluten-free? (I use a gluten-free soy sauce and certified gluten-free cornstarch in case you were wondering).
My kids are notorious for not eating anything I spend any kind of time making for them, but H thinks this is excellent. He calls it “chicken candy sauce”. Um. That makes this a GREAT recipe, in my book!
This recipe makes 1 cup of sauce, so use it all tonight – or save some for later in the fridge. 1/4 cup – 1/2 cup in a stir fry works wonders too!!
Would you like to save this recipe?
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Key Recipe Ingredients
Remember: this is just an overview and the why of the ingredients I choose here. The full list of ingredients and amounts is found in the printable recipe card below.
- Soy sauce. Low sodium or regular both work. I often use gluten-free tamari when I need to keep this gluten-free.
- Sugar. Plain white sugar adds balance and a little sweetness. You can swap with honey or agave if you prefer.
- Lemon juice. Freshly squeezed is best. Bottled works, but the flavor isn’t quite the same.
- Garlic. Freshly minced gives the best flavor. Garlic powder can be used in a pinch.
- Fresh ginger. Freshly grated adds the most flavor, but ground ginger works if that’s what you have.
- Water. Helps bring everything together into a smooth sauce.
- Cornstarch. Thickens the sauce as it cooks. This works like a slurry, just added at the beginning. Use certified gluten-free if needed.
How to make this recipe
This is a step-by-step photo guide. Full ingredients and instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
Jump- Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce to medium heat, and simmer until thickened (about 1 minute).
- Cool to room temperature before storing it in a jar with a tight fitting lid.
Serving suggestion: Drizzle over cooked chicken and rice, sprinkle with sesame seeds and devour.
Kylee’s Notes
- Watch the saucepan as you’re cooking – it can burn easily due to the sugar content. Whisk constantly!!
- The sauce will coat the back of a spoon when done – see the process shots for what I mean!
- If you don’t have lemon – substitute a little apple cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar. We’re balancing salty and sweet with acid!
- This makes a great Asian salad dressing – combine a little of the sauce in a small bowl with some sesame oil and pour it on!
Get free recipes in your inbox!
Find me on Pinterest, Facebook & Instagram.
If you make this recipe, please comment and let me know how it turned out and leave a star rating! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 2/3 cup white sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic minced (can sub powdered)
- 2 teaspoons grated ginger can sub powdered
- 3/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch blended with 2water
To Serve
- cooked chicken
- rice
- sesame seeds optional
Instructions
Sauce
- Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce to medium heat, and simmer until thickened (about 1 minute)
- Cool to room temperature before storing.
To Serve
- Drizzle over cooked chicken and rice.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Devour.
Notes
Would you like to save this recipe?
We’ll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Did you make this recipe?
Make sure to follow @kyleecooks on Instagram for more and tag me #kyleecooks so I can see!Update: This was originally posted in June of 2016, and has been updated to improve reader experience.It totally needed process and ingredient pictures, but I’ve left some of the old pics (blue plates) in because I don’t hate them.
About Kylee Ayotte
I am a born and raised New Zealander (a Kiwi), now living in Phoenix, Arizona. I’m happily married to the love of my life – a hot American boy I met while traveling the world. I’m a mama to 2 awesome little boys and love red things, rugby, cheesecake, and bacon. Mmmmm. Bacon. Meet Kylee
I need to substitute stevia due to health conditions. Plus change cornstarch to arrowroot. Delicious Lily
I love teriyaki sauce, but never even thought about making it myself til I tried this. Now I no longer have to hope that the store has a jar of teriyaki sauce in stock when I want it.
The sauce sounds delicious and totally doable.I am a fan of sweet sour sauce combos and this hits the mark.Trying it out thiss weekend