Homemade teriyaki sauce is easier than you think! It just takes three main ingredients plus a little sugar to make the best chicken teriyaki sauce ever!
Chicken teriyaki was a staple dish during my childhood. It was something my mom knew no one would complain about.
She would make different versions of the sauce to throw us off from time to time and to make sure we never got bored of her cooking.
Maybe one week she’d add minced ginger. Another week, there might be a splash of pineapple juice or a hint of garlic. Regardless, the base sauce consisted of the same three ingredients.
Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
Homemade teriyaki sauce is wayyyy easier than you think. I remember the first time I watched my mom make it. I was around 10 years old and at that time, my only understanding of sauce making came from watching episodes of Jacques Pepin and Julia Child make super labor intensive French sauces.
Mind you, this was prior to Food Network, Cooking Channel, and YouTube. I figured all sauces just took time. Obviously my mind was blown when I watched my mom make teriyaki sauce in less than 5 minutes.
This is my super simple, no fail, world’s best teriyaki sauce!
It’s so easy that you can totally memorize the recipe without any effort.
Simply, use equal parts sake, Mirin, and reduced-sodium soy sauce. Add sugar (brown sugar or honey works too) according to your desired sweetness. You can boil the mixture to reduce and thicken the sauce, or you can save time by adding a cornstarch slurry.
I choose the slurry. When using cornstarch, be sure to dissolve it in water before adding it to the sauce. Once you’ve added the cornstarch slurry to the sauce, bring the liquid mixture to a boil to cook off any unwanted starchy flavor.
As the sauce cools, it will thicken thanks to the cornstarch.
That’s it! No need to order take-out tonight. You can totally stay in and make easy dinners like this.
The teriyaki sauce keeps well in the fridge for about a week, or you could just make another batch in 5 minutes.
Since living on my own, teriyaki chicken/beef/tofu is a weekly staple in my weeknight dinner menu.
In addition, this sauce makes for a tasty marinade. And if you thicken the sauce, it makes for a wonderful glaze on chicken wings, fish, or baked tofu.
Teriyaki Sauce
This super simple, no fail, world's best teriyaki sauce will become a staple in your weeknight dinner menu. The sauce works on just about anything- grilled chicken, baked fish, or steamed vegetables!
Yield: about 1 1/2 cups sauce
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sake
- 1/2 cup Mirin (Japanese sweet cooking rice wine)
- 1/2 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 Tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
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In a small sauce pot, combine sake, Mirin, soy sauce and sugar. Set over medium heat and cook until sugar dissolves.
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In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch with 2 Tbsp water to make a slurry. Once smooth, whisk into sauce. Bring sauce to a boil. Remove from heat.
Jen @ Baked by an Introvert
I love homemade teriyaki sauce. I’ve never added sake to mine. I think it’s time I do! Thanks for a great reicpe!
Maryanne Cabrera
I hope you like it! :)
Millie+|+Add+A+Little
This looks delicious! I love easy comforting meals like this!
Maryanne Cabrera
Thanks Millie!
Ciara (My Fussy Eater)
This looks so delicious and so simple. Thanks for sharing!
Maryanne Cabrera
You’re welcome! Thanks for stopping by, Ciara! :)
Carla (@charliesue)
Oooh, love this. Kind of makes me feel silly for ever buying it! Thank you! :)
Maryanne Cabrera
You’re welcome! It’s super easy, you’ll never have to buy it again :)
Sarah @ SnixyKitchen
I LOVE teriyaki sauce, but since eating gluten-free, I never get to eat it. I’m excited to try your mom’s no-fail version with some tamari sauce. Also, I think I say this all the time, but these photos are so captivating. I love the way the light hits the sauce!