About Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
Whenever you’re looking to pack a lot of flavor in an easy package, nothing beats homemade teriyaki sauce. From tasty meat marinades to a fast and easy dipping sauce, this sauce is a one-size-fits-all for dinners, parties, or snacks.
What’s in teriyaki sauce
For as much flavor as teriyaki sauce packs, the ingredient list is actually very simple:
- Water
- Soy Sauce
- Light brown sugar (or dark brown, if you prefer a sweeter taste).
- Honey
- Ground ginger
- Garlic powder
- Cornstarch
How to thicken teriyaki sauce
To thicken any sauce, the easiest way is to heat the sauce up to boiling and add a small amount of “slurry” (a mixture of cornstarch + water).
- Measure out the sauce in increments of one cup (one cup, one cup, etc), then bring the sauce to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat.
- While sauce comes to a boil, add one tablespoon of cornstarch and one tablespoon of cold water to a small bowl, then mix together until cornstarch is dissolved.
- While whisking sauce, slowly pour in a little bit of the slurry (1/3 or so), then let the sauce come to a boil again. Check the thickness to see if it’s to your liking. If the sauce is still too thin, repeat the step of adding slurry, coming to a boil, and checking the thickness.
How to thin teriyaki sauce
The easiest way to thin teriyaki sauce is to add a little bit of warm water.
For every one cup of teriyaki sauce, try whisking in half a teaspoon of liquid. Keep adding as needed until desired consistency is reached.
How long is teriyaki sauce good for?
Once cooled and stored in the refrigerator, homemade teriyaki will be good for three to five days.
Can you freeze teriyaki sauce?
Yes, teriyaki sauce can be frozen.
Let the sauce cool to room temperature, then store in a freezer-safe container of your choosing.
Teriyaki sauce can be frozen for two to three months.
Other easy sauce recipes
How to make teriyaki sauce
This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. If you’re looking for the full recipe measurements and instructions, scroll down to Recipe Details.
Step 1 – In a small saucepan, cook and whisk one cup of water with the soy sauce, brown sugar, ground ginger, and garlic powder.
Step 2 – While the sauce comes to a boil, whip up some slurry by whisking the water and cornstarch together.
Step 3 – Once the saucepan is boiling, pour in the slurry. Whisk and cook the sauce until it’s thick enough to your liking (it should easily coat the back of a spoon).
Step 4 – Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Details

Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
Whether you love Asian-style dishes or just need a tasty sauce for dipping, this homemade teriyaki sauce is fast to make and easy to adjust to your tastes.
Ingredients
Instructions
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While sauce comes to a boil, create a slurry by adding remaining 1/4 cup water and cornstarch to a small bowl, then whisking until cornstarch is dissolved.
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Pour the slurry in the saucepan, then bring the sauce back to a boil, whisking frequently. Once boiling, cook for 1-2 minutes or until desired thickness is reached. For best results, sauce should easily coat the back of a spoon.
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Use teriyaki sauce immediately as a sauce, glaze, or dip.
Nice Recipe but a bit too sweet, would either cut the brown sugar in half and the same with the honey
How long does it keep for?
Do you glaze the chicken then bake or pour sauce over already baked chicken?
I made this in a pinch because I forgot to buy teriyaki sauce from the store. It was PERFECT! The right amount of sweet and tang. And so so easy to throw together. I’ll definitely be adding this to my list of regulars. Thank you!
I just made this and I love it so simple and easy to make and taste delicious!