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How to Make Teriyaki Sauce

Learn how to make teriyaki sauce with soy sauce, sugar, ginger, garlic, thickening, storage, common mistakes, troubleshooting, and FAQs.

Food & CookingEdited by Pramod Tiwari
2 min read

Quick Answer

To make teriyaki sauce, simmer soy sauce, water, sugar or honey, ginger, and garlic, then thicken with a cornstarch slurry if desired. Cool and refrigerate leftovers in a clean container.

Ingredients and Tools

  • Soy sauce
  • Water
  • Brown sugar or honey
  • Ginger
  • Garlic
  • Cornstarch optional
  • Small saucepan
  • Whisk
  • Jar

Safety Precautions

  • Use caution with hot sugar sauces because they can burn.
  • Refrigerate homemade sauce promptly.
  • Check sodium, soy, wheat, and honey concerns for your household.
  • Use gluten-free tamari only if needed and verified.
  • Do not reuse marinade that touched raw meat unless boiled safely.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Step 1

    Combine base

    Add soy sauce, water, sugar, ginger, and garlic to a saucepan.

  2. Step 2

    Simmer gently

    Heat until sugar dissolves and flavors blend.

  3. Step 3

    Make slurry

    Mix cornstarch with cold water separately if you want thicker sauce.

  4. Step 4

    Thicken sauce

    Whisk slurry into simmering sauce and cook until glossy.

  5. Step 5

    Taste and adjust

    Add water for less saltiness or more sweetener for balance.

  6. Step 6

    Cool

    Let sauce cool before storing.

  7. Step 7

    Refrigerate

    Store in a clean covered jar.

Practical Example

Example: Simmer soy sauce, water, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger for 5 minutes, whisk in cornstarch slurry, then use as a glaze for cooked chicken.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding cornstarch directly to hot sauce
  • Boiling too hard
  • Making it too salty
  • Using raw-meat marinade as dipping sauce
  • Leaving sauce unrefrigerated
  • Scorching sugar

Troubleshooting

Sauce is too salty

Add water and a little sweetener, then simmer briefly.

Sauce is too thin

Add more slurry gradually and simmer until glossy.

Sauce is lumpy

Whisk slurry separately before adding and strain if needed.

Sauce burned

Start over; scorched sugar flavor is hard to fix.

FAQs

How do I thicken teriyaki sauce?

Use a cornstarch slurry made with cold water, then simmer until thickened.

Can I use teriyaki as marinade?

Yes, but do not reuse marinade that touched raw meat unless boiled safely.

Can I make it gluten-free?

Use verified gluten-free tamari or soy sauce.

How should I store homemade teriyaki sauce?

Cool it and refrigerate in a covered clean container.

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