How far away from our “roots” have we wandered when we are surprised that things that we’ve only bought in a bottle all our lives can easily be made at home?? Not to mention the fact that it’s also cheaper and far better tasting! I’m almost embarrassed to admit that once again I’ve have discovered something that fits the bill exactly – teriyaki sauce.
To me, teriyaki sauce has always been something that you buy in a bottle at the grocery store. And it’s high time that I turn that kind of thinking around! So today I’ll be showing you how to make an easy homemade teriyaki sauce that will change your life. (Okay, maybe it won’t change your whole life, but it will stop you from buying another bottle of teriyaki sauce from the grocery store!) ;-)
And BONUS….it’s gluten free! Which is not something most store-bought brands can say. Be sure and check your labels!
Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups cold water
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup soy sauce*
- 1 tsp garlic powder or granulated garlic
- 3 Tbsp corn starch
- 1 tsp sesame oil
*Note: If you want your teriyaki sauce to be gluten-free, be sure to use a gluten-free soy sauce.
Directions:
Add the water, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic powder, corn starch, and sesame oil to a saucepan. Whisk well and place on your stove over medium heat.
Whisk the mixture continually while cooking, until the sauce has thickened and the color has darkened.
Remove the sauce from heat, and transfer to an airtight container. Keep in your fridge for up to one week.
How To Use Your Teriyaki Sauce
We poured our teriyaki sauce over a bowl of rice, grilled chicken, broccoli, and bell peppers. Yum! It’s also great on fish, steak, and pork too!
Another thing I like to make is Teriyaki Flank Steak Strips! (Which is just a fancy sounding name for a flank steak cut into strips, marinated in the teriyaki sauce for about 30 minutes, and cooked on the grilled!)
Teriyaki Steak Strips are always a big hit with the meat-loving contingent in my house (which is everyone.) I have to say, it does my heart good when I hear every single person at the table say how GOOD the meal is!
Homemade Teriyaki Sauce Recipe
Looking for teriyaki sauce in a pinch? This delicious homemade teriyaki sauce is easy and only takes a few minutes!

Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups cold water
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup soy sauce*
- 1 tsp garlic powder or granulated garlic
- 3 Tbsp corn starch
- 1 tsp sesame oil
Instructions:
- Add the water, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic powder, corn starch, and sesame oil to a saucepan. Whisk well and place on your stove over medium heat.
- Whisk the mixture continually while cooking, until the sauce has thickened and the color has darkened.
- Remove the sauce from heat, and transfer to an airtight container. Keep in your fridge for up to one week.
Recipe Notes:
If you want your teriyaki sauce to be gluten-free, be sure to use a gluten-free soy sauce.
I make the best Teriyaki Sauce ever (and have given it to countless people) – no corn starch and uses fresh garlic. Stays fresh in the fridge seemingly forever. 1 c. soy sauce (use GF if you want); 1/4 c. sake, mirin or sherry; 5 tablespoons sugar (use brown if you would like); 2 cloves garlic, well minced; 1 tsp. grated ginger root. Blend all ingredients, stirring until sugar dissolves. I use my Ninja to blend, it is easier for me. I’ve been using this recipe for years. It is from an old book (1976) called Adventures in Oriental Cooking.… Read more »
Do you mind sharing what kind of sesame oil you use, or like the best? I remember buying some years ago…literally at least 10 years, and it was really dark and tasted really bitter so I’ve never tried to use it since then. The only kind I have now is used in soap and lotion, pretty sure it wouldn’t taste very good!! I will definitely try this, my family loves teriyaki EVERYTHING!!
Sesame oil definitely has a dark and bitter flavor, but it brings a lot of depth to a dish! We only used 1 teaspoon in this recipe. :-) Here’s a link to my favorite one: http://amzn.to/2wpRZvO
This might be an idea for our g free family member.Anyone what brands of soy sauce are gluten free.
This one is my favorite :-) http://amzn.to/2vL8RN5
I developed a sensitivity to gluten this year. Thought I’d never find a soy sauce I’d like but then read about Liquid Amino. I love it and it has many health benefits! I love all of your posts and DIY products by the way. Give it a try, it may even taste better than regular soy sauce.
What perfect timing! I wanted to make teriyaki party chicken wings tonight, and was going to search for a good recipe online, since we misplaced my delicious, favorite recipe. It called for orange juice, so I might try adding some, but I’ll definitely try your recipe! Thank you, Jillee!
Perfect! I hope you love it. :-)
One teaspoon grated fresh ginger could be added for a little bit of “tang” to the sauce. This was suggested to me by a Japanese co-worker years ago.
Thanks for the tip!
Can you braggs aminos in place of soy sauce?
I was thinking the same thing. If you already use it as soy sauce, I would certainly think so!
Sure!