Description
This easy homemade Teriyaki Sauce is a versatile and flavorful sauce perfect for stir-fries, marinades, glazes, and dipping. It combines the classic flavors of soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, garlic, and ginger with a touch of sesame oil and rice vinegar for balance.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/3 cup soy sauce (low-sodium recommended)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced or grated
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
Instructions
- Make Cornstarch Slurry: In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and the water until the cornstarch is completely dissolved and there are no lumps. This is your cornstarch slurry, which will thicken the sauce. Set aside.
- Combine Ingredients: In a medium saucepan, combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, minced garlic, grated ginger, sesame oil, and rice vinegar.
- Add Cornstarch Slurry: Add the cornstarch slurry to the saucepan with the other ingredients. Whisk everything together until well combined.
- Simmer and Thicken: Place the saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring frequently. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and turns a darker brown color, about 3-5 minutes. The sauce will thicken more as it cools.
- Remove from Heat: Once the sauce has reached your desired thickness, remove the saucepan from the heat immediately.
- Serve
Notes
- Soy Sauce: Low-sodium soy sauce is recommended to control the saltiness of the sauce. You can use regular soy sauce, but you may want to reduce the amount slightly.
- Brown Sugar: Light brown sugar is recommended, but you can use dark brown sugar for a richer molasses flavor.
- Honey: You can adjust the amount of honey to your preference.
- Ginger: Freshly grated ginger is preferred for the best flavor, but you can substitute 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger if needed.
- Sesame Oil: Toasted sesame oil adds a rich, nutty flavor.
- Rice Vinegar: Rice vinegar adds a subtle tanginess. You can substitute apple cider vinegar or white vinegar in a pinch.
- Cornstarch Slurry: Make sure to whisk the cornstarch and water together thoroughly before adding it to the sauce to prevent lumps.
- Consistency: If the sauce is too thick, add a little more water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency. If it’s too thin, simmer for a few more minutes to reduce it further.
- Serving Suggestions: This teriyaki sauce is delicious as a marinade for chicken, beef, pork, or tofu. It’s also great as a stir-fry sauce, a dipping sauce for dumplings or spring rolls, or a glaze for grilled meats or vegetables.
- Storage: Store leftover teriyaki sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.