Easy Teriyaki Sauce

Balancing salty and sweet flavors perfectly, this Easy Teriyaki Sauce belongs in every kitchen. And, when I say it’s easy, I mean it. You can whisk this sauce together in less time than it takes to find your takeout menus.

Have you ever noticed how some sauces just make a meal? I mean, it’s the same chicken and rice, the same vegetables, the same everything. But, change the sauce and everything is completely different. That’s exactly how this easy teriyaki sauce feels, to me.

There’s something I find delightful in making truly simple food, especially when the result is way beyond what you would expect. Put it on chicken, beef, pork, salmon, or even a vegetarian plate, and it will keep you coming back for one more bite.

Teriyaki Sauce

I can’t remember the first time I tried teriyaki sauce. But, it certainly wasn’t at home. My mom did the best she could, but cooking was not one of her strengths.

I am overwhelmed by gratitude for how tirelessly she worked to keep all of us fed and healthy on a shoestring budget. But, I have to admit, there is not a lot of fondness in my heart for the foods we ate.

So, as an adult, I have fallen in love with experiencing other cuisines as they are meant to be. Authentic teriyaki sauce, homemade salsa, spicy chicken curry, incredible pastas, the list goes on. I just love going to restaurants and seeing something on the menu that I have never tried before. I revel in those moments when you discover a new dish that makes your heart sing.

And, now that I am more proficient in the kitchen, I have learned that one of the great joys in life is to make those meals for the people I love. So, finding a recipe like this online, that let me cook a restaurant quality meal in the comfort of my own kitchen? Bring it on.

A jar of Easy Teriyaki Sauce on a wooden tabletop with a striped towel visible in the background.

Teriyaki Sauce Recipe

This teriyaki sauce recipe is very gently adapted from one that was shared by Chef Morimoto. I love the way that he uses raw onions in the sauce to infuse the flavor, then strains them out. It is such a great idea, and I’d only ever seen recipes with onion powder before.

Now, I don’t believe in changing things just for the sake of changing them, but I will die on the hill that when you make something in your kitchen, it should be the way that you want it. But, for me, this teriyaki sauce is exactly how I want it to be.

collage photo of process shots for teriyaki sauce

How to Make Teriyaki Sauce

Learning how to make teriyaki sauce, and really any number of other sauces, is (in my opinion) one of the fastest ways to up your game in the kitchen. There are a few reasons for this. But, the biggest is that I think it gives you the confidence to trust your taste buds.

The most important part of making any sauce is to taste it along the way. Experience the flavors as they develop before the meal is plated and finished. This allows you to more easily begin to recognize what you like and adjust what you want to be different.

It builds so much confidence when you’ve taken a sauce from raw ingredients to a finished meal. And the best part is that every sauce you make can then be used across multiple meals. Teriyaki chicken, teriyaki beef, shrimp, pork, etc.

A vertically aligned, close-up image of a spoon lifting teriyaki sauce from a jar.

Simple Teriyaki Sauce

Once you’ve made a batch of this simple teriyaki sauce, you’ve got my favorite problem, which is deciding how to use it. Fortunately for you, I’ve got some suggestions!

Savory chicken and sweet pineapple are a match made in heaven, and would go perfectly with this teriyaki sauce in a chicken teriyaki pineapple bowl. I’ve made this several times, and I’m still stuck thinking about it when making my menu for the week.

You could also use this sauce to make teriyaki glazed salmon. It’s absolutely wonderful on top of a salad, a simple bed of rice, or even just paired with your favorite vegetables.

It would even go well with this “better than takeout” beef and broccoli recipe. Just imagine those tender strips of beef and slightly crisp broccoli with teriyaki flavors. Bonus, it all comes together in just minutes.

Combine the soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, onion, and ginger in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 8 minutes. The sauce will thicken and reduce a bit the longer you cook it. (Keep in mind that traditional teriyaki sauce is thin and not especially thick.)
Pour the sauce through a strainer, discarding the solids. Cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.