Teriyaki Sauce and Marinade

See how to make traditional Japanese teriyaki sauce from scratch. See more

READY IN 30 mins

Teriyaki Sauce and Marinade

Read Reviews (131)

"I received this recipe from a Japanese woman and it's the best teriyaki sauce I have ever had." — Celeste

Directions

Bring mirin to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10 minutes. Pour in soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and sugar. Season with garlic, ginger, pepper flakes, and black pepper; simmer an additional 5 minutes. Store in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.

Kitchen-Friendly View

PREP 10 mins
COOK 20 mins
READY IN 30 mins

Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Jan 31, 2012

Hi! I am the submitter of this recipe, and this is an AUTHENTIC teriyaki recipe. In Japan they do not use less sodium soy sauce. I myself do, but I wanted to stay true to the recipe when I submitted it. So, if you are the type of person who isn't used to salt, or prefers an americanized sweeter teriyaki, this may not be for you :) Enjoy!

—Celeste

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Mar 19, 2009

I don't think I've ever rated a recipe one star, and I hate to go against all the 5 star reviews, but I have to say I really didn't like this! I didn't want to look up my usual recipe, so I thought I'd try this one, given all the great reviews. I thought it was soooo salty, (and I use low-sodium soy sauce.) I kept adding sugar to try and cut the saltiness. I've managed to salvage it that way, but I probably added close to 1 cup of sugar, and I don't think my kids are going to like this (though we'll give it a shot) I looked up my recipe, which is from a Japanese cookbook, and it's basically equal amounts of soy/mirin/sake(or not, there are variations), along with about half the amount of sugar. So, 2:2:1, soy, mirin and sugar. I always add garlic and black pepper, and sometimes the vinegar, usually not though. I also don't usually add the oil (though my recipe does call for a tiny amount) Anyway, I guess our tastes are for a sweeter, stickier teriyaki sauce, and this recipe just wasn't it. Sorry!

—BABYDANE

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176 Ratings

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Dec 15, 2008

This is the best teriyaki sauce ever made! I substituted 2 teaspoons of hot chili oil instead of the black pepper and red pepper flakes and ended up with a the most flavorful, perfectly spicy sauce ever. The spice factor lessens while cooking so up to a tablespoon or more of the chili oil could be added. I can't imagine anyone would want to reduce this sauce as it is so flavorful, so to thicken it I add a cornstarch/water mixture while I am cooking with it. Wonderful proportions and very versitile; also good with a little onion. Better than any Chinese restaurant-that's for sure! Update: I recently took this sauce out of my fridge after sitting for about a month and let me tell you! It is even better - if that is at all possible!!!

—Ty

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Jul 14, 2007

This is one of the best home-made teriyaki sauces I have had... they are very difficult to flavor properly without being too salty and this one, made with Low Sodium Soy Sauce and thickened with two tbsp. of corn starch mixed in a little water to form a paste is very close to restaurant teriyaki. Be careful though - too much garlic will qickly overpower this sauce. Another great addition is half an onion carmelized in the ginger and sugar, set to simmer in the Mirin. MMM!

—Taryl

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Jun 23, 2008

Hands down the very best teriyaki sauce I have ever had, and that's saying a lot, coming from this 20+ year veteran chef! The only change I made was to add 2 tsp cornstarch dissolved in a small amount of cold water, added to the final simmer. This gave the sauce a little body and helped it cling to the meat. Marinated a top round steak in it for about 4 hours. Teriyaki lovers, take note. Be sure to bookmark this recipe, as it's absolutely phenomenal! Many thanks for posting it.

—Baricat

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Dec 17, 2007

Oh, for ten stars! Wonderful, wonderful recipe - never had teriyaki sauce this good! We followed the recipe exactly. We found the mirin and the rice vinegar in the natural foods section of our grocery store. DO use all the garlic and DO use fresh ginger! Thank you, Celeste! (I HAD to use that beautiful name! My daughter is Genevieve!)

—PAROGIRL

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Feb 01, 2011

My husband flipped over this sauce! I used regular white wine instead of mirin and ommitted the red pepper flakes, but I doubt either of these substitutions made a difference in the final product. I cut up some chicken thighes, sauteed them, and then tossed them in the sauce - delicious!

—Lindsey

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Apr 07, 2009

This is absolutely fantastic! I've made this so many times since discovering the recipe and used it for everything from a marinade for salmon to a dipping sauce to a spread for sandwiches. I thicken it with different amounts of cornstarch depending on what I'm using it for. For a glaze/marinade, I find two teaspoons of cornstarch plus enough water to dissolve it in is perfect, but I've even gone up to two tablespoons + water to make a really really thick sauce. Love this recipe!

—Jenny K.

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Nutrition

Calories
105 kcal
5%

Carbohydrates
18.2 g
6%

Cholesterol
0 mg
0%

Fat
0.7 g
1%

Fiber
0.4 g
2%

Protein
2.3 g
5%

Sodium
1804 mg
72%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Teriyaki Sauce and Marinade

Serving Size: 1/8 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 105
Calories from Fat: 6

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 0.7g 1 %
Saturated Fat 0.1g < 1 %
** Cholesterol 0mg 0 %
** Sodium 1804mg 72 %
** Potassium 87mg 2 %
Total Carbohydrates 18.2g 6 %
Dietary Fiber 0.4g 2 %
Protein 2.3g 5 %
Sugars 15.2g
Vitamin A 1 %
Vitamin C 2 %
Calcium 2 %
Iron 7 %
** Thiamin 2 %
** Niacin 9 %
** Vitamin B6 5 %
** Magnesium 5 %
** Folate 3 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.