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Γ—
Home Β» Recipes Β» Cooking Tips and Basic Techniques

Homemade Teriyaki Sauce with Honey

Published: Aug 25, 2023 Last Updated: Aug 25, 2023 by Marye 1496 words. | About 8 minutes to read this article.

45 minutes mins
Easy homemade honey teriyaki sauce recipe goes together quickly and it's SO rich and delicious! It's the perfect combination of sweet and savory. Use it as a marinade or for stir fry or in any recipe you'd use the commercial teriyaki sauce in.
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Teriyaki sauce with text overlay for Pinterest. Side view.
Teriyaki sauce with text overlay for Pinterest. Overhead view.

Here's a homemade sauce that's so good that you'll never buy it again. It's so easy to make!

Don't want to scroll through the page to get to the recipe? Use the table of contents to click on the section you want.

Homemade teriyaki sauce in a canning jar with title text overlay.
Jump to:
  • πŸ—οΈ Key takeaways
  • ❀️ Why you'll love it
  • 🧾 Ingredients
  • πŸ“–Β Variations
  • πŸ”ͺ Instructions
  • πŸ₯« How to store homemade teriyaki sauce
  • πŸ’­ Things to know
  • πŸ‘©β€πŸ³ FAQs
  • πŸ“š Related recipes
  • 🍽️ Serve with...
  • How to use honey teriyaki sauce
  • πŸ₯„ Restless Chipotle recommends
  • πŸ“ž The last word
  • πŸ“– Recipe
  • πŸ’¬ Comments

πŸ—οΈ Key takeaways

  • Homemade honey teriyaki sauce is easy to make with simple ingredients you've probably already got on hand.
  • This is delicious with any recipe that calls for teriyaki sauce. See the How to use teriyaki sauce for ideas.
  • Making your own pantry staples is easy, inexpensive, and totally takes your recipes to a new level of yum.

❀️ Why you'll love it

  • Homemade teriyaki sauce easy to make with simple ingredients you've probably already got on hand.
  • It tastes way better than the commercial kind.
  • You'll never worry about having to run to the store mid-recipe again.

This sauce is an important ingredient in so many delicious dishes! It's a delicious marinade for meat or poultry (think teriyaki chicken), excellent as a stir-fry sauce, and a delicious dipping sauce for potstickers!

Let me warn you, though. Once you try this homemade teriyaki sauce recipe you'll never go back to the store-bought kind.

It's the perfect combination of savory-salty-sweet flavor!

🧾 Ingredients

Ingredients for this recipe.

πŸ“– Variations

  • Use pineapple juice or orange juice for part of the water to give it even more flavor.
  • I like to use both brown sugar and honey to sweeten this easy sauce but you can use all brown sugar or all honey if you wish.
  • Add some crushed red peppers for a little heat.
  • For an extra thick teriyaki sauce add a bit more cornstarch.
  • Sometimes I add just a teaspoon of sesame oil, or drizzle of smoked sesame oil or chile sesame oil for even more flavor.
  • This versatile sauce is great with pork chops, too.

πŸ”ͺ Instructions

Step by step images for making homemade teriyaki sauce with honey.
  1. Add the soy sauce, 1 cup of water, brown sugar, honey, ginger, garlic, and onion to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 - 3 minutes.
  2. Dissolve cornstarch in a small bowl with ΒΌ cup cold water, whisking to make a cornstarch slurry.
  3. Stir it into the simmering soy sauce mixture.
  4. Cook until thickened. Let come to room temperature and pour into a storage container and refrigerate.

πŸ₯« How to store homemade teriyaki sauce

Put in an airtight container (a pint-sized glass Mason jar works great). Store up to a week in the refrigerator.

I wouldn't suggest freezing it because it has a tendency to get watery and separate because of the cornstarch.

πŸ’­ Things to know

Expert Tip: Don't let it boil or overheat it. Simmer for about 2 -3 minutes. If you cook too long the mixture will break and get very thin and watery again.

  • If you need a gluten-free option be sure to look for a gluten-free soy sauce like Kikkoman Tamari.
  • If you'd like a sweeter sauce you can add a bit more sugar or honey. Vary the amount of honey to your own tastes.
  • White sugar gives the homemade sauce a bit more of a delicate flavor than brown sugar.
  • I prefer ground ginger to fresh ginger. If you want to use fresh you'll need about a teaspoon and a half of freshly grated ginger.
  • You can substitute about Β½ teaspoon of garlic powder for the fresh garlic.
  • Adjust the saltiness to your own tastes by using low-sodium soy sauce to lower it or regular soy sauce for a saltier teriyaki sauce.
  • Marinate chicken in your homemade teriyaki sauce and then grill the chicken. Brush on a little more teriyaki during grilling to create a shiny glaze.

πŸ‘©β€πŸ³ FAQs

What can I use if I don't have teriyaki sauce?

If you don't feel like making this easy teriyaki sauce recipe you can often substitute Korean bbq sauce or mix soy sauce, water, and a little honey.

Is teriyaki sauce the same as marinade?

Sort of. Teriyaki sauce is usually thickened with a cornstarch slurry. The marinade is the same recipe without the thickening agent.

Is teriyaki sauce sweet?

Honey teriyaki sauce is the perfect balance between sweet and savory so it adds a lot of flavor to all kinds of foods.

Overhead view of a spoonful of teriyaki sauce.

πŸ“š Related recipes

You can make all kinds of pantry basics right at home! They save time and money plus they are usually much more flavorful!

This Red Robin Copycat Campfire Sauce is another homemade condiment to add to your recipe file! It's so good with french fries or burgers.

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See more Cooking Tips and Basic Techniques β†’

🍽️ Serve with...

Brush this simple honey teriyaki sauce on burgers, roasts, or chicken. It's also good on grilled pineapple!

I use this in my favorite slow cooker pineapple teriyaki chicken recipe.

How to use honey teriyaki sauce

You can use this honey teriyaki sauce the same way you would a purchased sauce. If you are going to use it as a marinade leave the cornstarch out.

  • Brush on salmon or other fish while grilling
  • It's a delicious sauce for noodle bowls
  • Or rice bowls
  • Brush it on vegetables while roasting or grilling
  • Add a little to ground beef when making burgers or meatloaf
  • Use it as a dipping sauce for dumplings'
  • Brush it on kabobs as they're grilling
  • As a glaze for meatballs
  • Brushed on ribs
  • Use in stir fry
  • Brush on chicken while grilling

πŸ₯„ Restless Chipotle recommends

The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

  • soy sauce
  • brown sugar
  • honey
  • ginger
  • onion
  • garlic
  • cornstarch
  • saucepan
  • whisk

πŸ“ž The last word

I learned my lesson during Covid 2020.

I, like Scarlett O'Hara, raised a tired fist to the sky and exclaimed, "I'll never be without bread, sauce of any kind, or toilet paper again!"

Now, I haven't yet learned to make toilet paper but as far as homemade versions of the commercial products I buy?

Y'all, it's not that deep.

This homemade teriyaki sauce is absolutely delicious in any recipe that you'd use the commercial kind in. It's also one of the easiest homemade sauces to make!

You'll just need a few pantry staples.

It's less expensive, has more flavor, and if you go to the grocery stores and the teriyaki shelves are bare?

You'll smile to yourself and head home, confident in your abilities to recreate an even better version.

Add this simple sauce to any recipe that calls for teriyaki sauce. You'll love it!

If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.

If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! β­οΈβ­οΈβ­οΈβ­οΈβ­οΈ

πŸ“– Recipe

Side view of a jar full of the homemade sauce.
4.73 from 18 votes

Homemade Honey Teriyaki Sauce

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Easy homemade honey teriyaki sauce recipe goes together quickly and it's SO rich and delicious! It's the perfect combination of sweet and savory. Use it as a marinade or for stir fry or in any recipe you'd use the commercial teriyaki sauce in.
Course Condiment
Cuisine Japanese
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
Resting Time: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes minutes
Servings:12 1 tablespoon
Calories:43
Author:Marye Audet-White
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Equipment Needed

  • Whisk

Ingredients

  • 1 cup water
  • 6 tablespoons packed brown sugar
  • ΒΌ cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • Β½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • ΒΌ cup cold water
  • 2 tablespoons onion, minced

I earn a commission from Instacart from qualifying purchases.

Instructions

  • Combine 1 cup water, brown sugar, soy sauce, honey, garlic, onion, and ginger in a medium saucepan.
  • Bring to a boil then turn down the heat to low.
  • Let simmer for about 2 minutes.
  • Combine the cornstarch with the ΒΌ cup water and whisk until dissolved. (corn starch slurry)
  • Pour the slurry into simmering soy sauce mixture whisking constantly.
  • Heat the sauce until it thickens.
  • Pour in a clean jar with a screw on top.
  • Let rest for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to blend.
  • Refrigerate for up to 1 week.

Notes

Storage:
Put in an airtight container (a pint sized glass Mason jar works great). Store up to a week in the refrigerator.
I don't recommend freezing.
Tips:
  • Don't let it boil or overheat it. Simmer for about 2 -3 minutes. If you cook too long the mixture will break and get very thin and watery again.
  • I like to use both brown sugar and honey to sweeten this easy sauce but you can use all brown sugar or all honey if you wish.
  • Use pineapple juice or orange juice for part of the water to give it even more flavor.
  • White sugar gives the homemade sauce a bit more of a delicate flavor than the brown sugar.
  • For an extra thick teriyaki sauce add a bit more cornstarch.
  • I prefer powdered ginger to fresh ginger. If you want to use fresh you'll need about a teaspoon and a half of freshly grated ginger.
  • You can substitute about Β½ teaspoon of garlic powder for the fresh garlic.
  • Adjust the saltiness to your own tastes by using low sodium soy sauce to lower it or regular soy sauce for a saltier teriyaki sauce.
You'll find more helpful tips and variations in the body of the post.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 43kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 273mg | Potassium: 25mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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    First published August 24, 2021. Last updated August 25, 2023 for editorial corrections and more information.

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    About Marye

    With a 40 year focus on the importance of family and a passion for southern comfort food, Marye Audet-White is an expert in melding the two together effortlessly. Marye's a NY Times Bestselling author with 10 cookbooks under her belt and her recipes have been featured in Good Housekeeping, Country Living, Today, House Beautiful, Texas Living, Food & Wine, and many more.

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    1. Brenda

      October 02, 2022 at 6:41 pm

      Is it possible to make this to can in jars for future use??? (regarding: Homemade Honey Teriyaki Sauce)

      Reply
      • Marye

        August 15, 2023 at 7:59 pm

        No - you can't can it - there's not enough acid in the teriyaki to make it safe.

        Reply

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