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This easy homemade teriyaki sauce is made with just three ingredients and comes together in 5 minutes. It’s sweet, savory, and glossy, just like the Japanese restaurant version, and perfect for drizzling over salmon, chicken, or stir-fry.
Easy Teriyaki Sauce Recipe
This easy teriyaki sauce recipe came about on a night when I was craving takeout but didn’t want to leave the house. I checked my pantry and realized I had everything I needed: mirin, soy sauce, and sugar. That’s it. I simmered them together for a few minutes and ended up with a glossy, sticky sweet homemade teriyaki sauce that instantly reminded me of the dishes at my favorite Japanese spot.
Now, I make it all the time. It’s ready in just 5 minutes, which means I can whip it up whenever I want a quick dinner that still feels special. The flavor is perfectly balanced, sweet, savory, and just deep enough to taste like it took way longer than it did. You can drizzle it over almost everything. I’ll show you my favorite ways to use it below, but once you try it, I bet you’ll start finding excuses to pour this glossy sauce on everything too.
For more homemade sauce recipes, check out my Steamed Fish Sauce and Sweet and Sour Sauce next!
Sidenote: Wondering what teriyaki sauce actually is? In Japanese, “teri” means shine and “yaki” means grill, so it’s traditionally used as a shiny glaze on grilled meats or fish. My quick homemade version uses just three ingredients but still gives you that same sweet-savory depth.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Mirin – I recommend Hinode Hon Mirin. It’s authentic, with just the right balance of sweetness and depth. If you can’t find Hinode, don’t worry, any hon mirin from a Japanese or Asian grocery store will work.
- Soy sauce – I recommend Kikkoman. It’s reliable, smooth, and gives that classic savory flavor without overpowering. If Kikkoman isn’t available, look for a Japanese-style soy sauce.
- Sugar
See the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and amounts.
Pro Tip #1: Why I Use Mirin
Mirin is the secret to authentic teriyaki flavor. It’s slightly sweet with a subtle tang that balances the saltiness of the soy sauce. Plus, it gives the sauce that glossy finish you see in restaurant teriyaki dishes.
Pro Tip #2: Why Soy Sauce Matters
I like using low-sodium soy sauce because it keeps the sauce balanced without being overly salty. It’s the savory backbone of teriyaki, so don’t skip it. It ties everything together.
Pro Tip #3: Why I Add Sugar Instead Of Honey
I like using plain sugar because it melts smoothly and gives the sauce that glossy, shiny finish. Honey or maple syrup have a distinct taste that can take over, but sugar keeps the flavor clean and lets the soy sauce and mirin shine.
How To Make Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
Add the mirin, soy sauce, and sugar to a small saucepan.
Give it a quick stir until the sugar dissolves and everything comes together into a smooth, shiny mixture. Let it gently simmer on low for about 5 minutes, until it thickens up and turns that glossy, irresistible shade we all love.
Pro Tip: Simmer on low! It lets the sugar dissolve and flavors meld without burning, giving you a glossy, perfectly balanced sauce.
Take it off the heat and let it sit for a few minutes to cool down. As it chills slightly, it’ll thicken up just a little more, giving you that perfect sticky consistency.
Storage Tip: Once your teriyaki sauce has cooled, pour it into an airtight jar or container and store it in the fridge. It will keep for up to 2 weeks.
Easy Ways To Add It To Your Meals
Here are some of my favorite ways to use this sweet and savory glaze to instantly level up your meals:
- Salmon: Sear a fillet and pour this glossy sauce over. Check out my Teriyaki Salmon recipe.
- Chicken: Brush on grilled or pan-seared chicken. Works perfectly with Chicken Teriyaki or Teriyaki Chicken Wings.
- Meatballs or tofu: Marinate for at least 15 minutes before cooking. Try my Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs.
- Veggies: Stir-fry crisp-tender veggies like bell peppers, zucchini, broccoli, or mushrooms, then finish with a drizzle for a quick, flavorful side.
- Beef: Toss cooked beef in sauce or try my Beef Teriyaki for a hearty meal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Use a gluten-free soy sauce (tamari) instead of regular soy sauce. The mirin and sugar remain the same, so you still get that rich, balanced flavor.
Yes. Simmer it a few extra minutes until it reaches your desired consistency. Remember it thickens slightly as it cools, so don’t over-reduce.
Yes. The ingredients scale up easily. Just simmer a little longer to reach the same thick consistency if you make a larger batch.
Yes! It works beautifully as a marinade for chicken, beef, salmon, or tofu. Marinate for 30 minutes to a few hours before cooking for maximum flavor.
This recipe makes 1/2 cup and contains 367 calories.
Other Teriyaki Recipes You Might Like
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Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup mirin, sweet rice wine
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce, low sodium preferred
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Instructions
- Combine mirin, soy sauce, and sugar in a small saucepan.
- Stir until the sugar dissolves and everything is well mixed. Simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens and becomes glossy.
- Remove from heat and let cool slightly. The sauce will thicken a bit more as it cools.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe saved my butt! The last one I was using had ginger but I found out it went bad while I was cooking, and I found this recipe and it’s so much better and easier!
How long will it keep in the refrigerator?
It keeps for weeks.
How does this make 1/2 cup the total ingredients don’t equal 1/2 cup?
Cibelo kid, it makes close to 1/2 cup. 1/3 cup is 0.33, 3 tablespoons of mirin and sugar equals 0.19 cup. So 0.33 + 0.19 is 0.52. After the sauce reduces, it will be slightly less than 1/2 cup.
Essentially the recipe I’ve used for decades. I use brown sugar, and usually a rounded tablespoon, which is slightly more sugar than a leveled one, and a little less than a “heaping” one. Baffles me why anyone would ever buy bottled teriyaki sauce when the homemade version is closer to restaurant taste, cheap, and easy. You can keep a bottle of Mirin in the fridge for months, but there are so many ways to use it, mine rarely lasts more that a couple. It adds great taste, but if you can’t find it, just about any white wine will work, or even mild rice vinegar, in which case, you might want a pinch more sugar. I’ve been known to improvise freely. Thanks, Bee, for another great budget buster.
Thanks for your sweet comment.
You mention four ingredients but list only three. Is something missing? Thanks!
It’s 3 ingredients, typo.
I can’t wait to make this, it is on my weekend agenda. I’m a kidney dialysis patient, so have to watch my sodium. This recipe will open up the tastes my husband and I have been missing the past year. So excited! I took it to the Dietician at my kidney center to share with her. She is going to put it in the next kidney newsletter. I will be sure to remind her to give you credit. I’ll tell her to put your website in there too. Maybe you will get some new customers! My husband was recently diagnosed with diabetes and high blood pressure. So he has to watch sugar and sodium. He is doing pretty good, refuses to take meds or insulin so I have been teaching him how he can cook with some herbs and spices to give it flavor, without compromising his efforts. He is not using salt or sugar, eating more veggies (if I cook them) and walking several days a week. That was our compromise for not taking the meds. He tested at 300 when we started. He is down to 195 now and still doing good at sticking to the program. I know he sneaks a coffee with lots of sugar sometimes, but better than before when it was an every day thing.
Awesome thanks Terry!
i give you and your husband so much credit in taking control of your health GOOD FOR YOU
Stay well
Your recipe for teriyaki sauce says four ingredients but your recipe itself shows only three. Is it three or four and if four, what is the fourth one? Thank you.
Typo.
There are only 3 ingedients listed.
What is the fourth one?
Typo.
Hey Bee,
Thanks a million for this recipe. YOU ARE THE BEST.
BTW, I am going to give that other recipe of yours, (Garlic & Olive Oil spaghetti with those 9 inch to 10 inch long Queensland banana prawns which I made last week with my slight twist of green olives and PLENTY of little Birds Eye Chillies and garlic, chopped up and sauteed in olive oil; heaps of parsley and spring onions. Love your recipes lassie. Keep up the great work.
Thanks Grant for your support. Happy cooking!
What is the difference between mirin and mizkan?? Are they the same, Japanese sake for cooking ??0
“Homemade teriyaki sauce made of four ingredients” – mirin, soy sauce, sugar…..what’s the 4th ingredient?
It was a typo.