Easy Vegan Teriyaki Sauce

This easy, sticky sweet, salty, tangy vegan teriyaki sauce comes together in just 10 minutes as a drool-worthy marinade, glaze, sauce, and dip!

Is Teriyaki Sauce Vegan?

Teriyaki sauce is a popular sweet, tangy, sticky Japanese condiment, traditionally made with soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar. However, many of the modern store-bought versions in the West can contain additional ingredients like ginger, garlic, sesame, and sometimes a sweetener – like honey, which isn’t vegan.

Therefore, while many brands of teriyaki sauce are vegan, it’s still a good idea to double-check the ingredients OR save the hassle and learn how to make restaurant-quality teriyaki sauce at home in just minutes.

Sure, opening a bottle from the store is convenient, but those versions are also often loaded with preservatives and additives with non-adjustable sodium and sugar levels. Luckily, homemade teriyaki sauce is 100% adjustable, tweakable, and tastes much better than store-bought.

You only need basic pantry ingredients for this recipe, it’s oil-free, and easily adjustable to gluten-free and/or sugar-free. Plus, since you can pull it together in just 10 minutes, it’s perfect for preparing while pulling together a quick stir-fry, but it is just as delicious with noodles, rice, sushi, using it as a marinade, and more.

The Ingredients of Teriyaki Sauce

While this homemade teriyaki sauce isn’t 100% traditional, it requires only 9 simple pantry ingredients and is packed with flavor.

• Soy sauce: Use light and dark soy sauce for the most complex flavor. Use reduced-sodium soy sauce if preferred. You can also make gluten-free teriyaki sauce with coconut aminos or tamari.
• Brown sugar: The caramel-like molasses flavor of brown sauce is perfect for making the most delicious DIY teriyaki sauce. Coconut sugar also works.

Use a brown sugar alternative if you want to make sugar-free teriyaki sauce. Adjust the amount to taste.

• Maple syrup: Just a bit helps to add flavor depth. Dandelion honey (which tastes similar to bee’s honey but is 100% vegan) would also work great in this vegan teriyaki sauce recipe. Use more brown sugar, if preferred, though.
• Aromatics: We’ve used both garlic and ginger for plenty of flavor depth.  
• Apple cider vinegar: We’ve used ACV this time, as it’s always in our pantries. However, feel free to use more traditional Mirin (a sweet Japanese rice wine), rice vinegar, or even white wine vinegar instead.
• Seasonings: We love the depth of combining dried and fresh garlic and ginger. However, replace the dried powders with more fresh ginger/garlic if preferred.
• Cornstarch: This thickens the mixture into a sauce-like consistency and is naturally gluten-free. You can also experiment with arrowroot or tapioca starch.
• Water: To bring the sauce to the correct consistency and create the cornstarch slurry. Low-sodium vegetable broth would work, too, for extra flavor.

Add-ins and Recipe Variations

• Spice: Add some spice (how much is up to you) with red pepper flakes, chili paste, or hot sauce (like sriracha).
• Sake: Just a splash for added depth in this easy teriyaki sauce.
• Sesame oil: Add a nutty, savory, aromatic flavor depth to the garlic teriyaki sauce with just a little toasted sesame oil (start with a teaspoon).
• Umami: Add a small amount of white miso for extra umami flavor.
• Orange, Apple, or Pineapple teriyaki sauce: Replace ¼ cup (or more) water with fresh pineapple juice, apple juice, or orange juice and reduce the amount of added sugar. Optionally, add orange zest for extra citrusy brightness.

How to Make Teriyaki Sauce

• First, peel and mince the ginger and garlic.
• Then, combine those with 1 cup of water and the remaining teriyaki sauce ingredients (except the cornstarch + ¼ cup water) in a saucepan and whisk.

• Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, combine the cornstarch and ¼ cup water. Then add that to the saucepan, too.

• Heat the teriyaki sauce over high heat, boil it, and reduce just slightly, whisking constantly for about 5 minutes until thickened and the sugar has dissolved.

Adjust the consistency of the teriyaki sauce by how much time you heat it and how much cornstarch you add to the recipe.

• Then, remove it from the heat and use it immediately or transfer it to a glass jar/container to store for later.

FAQs

Top Recipe Tips and Notes

• Tweak the sauce to your liking: By making teriyaki sauce at home, you can tailor the taste (and sodium/sugar levels) to your liking, so feel free to do so and/or experiment with the optional add-ins listed above.
• Be patient: Simmer the sauce until it coats the back of the spoon.
• To adjust the consistency: For a thin marinade, you could skip the cornstarch entirely. For a slightly thicker teriyaki sauce or glaze, increase the amount of cornstarch used and the simmer time. Just note it will thicken more as it cools.
• For more developed flavor: Simmer the sauce for longer to allow the flavors to meld. Just be aware that it will reduce and thicken more, too.

How to Use Teriyaki Sauce

• Marinade: You can use this recipe to make a thin teriyaki sauce without cornstarch as a marinade for tofu and tempeh.
• Glaze: Brush it over proteins to caramelize into a glaze when baked/ grilled.
• Dipping sauce: E.g., for dumplings, wontons, sushi, spring rolls, tempura, cauliflower wings, crispy breaded tofu, etc.
• Stir-fry: This easy homemade teriyaki sauce is the ultimate stir-fry sauce – perfect for pairing with veggies (like a mixed vegetable stir-fry or individual veg like cauliflower, zucchini, bell peppers, etc.), noodles, tofu, etc.
• Grains: Enjoy this teriyaki sauce with noodles, quinoa, and rice bowls (or vegan fried rice) with your choice of protein and vegetables.
• Vegan burgers and sandwiches:  Use the sauce as a condiment for added flavor.
• Vegan pizza: Use it as a base or drizzle for a delicious veggie pizza.

Storage Instructions

Pour the vegan teriyaki sauce into a glass jar/airtight container and let it completely cool before transferring it to the refrigerator for up to 1 week. It will thicken while it cools.

Alternatively, freeze it for 2-3 months, then let it thaw in the fridge overnight when needed.

Reheat teriyaki sauce either in a microwave or a saucepan over low heat. It will loosen up as it heats, but add a splash of water if necessary.

More Vegan Sauce Recipes

• Japanese carrot-ginger salad dressing
• 2-minute oil-free salad dressing
• Vegan chipotle sauce
• Spicy peanut dipping sauce
• Creamy vegan garlic sauce
• Easy vegan Hollandaise sauce

Photos by Alfonso Revilla