15-Minute Homemade Teriyaki Sauce (Japanese Family Recipe)

• active time: 10 minutes
• total time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

½ cup dark brown sugar

½ cup shoyu (can sub low-sodium soy sauce or tamari)

3 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon mirin (see Recipe Notes)

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated

½-inch piece fresh ginger, finely chopped or grated (approx. 1 teaspoon grated)

optional: cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon water + 2 teaspoons cornstarch)

Directions

Simmer the teriyaki sauce:

To a small saucepan, add all listed ingredients except the cornstarch slurry (i.e. brown sugar, shoyu, water, mirin, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger). Whisk to combine well. Place the saucepan on the stovetop over medium-high heat. While stirring often, simmer the teriyaki until the sugar is dissolved, about 2-3 minutes.

Optional: Thicken with slurry for a thick and glossy teriyaki sauce: While stirring constantly, slowly pour the prepared cornstarch slurry into the simmering teriyaki sauce. Continue to stir until the teriyaki sauce is thickened and glossy, 1-2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat.

Serve:

Enjoy your homemade teriyaki sauce immediately. Teriyaki chicken is delicious, of course, but at my house we also enjoy it with from teriyaki salmon, grilled teriyaki steak, and so much more. This is a versatile sauce that you can get creative and have fun with—sky’s the limit!

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 2 Tbsp
• Calories: 108
• Total Fat: 2.3 g
• Saturated Fat: 0.3 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg
• Sodium: 574 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 21.2 g
• Dietary Fiber: 0.1 g
• Total Sugars: 18.2 g
• Protein: 1.7 g