Skip store-bought and make this EASY Healthy Teriyaki Sauce that is sticky, sweet and made in just 5 minutes using fresh, simple ingredients you probably already have on hand!
Having a go-to teriyaki sauce is a MUST because this sauce is a key ingredient in so many delicious dishes! Not only is this homemade teriyaki sauce simple to make, but it’s a much healthier version than store-bought sauces which contain corn syrup and other ingredients that aren’t really necessary. The best part is this sauce only takes 5 minutes to make and you probably already have most of these ingredients on hand!
This staple recipe is such a lifesaver too when you’re in a pinch on what to make during the week. You can easily throw this teriyaki sauce in stir-fries with veggies, use it as a marinade with chicken or fish, toss it with your favorite meatballs or drizzle it over some lettuce wraps! You can make crock pot teriyaki chicken and I’ll actually be sharing some Hawaiian turkey burgers this week that uses this sauce. Oh. my. goodness. they are incredible.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- soy sauce – I used lower sodium soy sauce as I personally think regular soy sauce is just too salty for my taste, but feel free to use what you have on hand! You can also swap the soy sauce with coconut aminos to make this gluten-free.
- pineapple juice – this adds a little extra sweetness and such a nice flavor.
- garlic – I personally think fresh garlic is best in this recipe, but if all you have is garlic powder you can substitute 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder for 2 cloves of garlic.
- fresh ginger – again fresh is always BEST, but if all you have is ground ginger, you can easily substitute 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger for 1 teaspoon fresh ginger. I highly recommend using fresh though if possible!
- honey – not only does this add some sweetness to the teriyaki sauce without using refined sugars, but it also makes a nice glaze! You could also swap the honey with maple syrup if you want to keep this vegan.
- rice wine vinegar – apple cider vinegar or even white wine vinegar would work too
- sesame oil – this adds even more depth of flavor, but if you don’t have any on hand you can easily leave it out and this will still taste great!
- sesame seeds – these are optional, but add a nice touch!
How to Make this Easy Teriyaki Sauce
This sauce is super easy to make and only takes about 5 minutes! Just mix together all your ingredients in a small saucepan and bring everything to a boil. Then turn the heat down and let the sauce simmer for about 5 minutes (making sure to whisk continuously) until the sauce has thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Pour the sauce into a jar (I really like these mini canning jars for sauces like this!) and let it cool before storing in your fridge or toss with your favorite stir fry while it’s nice and warm! This sauce will last up to two weeks in your fridge or you can freeze the sauce up to 3 months in a sealed, airtight container.
To thicken this sauce, simply mix two teaspoons of cornstarch (or arrowroot powder) together with two teaspoons of cold water to make a slurry then mix that into the sauce once you have removed it from the heat. This really isn’t necessary if you’re using this sauce as a marinade, but if you like a thick gooey teriyaki sauce, you’ll want to add this!
Can I Make this Spicy?
Absolutely! To add some spice and heat to this sauce, you could add a teaspoon or two of sriracha, chili paste, or even some crushed red pepper flakes.
Meal Ideas with the Sauce
As I said before, there are TONS of delicious ways to use this sauce and it is such a great recipe to always have on hand in your fridge. Here are some ideas to get you started!
- Easy stir-fries
- Marinade for chicken, fish or shrimp
- Great for brushing on kabobs while grilling
- Crock pot teriyaki chicken
- Drizzle over lettuce wraps
- Hawaiian Turkey Burgers
Hope you all enjoy this Easy Healthy Teriyaki Sauce and if you love this as much as we do, please leave me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below and don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using the hashtag #eatyourselfskinny! I love seeing all your delicious recreations!
Easy Healthy Teriyaki Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
- 1/3 cup pineapple juice
- 3 Tbsp honey, or maple syrup
- 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, or 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, or 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 Tbsp sesame seeds, optional
For a thicker sauce:
- 2 tsp. cornstarch + 2 tsp. cold water
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients, except for sesame seeds, in a small saucepan and continually whisk on medium heat. Bring sauce to a boil then turn the heat down and let the sauce simmer for 5 to 6 minutes, making sure to continually whisk, until the sauce has thickened up and coats the back of a spoon.
- If you want a thicker sauce, mix together 2 teaspoons of cornstarch with 2 teaspoons of cold water to make a slurry then mix it into the teriyaki sauce once the sauce has been removed from the heat.
- Mix in sesame seeds and enjoy the sauce while it’s warm or let the sauce cool completely before storing in the fridge.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I was looking for a low sodium, teriyaki sauce recipe and this ticked all of the boxes! It was delish! I didn’t have pineapple juice so I subbed orange juice and I didn’t have rice wine vinegar so I subbed white wine vinegar. Even with these changes, the sauce turned out just liked I wanted; full of flavor and not overly salty like some sauces. Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe!
Yay so glad you enjoyed this! 🙂
Hi there,
I really have to watch my sodium intake so anything like teriyaki is something of a treat for me. I’m wondering if coconut aminos could be used to replace the soy sauce? Thanks 🙂
Yes coconut aminos is a great substitution!
I made this. I just added a little more cornstarch and I substituted 4 Tbsp of Truvia brown sugar (stevia) with no calories. Delicious and thick. Also used minced ginger I had in a bottle in fridge since I didn’t have fresh. Great sauce and easy to make.
How long can this be stored for?
Can it be frozen in ice-cube tray?
Yes ice cube trays are a great idea! This sauce will last up to two weeks in your fridge or 3 months in the freezer 🙂
I made this sauce last evening for the first time and absolutely love it! It didn’t thicken as much as we would have preferred so will add a bit more cornstarch tonight when I make it. I also have an aversion to Vinegar, so substituted the rice wine vinegar with lemon juice. I’m so happy to have found this recipe – love it!!
Very tasty! The sauce was too salty for our taste so I added more sweetness. Since I don’t always have pineapple juice on hand, I would probably use water.. I like to grate both the ginger and garlic too. Thanks for the recipe!
Made the recipe but added another tbsp of corn starch and thickened up I also added a tbsp of orange juice and it gave it more great flavor we all love this sauce thank you for sharing