Gluten-Free Teriyaki Sauce

Name: Gluten-Free Teriyaki Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Ingredients: 3 Tbsp light brown sugar, (lightly packed); 5 Tbsp gluten free soy sauce or tamari sauce; 4 Tbsp rice wine vinegar; 2 1/2 Tbsp honey; 3 cloves garlic, (peeled and crushed); 1- inch piece fresh ginger, (peeled and grated); 2 tsp cornstarch (dissolved in 4 tablespoons cold water to form a slurry); 1 tsp toasted sesame oil; 1/2 tsp sesame seeds, (for garnish)

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Make this easy Gluten-Free Teriyaki Sauce recipe with fresh ginger, garlic, and honey for a use-on-anything stir-fry sauce or glaze for grilled chicken, steak, veggies, and more.

jar of gluten-free teriyaki sauce with fresh ginger, herbs and garlic

Best Gluten-Free Teriyaki Sauce Recipe

If you love the flavor of teriyaki dishes, from chicken to beef to veggies, you’re going to want to keep this sauce in the fridge at all times. It has a fresh, vibrant flavor that you just can’t get from store-bought sauces that are full of preservatives and added oils. This homemade version is light and just spicy enough, with the perfect pourable texture to season your favorite Asian-inspired dishes.

You can use this gluten-free sauce to add a nice color and savory flavor to grilled chicken or steak. Or add some to a skillet of stir-fried vegetables and noodles for a fast weeknight recipe. Really, there’s no wrong time to put this delicious homemade sauce to work!

45 degree overhead of a jar of gluten free teriyaki sauce with ginger

Why You’ll Love This Sauce

If you’re someone who loves to have jarred sauces in the fridge to instantly add flavor to your dinner, why not make your own? This sweet, sticky, and savory sauce is easy to make in a big batch and stores well in the fridge. You can pop it out to add teriyaki flavor to your favorite noodle dishes, stir-fries, or to glaze proteins. It’s a truly versatile sauce to return to again and again.

ingredients for gluten-free teriyaki sauce in small bowls, including soy sauce, brown sugar, honey and ginger

What You’ll Need

You don’t need a long list of ingredients to prepare this Asian-inspired sauce. Here’s what you need:

Light brown sugar, which melts into a caramel-like syrup to sweeten the sauce.
Soy sauce, but remeber that some soy sauce is made with what. So be sure to use gluten-free soy sauce or tamari.
Rice wine vinegar, which adds a bright, acidic note to cut some of the sweetness.
Honey, a natural sweetener that builds a syrupy body.
Garlic: use fresh garlic for the best flavor.
Ginger to add a bit of peppery spice that tastes fresh.
Cornstarch to lightly thicken your sauce into a spoonable texture.
Toasted sesame oil for a nice nutty undertone.
Sesame seeds for crunchy garnish.

close up on a bottle of teriyaki sauce with fresh ginger on the side

How to Make Teriyaki Sauce

This recipe comes together in a single saucepan on the stove.

Mix everything together: In a small saucepan, whisk together the brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, honey, garlic ginger, cornstarch slurry and sesame oil over medium heat.

three scoops of brown sugar melting in a saucepan

cooking gluten-free teriyaki sauce on the stove

Thicken the sauce: Bring the sauce to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly to avoid burning and help the sugar dissolve fully. Boil the sauce for 2 to 3 minutes, until it becomes syrupy.

Tips for Success

Here are a few quick tips to make perfect teriyaki sauce from the get-go:

Avoid going above medium heat on the stove to prevent the sugars in the sauce from scorching.
Likewise, whisk the sauce constantly when it’s over the heat to make sure nothing burns.
It’s important that the sauce comes to a full boil to cook off any raw starch flavor from the cornstarch slurry.
Make sure you let the sauce cool fully before storage.

Storage

You can use the sauce fresh from the stove or transfer it to an airtight container or jar. It will stay fresh in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Can I Freeze Teriyaki Sauce?

Yes, you can freeze this sauce. Make sure it cools fully to room temperature. Then transfer the sauce to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to three months. When you want to use it, let the sauce defrost in the fridge overnight.

overhead of a glass jar with teriayki sauce topped with sesame seeds

How to Use Teriyaki Sauce

This versatile sauce can add sweet and savory flavor to dozens of recipes.

Try These!

Add more of that savory, sticky goodness to teriyaki recipes:

Be like my kids and dip or drizzle any Asian-inspired dish:

Jazz up your veggies to make them even more delicious:

teriyaki sauce in a bottle next to a piece of fresh ginger and a bulb of garlic

5 from 1 vote