Forget about the store bought teriyaki sauce - our Healthy Teriyaki Sauce is so quick and simple to make, and a lighter option than one from a bottle. Made using store cupboard ingredients that you probable already have, this sauce has so many uses to making quick and delicious meals.
Sweet and sticky teriyaki sauce is something that everyone should know how to make. It has less salt and sugar than a store bought sauce and there is so much that you can do with it. Use it as a stir fry sauce, smother it on grilled chicken or salmon, use it in the slow cooker our just use it as a dip or drizzling sauce.
Jump to:
Why You Will Love It
- Lower in salt and sugar than store bought teriyaki sauce
- Ready in less than 10 minutes
- SO many uses for quick and tasty meal
- Can be adapted for a spicy kick
Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Soy sauce - we used reduced soy sauce, as it helps to lower the amount of salt in the whole sauce, which is one of the main things that makes it healthier than a store bought version. You could swap it for regular soy sauce though if you wanted. You could swap it for coconut aminos if you wanted to make this sauce gluten free.
- Honey - this is what gives the sauce the majority of the sweetness. If you wanted to make the sauce vegan, then swap it for maple syrup.
- Pineapple juice - using this means that we can use less honey, but still have lots of sweetness. It does make the sauce more watery though, so if you wanted it thicker then you can add some extra cornstarch.
- Garlic - this recipe is pretty garlic heavy, but that's not a bad thing. We have used fresh garlic, but you can use chopped lazy garlic in a jar if you wanted to save some time.
- Ginger - this teriyaki sauce is also heavy on the ginger, but that gives it lots of health benefits, like helping with digestion and helping to fight off colds and flu. We would also recommend using fresh garlic, however if you only have ground ginger, then you can use half a teaspoon of that instead (or a quarter if you don't want a strong ginger flavour).
- Rice wine vinegar - you can usually find this in the Asian section of the supermarket, but it can be swapped for white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar if you can't find it.
- Corn starch - this is what helps to thicken the sauce.
More ingredient substitutions and variations can be found in the recipe card.
How to Make Teriyaki Sauce - Step by Step
One: Put all the ingredients into a saucepan and whisk together.
Two: Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer for 3-4 minutes, or until thickened.
What Makes it Healthy?
Healthy is such a subjective word and whilst this is still fairly high in sugar and salt (which you would expect from a teriyaki sauce), it is lower than a store bought sauce. So, it is a "healthier" version. We are all about making lighter changes where we can, and making sauces from scratch is a good place to start.
Store bought sauces, like teriyaki, usually have a lot of unnecessary ingredients in it, whereas our homemade version just has the essentials, which you probably already have in your cupboards.
We have used a low salt soy sauce to reduce the salt levels, and we have swapped the brown sugar or corn syrup for a little honey to give the sauce that sweetness that we know and love from a teriyaki. If you wanted to make this vegan, you could swap it for maple syrup. We only used a little honey, as we added some pineapple juice too for some extra natural sweetness.
We also packed it with more garlic and ginger that you would probably find in a store bought sauce, as they both have so many health benefits. The key with this sauce is moderation.
Ways to Use Teriyaki Sauce
The best thing about this sauce is that it is SO versatile. It is a staple in our house and we make it at least once a week as there are so many things you can do with it. Whether you use it as a dip or drizzling sauce, a marinade or a stir fry sauce, we have lots of options of how to use up.
- Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken (picture below)
- A marinade for grilled chicken, salmon or tofu.
- 10 Minute Vegetable Teriyaki
- Teriyaki Tofu Stir Fry
- Lamb Stir Fry
- Chicken Teriyaki Lettuce Wraps
- Asian Lettuce Wraps
- A dip for Chicken Skewers
- Use it as a sauce for meatballs
Extra Tips
- If you want to use this healthy teriyaki sauce as a marinade, then add a little more cornflour to thicken it.
- If you don't like a strong ginger or garlic flavour, then you can use less of it.
- Give this sauce a kick of spice by adding a little of your favourite chilli sauce - we like Sriracha.
Frequently Asked Questions
To make a spicier version of this sauce, why not add a splash of your favourite chilli sauce? We love Sriracha. You could also add some red chilli flakes.
This sauce does thicken as it cools and is the perfect consistency for a sauce. However, if you wanted a thicker sauce to use as a marinade, then you can add an extra tablespoon of cornflour (or a little less). Add it a little at a time, as it can change the flavour.
We find that this sauce is the perfect amount for 4 people in a stir fry, however if you have extra sauce (you could double the amount to have leftovers), then it can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks, or in the freezer for 3 months. Make sure the sauce has fully cooled first and store in an air tight container.
The corn starch will cause the sauce to congeal and become and almost jelly consistency. So you will need to reheat the sauce to use it again. Put it on a gentle heat and whisk it until it goes back to the original consistency.
More Sauce Recipes
If you’ve tried this teriyaki sauce recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.
Recipe
Healthy Teriyaki Sauce
Ingredients
- 125 ml (0.5 cups) Soy sauce - (reduced salt)
- 80 ml (0.33 cups) Pineapple juice
- 4 tablespoon Honey
- 1 tablespoon Rice vinegar
- 3 Garlic clove - crushed
- 1 teaspoon Fresh ginger - grated
- 2 tablespoon Water
- 2 teaspoon Cornflour (corn starch)
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients into a saucepan and whisk together.
- Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer for 3-4 minutes, or until thickened.
Recipe Tips
- If you want to use this healthy teriyaki sauce as a marinade, then add a little more cornflour to thicken it.
- If you don't like a strong ginger or garlic flavour, then you can use less of it.
- Give this sauce a kick of spice by adding a little of your favourite chilli sauce - we like Sriracha.
Nutritional Information
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Jess says
Easy, fast, and yummy!
Traci says
Love the flavor combination in this teriyaki sauce...healthy too! I'm never buying the bottled stuff again. You've won me over :)
Julia says
I had no idea making this sauce is so easy. And you are right, it’s much healthier than the store-bought version!
Jen says
I have never tried making my own as I though it would be too hard but this recipe looks easy enough for me to handle. Thanks for the spicier tip too. Sometimes I like a bit of heat.
simi says
Ohh!! wat a healthier version of teriyaki sauce. I'm going to make this for my stir-fry.
Toni Dash says
I loved it!! Homemade sauce is really the best! Thanks for the recipe!
Angela says
This is a great sauce to help get dinner on the table quickly.
Erika says
Teriyaki sauce from scratch is so much better than store bought. This looks amazing!