Healthy Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

With salty soy sauce and sweet honey, this Healthy Homemade Teriyaki Sauce recipe is better than store-bought, ready in 10 minutes, and can be used in many delicious ways! It uses common pantry ingredients for a delicious sauce and marinade that can be used in many ways.

I have always loved teriyaki sauce. The sticky, sweet, savory sauce makes everything taste better. It is something I almost always have on hand to marinate protein like teriyaki chicken or teriyaki salmon. I love using it to quick Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowls, or Teriyaki Veggie Bowls. It's amazing for throwing together easy stir-fries and drizzling over Asian-inspired meals.

As much as I love the convenience of store-bought sauces, I’ve focused more on eating whole and natural foods, and sauces from the store don’t fit into that. Luckily, it's SO easy to create healthy homemade teriyaki sauce at home.

This homemade teriyaki sauce uses pineapple juice and honey to sweeten it naturally without needing refined sugars or corn syrup. Paired with soy sauce and ginger, it creates the most silky and versatile sauce!

Why You’ll Love This Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

My family requests this sauce weekly, and here’s why!

• Ready in 10 Minutes: Everything gets mixed in a saucepan, and then it’s ready to use!
• All-natural sugar: I use honey and pineapple juice rather than corn syrup or brown sugar to bring that sweet flavor!
• So versatile: I know I keep saying it, but the sauce can be used in marinades, drizzled on tofu, made into a fun dipping sauce, and so much more. Below, I’ve included a list of recipes that use teriyaki sauce.

Looking for more easy sauces to make? Try my Stir Fry Sauce, Homemade Peanut Sauce, or this Chimichurri Sauce.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Here’s everything you need to make this easy teriyaki recipe.

• Pineapple Juice: While you might not find this in other teriyaki sauces, it's a great source of natural sweetness and adds a bit of tang and fruity flavor.
• Soy Sauce: To lower the sodium content in this homemade sauce, use reduced-sodium soy sauce. You could also use coconut aminos or tamari for a soy-free/gluten-free version. Coconut aminos aren’t as salty, so you might need to add a pinch of salt to the sauce.
• Honey: Honey is a healthier option for sweetening the sauce. You can also use brown sugar, white sugar, agave, or maple syrup. Depending on your preferences, you can add more or less honey.
• Rice Vinegar: Vinegar is needed to add acidity to the sauce. White vinegar can also be used. You could also use Mirin in place of rice vinegar.
• Garlic: I prefer fresh minced garlic for the best flavor, but minced garlic, frozen garlic cubes, or garlic powder can also be used. 
• Ginger: Fresh ginger adds a little kick of flavor that teriyaki sauce is known for. You can also use pre-grated ginger or ground ginger.
• Cornstarch: Some sauce recipes don’t use cornstarch, but I found it necessary to achieve the right consistency in testing. However, if you are using this as a marinade, you don’t need the cornstarch.
• Water: This helps to thin out the sauce and allows you to control the salt from the soy sauce. Water dilutes the overall sauce just enough to create a sweet and savory teriyaki sauce, not just a salty sauce.
• Optional: Pepper adds a nice spice and balances out the sweetness. You can also add a bit of sriracha, red pepper flakes, or sambal olek for some heat. Another fun addition is sesame seeds or sesame oil for a nutty flavor.

Why We Use Honey and Pineapple Juice

Most teriyaki sauce in the store is packed with processed sugar, but there are so many natural sweeteners that create the same or better flavor. I recommend using pineapple juice and honey, and here’s why.

• Pineapple juice adds acidity and sweetness. It is said to have the same sugar content as a slice of cherry pie. When heated, all of this natural sugar crystalizes to help create a sticky teriyaki sauce with no processed sugar. It also acts as a natural tenderizer if you use the sauce to marinade meat.
• Honey is very sweet but about 25% sweeter than table sugar. This means you need less honey than sugar for the same effect. Honey can be slightly bitter or acidic, but when heated, those qualities disappear, leaving you with just a sweet, slightly floral flavor. Plus, its natural sticky texture helps the texture of the teriyaki sauce so that it will stick to whatever meat or vegetables you pair with the teriyaki sauce.
• Natural sugars maintain their nutritional value, while processed sugars do not. This means that while the honey and pineapple juice are sweetening the dish, you are also getting Vitamin C from the pineapple juice, antioxidant properties from the honey, and so much more that white sugar just doesn’t have.

How To Make Teriyaki Sauce At Home

This sauce whips up quickly in just one pot. Be sure to see below for how to make it as a marinade!

1. Add everything to a pot

Whisk together all the ingredients in a small saucepan to create your sauce mixture.

2. Cook the sauce

Bring to a boil and immediately turn to a simmer on low heat. Cook, stirring often so it doesn't burn, for another 5 minutes until it is slightly thickened. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat taste, and adjust seasoning as needed.

Make this Healthier Teriyaki Sauce Your Own

Teriyaki sauce is a staple in many households, but the great thing about homemade sauces is that you can customize it to your preferences! Here are some easy ways to do so.

• Make it spicy: Add 1-2 tablespoons of sriracha or 2 teaspoons of red pepper flakes or chili garlic paste. Add a small amount and taste, then add more as needed.
• Adjust the sweetness: Use different amounts of honey to adjust the flavor of the sauce, making it subtly sweet or very sweet.
• Add sesame: Use sesame oil or sesame seeds in the teriyaki sauce to add some nutty flavors to the sauce.

How To Use Homemade Teriyaki Sauce

As I’ve mentioned, this healthy teriyaki sauce is so versatile! Here are some delicious ways to enjoy it.

• Marinade: I love using this to marinate chicken, steak, and pork. Some favorites are this Baked Teriyaki Chicken, Teriyaki Beef Kabobs, and Sriracha Teriyaki Chicken Skewers.
• Stir Fries: Teriyaki sauce is a great option for quick and easy weeknight stir-fries. Saute your favorite protein with vegetables and toss everything with the homemade teriyaki sauce once it is finished cooking. The thick sauce will coat the protein and veggies, giving it tons of flavor and punch.
• Asian Inspired Salads and Grain Bowls: I am always a huge fan of salads and grain bowls and teriyaki sauce can act as the perfect dressing. To complement the Asian flavors of the sauce, I like to add things like edamame, bean sprouts, crunchy cabbage, bok choy, and cashews to my salads and bowls.
• Glaze: Teriyaki makes a wonderful glaze for quick-cooking proteins like salmon, flank steak, shrimp, and chicken thighs. Brush the protein with the teriyaki sauce and cook it at a high temperature in the oven.
• Lettuce wraps: For a quick and easy lettuce wrap, brown ground turkey or chicken in a pan with a bag of packaged coleslaw mix. Once the meat has browned, toss it with the teriyaki sauce and wrap it up in butter lettuce for a lettuce wrap that is as good as any restaurant.
• Rice bowls: Make a delicious Teriyaki Vegetable Rice Bowl, adding any protein you like.

Storage and Leftovers

The best part about this sauce is that you can easily meal prep a double batch throughout the week. It will keep in the fridge for up to a week in an airtight container.

I like to store mine in these small glass jars or mason jars.