For years I’ve been making kitchen-made stir-fries and stir-fry sauces. If you keep a well stocked fridge and pantry, you’ve most likely have everything already – I even keep fresh ginger in the freezer. Years ago it started with a simple ginger garlic teriyaki sauce and I’ve since played around with that base recipe, adding different ingredients to create different versions and adding additional flavor.

For this Kitchen-made Teriyaki Sauce Gather:

brown sugar – Lends sweetness and subtle caramel flavor.
cornstarch – Used to thicken sauce.
honey – Adds additional sweetness and flavor.
garlic (fresh) – Adds distinct punchy flavor.
ginger (fresh) – Lends a pungent, spicy and sweet flavor.
white pepper – Brighter, a little sharper and more herbaceous notes than regular black pepper.
low-sodium soy sauce – Or substitute with low-sodium tamari if gluten free.
mirin – Or substitute with sake or shaoxing wine.

In a glass bowl, measure and add 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 tablespoon honey, 2 cloves garlic (minced), 1-1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger and 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper.

Next pour in 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce (or use low-sodium tamari if gluten free) and 1/4 cup mirin, sake or shaoxing wine.

Use a whisk or small rubber spatula to stir until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined and the sugar dissolved.

That’s it!

RECIPE VARIATIONS:

Citrus: Add the zest of 1 orange or about 1 tablespoon to the base recipe.

Green Onion: Add 4 sliced green onions (both light and dark green parts) to the base recipe.

Sesame: Add 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil plus 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds to the base recipe.

Spicy: Add 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon sriracha or sambal oelek or more! (depending on your spice level) to the base recipe.

How To Use In a Recipe:

Once you’ve stir-fried your meat and/or veggies, pour in sauce and bring to a bubble until thickened.

Note: If using any of these teriyaki sauce recipe to baste grilled meat or veggies, I recommend pouring the sauce it into a sauce pan and bring to simmer to thicken first.

How To Store From-scratch Teriyaki Sauce:

Store in a container with a tight-fitting lid and keep stored in the refrigerator.

How Long Will Kitchen-made Teriyaki Sauce Last?

Because of the fresh ingredients (garlic and ginger) this sauce will last 3 to 4 days. Be sure to shake or stir well before using.

Can You Freeze Kitchen-made Teriyaki Sauce?

Yes! You can store in freezer safe re-sealable bags, lay them flat and freeze OR pour into plastic containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in fridge overnight.