Vegan teriyaki sauce is simple to make and is packed with sweet, umami-rich flavors. Use it in a variety of different recipes as a marinade, sauce, or dip. Once you make a homemade version, you’ll never want to use store-bought sauces again!
❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe
- Quick: Make homemade vegan teriyaki sauce in under 15 minutes from start to finish.
- Simple ingredients: All you need is 8 pantry staples to bring this recipe to life. For an even simpler, more traditional version, you need even less!
- Versatile: Use teriyaki sauce as a dip for vegetables, a sauce for stir-fries, or a marinade for tofu. The options are endless!
- Allergy-friendly: This recipe is vegan and gluten-free, making it the perfect choice for just about anyone.
If you love vegan teriyaki sauce, you should really check out our creamy balsamic dressing, chamoy sauce, and adobo sauce.
🍜 What is teriyaki sauce?
Teriyaki is actually a Japanese cooking style that involves grilling, broiling, or pan-frying foods over high heat. The name stems from “teri,” which means shine or luster, and “yaki,” referring to grilling. Essentially, it refers to grilled food with a shiny glaze.
Teriyaki sauce is a term mainly used by Western countries as the sauce is not considered to be a separate component from grilled food in Japanese cuisine. Traditionally, the primary ingredients of the marinade are soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar.
When Japanese immigrants came to Hawaii, new ingredients began being added (like pineapple). Nowadays, you can find all kinds of teriyaki sauce flavors on the shelves of grocery stores.
This recipe includes additional seasonings like sesame seeds, ginger, and garlic. While it’s not traditional, it’s equally as bold, savory, sweet, and umami-rich. Serve it over a tofu stir-fry with rice for a quick, easy, and delicious weeknight meal!
🌱 Is teriyaki sauce vegan?
Traditionally, teriyaki sauce is made from a mixture of soy sauce, sake, mirin, and sugar. The first three ingredients are vegan-friendly, but sugar is often a non-vegan ingredient.
Many refined sugars, including brown sugar, are processed through bone char to achieve a white color. Always look for organic sugar or vegan-certified ingredients.
🛒 Ingredients & substitutions
- Sesame seeds: Whole sesame seeds add a toasty, nutty flavor. Feel free to omit them for a more traditional flavor.
- Cornstarch: To thicken the sauce. Potato starch also works.
- Soy sauce: Low-sodium soy sauce will result in perfectly seasoned vegan teriyaki sauce. For a gluten-free option, use tamari, liquid aminos, or coconut aminos.
- Sweeteners: We use a mixture of maple syrup and organic brown sugar for a rich, deep, and complex flavor. If you prefer, you can use all muscovado, turbinado, coconut, or brown sugar.
- Rice vinegar or mirin: You should be able to find mirin in the Asian food section of large grocery stores or an Asian food market. If not, use rice vinegar and additional sweetener to emulate the delicate tang and shiny properties of mirin.
- Ginger & garlic: Impart zesty, spicy, and savory flavors. Use fresh or dried ginger and garlic. If they are fresh, make sure to finely mince or grate them.
For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.
📝 How to make vegan teriyaki sauce
Step 1: Toast the seeds
Heat a saucepan over low-medium. Add the sesame seeds in, and toast them until they are fragrant and turning golden brown, about 3-5 minutes.
Step 2: Make a cornstarch slurry
In the meantime, whisk together the cornstarch and water in a separate bowl until dissolved. Set aside.
Step 3: Whisk the sauce
Increase the heat to medium, then add the tamari, maple syrup, brown sugar, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, and cornstarch slurry. Whisk until the consistency is uniform.
Step 4: Thicken the sauce
Bring the teriyaki sauce to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to simmer for about 6-8 minutes, or until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency.
Step 5: Let it cool
Remove the sauce from the heat, and let it cool before transferring it to an airtight container for storage. Happy eating!
If you have questions about this vegan teriyaki sauce, check out our FAQs or leave a comment down below!
🍚 Best ways to use vegan teriyaki sauce
The best part about this vegan teriyaki is that you can use it for so many different dishes! Here are some of our favorite ways to use it:
- Protein: Marinate protein sources like vegan chicken, tofu, or tempeh. Or, make a vegan teriyaki veggie burger with a slice of grilled pineapple.
- Vegetables: Sauté mushrooms, carrots, broccoli, peas, and other vegetables with vegan teriyaki sauce.
- Noodles: Make teriyaki noodles by cooking them with a drizzle of this sauce.
- Rice: Prepare a teriyaki rice bowl with homemade rice, or serve it with onigiri.
- Dipping sauce: Dip fried tofu, cauliflower wings, or spring rolls right in.
🌡️ Storage
For any leftover vegan teriyaki sauce, follow these storage tips:
- Fridge: Once cooled, store vegan teriyaki sauce in the fridge for up to 6-7 days. Store it in an airtight glass container (like a mason jar) for the best results.
- Freezer: Transfer the sauce to a freezer-safe container, and it will last for up to 3 months in the freezer.
- Thaw: When you’re ready for more teriyaki sauce, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight. If it thickens, add a little water to thin it out to your desired consistency.
♻️ Variations
- Fruity: Add fruits like pineapple or orange juice for a Hawaiin-inspired version.
- Traditional: Try making a traditional version with 1 part soy sauce, 1 part mirin, 1 part sake, and ½ part sugar.
- Spicy: Turn the heat up a notch with fresh chiles, red pepper flakes, or cayenne.
- Miso: For more umami flavor, add a teaspoon of miso paste.
🧑🍳 Top tips
- High-quality ingredients: Source quality ingredients as they make such a difference in the overall taste.
- Be patient: Heat the sauce until it’s thick enough to cover the back of a spoon.
- Adjust to your taste: Teriyaki sauce should be balanced between sweetness and saltiness. Adjust the flavors as you go based on your personal taste.
- Consistency: If it’s too thin, add more cornstarch, if it’s too thick, add more liquid.
💬 FAQ
Teriyaki sauce is sweet, slightly tangy, umami, and salty. Some people describe it as similar to a sweet soy sauce, but it has more complexity than that.
There are two main versions of teriyaki sauce — traditional and mainstream. The most traditional method contains soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and sake. The next (and most popular) combination includes garlic, rice vinegar, ginger, soy sauce, and a sweetener like brown sugar or honey.
Yes, some teriyaki sauces are gluten-free. Many are made with soy sauce, which contains gluten. However, you can easily make a gluten-free recipe with tamari, coconut aminos, liquid aminos, or gluten-free soy sauce.
🍴 More sauce recipes
If you enjoyed this vegan teriyaki sauce, don’t forget to check out some more saucy recipes like these:
- Mango Chamoy: Mexican sauce made with mangoes and chiles.
- Lemon Tahini: A zesty, creamy, and tangy sauce.
- Baba Ganoush: Smoky dip made from mashed eggplant.
- Chili Garlic Aioli: A creamy vegan sauce with a touch of spice.
Easy Vegan Teriyaki Sauce
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Whisk
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons water
- ½ cup low-sodium tamari
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons organic brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger (grated)
- 1 clove garlic (grated)
Instructions
- Heat a saucepan over low-medium. Add the sesame seeds in, and toast them until they are fragrant and turning golden brown, about 3-5 minutes.
- In the meantime, whisk together the cornstarch and water in a separate bowl until dissolved. Set aside.
- Increase the heat to medium, then add the tamari, maple syrup, brown sugar, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, and cornstarch slurry. Whisk until the consistency is uniform.
- Bring the teriyaki sauce to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to simmer for about 6-8 minutes, or until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency.
- Remove the sauce from the heat, and let it cool before transferring it to an airtight container for storage. Happy eating!
Notes
- High-quality ingredients: Source quality ingredients as they make such a difference in the overall taste.
- Be patient: Heat the sauce until it’s thick enough to cover the back of a spoon.
- Adjust to your taste: Teriyaki sauce should be balanced between sweetness and saltiness. Adjust the flavors as you go based on your personal taste.
- Consistency: If it’s too thin, add more cornstarch, if it’s too thick, add more liquid
- Nutritional information is a rough estimate and should not be taken as health advice.
Nutrition
Note: We’ve updated this post to include new information and helpful tips about the recipe.
