Skip Bottled Sauce in Favor of a Simple Homemade Version

Teriyaki skewers on a plate next to dish of teriyaki sauce
Nopadol Uengbunchoo/iStock/GettyImages

Making a sauce can be the most time-consuming part of dinner prep. Sure, it's easy to buy a bottle of teriyaki sauce, but homemade tastes so much better—plus, it's a lot healthier because you control the sodium level. You can easily put your own sauce together with a few ingredients you already have in your pantry.

This sauce recipe can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for when you're ready to make your famous teriyaki skewers or veggie lo mein.

Total Time: 20 minutes | Prep Time: 5 Minutes | Serves: 6

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic

Directions:

  1. In a saucepan, combine all ingredients and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2. Use right away or place sauce in a covered container and store in the refrigerator for up to one week. 

Tip

To make a teriyaki glaze, take out a few spoons of your sauce while it's simmering and whisk it with cornstarch. Return cornstarch mixture to the saucepan and stir until thickened.

If you like a spicy kick, add 1/8 teaspoon of red pepper flakes when cooking.