Quick and easy teriyaki sauce. The glossy, sweet and savory sauce that can turn an ordinary weeknight dinner into something irresistible. It’s not just a condiment, the aroma alone can mesmerize your senses before it even hits the hot pan. The warm mix of soy sauce, mirin and cooking sake combined with centuries-old Japanese techniques makes it a flavorful culinary powerhouse. Clearly, a humble classic glaze turned into a global obsession.
Why I Love This Sweet, Savory Icon Of Japanese Cooking
That small bottle of teriyaki sauce on your supermarket shelf tells you a deeper story - one rooted in traditional Japanese cuisine and reinvented in kitchens around the world. The endlessly versatile sauce is a global favorite, thanks to its glossy sheen, sweet-savory aroma, and insane ability to transform even the simplest ingredients. But originally, it wasn’t a sauce at all. It was a cooking method that was used to create a lacquered finish giving the dishes a signature shine. Overtime, with the western influence, the lighter, thinner and delicate sauce evolved into the thicker, sweeter glaze that we know today.
So, what makes this sauce so special? Without a doubt, it’s the combination of classic ingredients creating a sauce that hits all the right notes, salty, sweet, and savory. The sugars caramelize to form the irresistible sticky glaze that clings beautifully to meat and veggies. Traditionally, it was only used with fish, but now, it has become a go-to marinade and glaze for chicken, beef, salmon, veggies and tofu. And the versatility? It can be a marinade, glaze, or dipping sauce. Whether drizzled onto roasted veggies, brushed over sizzling chicken, or simmered into a glossy glaze, the balance of saltiness, sweetness and umami feels timeless.
Key Ingredients In Quick And Easy Teriyaki Sauce
- Soy sauce - Salty, umami flavor
- Mirin - Tangy ingredient.
- Sake - Use cooking sake.
- Sugar - For caramelization.
How To Make Quick And Easy Teriyaki Sauce
Combine the ingredients - Start with the soy sauce, add in some brown sugar for extra sweetness, and splash in mirin and sake.
Simmer the sauce - Simmer all the ingredients together for about 4-5 minutes to get a glossy sauce. The perfect way to make the easiest, glossiest teriyaki sauce ever.
Quick And Easy Teriyaki Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons mirin
- 1 tablespoon cooking sake
- 2 teaspoons brown sugar
Instructions
- Place soy sauce, mirin, sake and sugar in a saucepan. Stir to combine.
- Place the pan over low heat. Let the sauce simmer gently for about 4 minutes or until the sugar is dissolved and the sauce is slightly thick.
- Remove from heat. Cool completely.
- Transfer to an airtight jar or bottle, and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Video
Notes
- Brown sugar - This can be substituted with honey for a healthier version.
Nutrition
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Amy says
My go-to sauce for all stir fries.
Rhonda says
This sauce was amazing. I made a simple stir fry with chicken and my teens went back for seconds.
Isa31 says
I used what I had on hand and made chicken stir fry with some vegetables. It was so delicious!