My Plantiful Cooking

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Newsletter
  • About
  • Contact
  • Vegan Summer Recipes
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Newsletter
  • About
  • Contact
  • Vegan Summer Recipes
×
Home » Recipes » Vegan Condiments and Sauces

Modified: Jun 12, 2025 · Published: Jul 19, 2022 by Jim Mee Sha · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

Vegan Teriyaki Sauce

Jump to Recipe

Sticky, umami, and jam-packed with flavors, this vegan teriyaki sauce goes well with almost anything! All you need are 10 minutes and 4 ingredients to make this recipe. 

This highly versatile sauce is a staple condiment in our kitchen. Besides using it in stir-fries, we also love using it to dip our vegan rice paper rolls or tofu dumplings, dressing for rice bowls, or to glaze baked tofu or seitan chicken breast.

Spooning out a spoonful of teriyaki sauce in a ramekin with a stalk of green onion in the background.

We love making sauces and condiments at home, such as vegan spaghetti sauce, vegan stir-fry sauce, Thai basil pesto, and this homemade teriyaki sauce. They are not only more budget-friendly, but you get to customize them to suit your taste preferences!

Jump to:
  • 💚Why you will love vegan teriyaki sauce 
  • 🧂What you will need
  • ✨Substitutions and variations 
  • 🔪How to make vegan teriyaki sauce
  • ✔Helpful tips
  • 🥢How to use
  • ❄Storing suggestions 
  • ❔Commonly asked questions
  • 🍽More sauces and dips
  • 📖 Recipe

💚Why you will love vegan teriyaki sauce 

  • A quick 10-minute recipe that calls for four simple ingredients 
  • Packed with umami flavors and will enhance the flavor of any dish 
  • Great for meal prep - store well and is freezer-friendly! 

🧂What you will need

Ingredients needed like soy sauce, garlic powder, cornstarch, maple syrup, and mirin.
  • Soy sauce – Can be substituted with tamari or shoyu. To reduce the salt content of this recipe, opt for a low-sodium soy sauce. 
  • Mirin – A Japanese cooking wine that is subtly sweet. It can be substituted with sake, but you will need to increase the amount of sweetener used to compensate for the sake’s sweetness. 
  • Maple syrup – My choice of sweetener. You can also go with regular table sugar. 
  • Garlic powder (optional) – Boost the savoriness of this recipe. You can also go with 2 garlic cloves, minced. 

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

✨Substitutions and variations 

  • Gluten-free version - Opt for a gluten-free soy sauce. You could also use coconut aminos instead for a sweeter sauce. 
  • Make it thinner - for a more authentic version with a thinner consistency, skip the garlic powder and cornstarch. This runnier version is perfect as a marinade for protein like tofu or seitan. 
  • Customize this recipe – Aromatics such as minced ginger are a great addition. You can also add sesame oil for a nutty flavor, and substitute water with pineapple juice for a burst of brightness and sweetness. 
  • Make it spicy – Add a heaping teaspoon of red chili flakes or sriracha. You can also check out my spicy teriyaki sauce instead. 

🔪How to make vegan teriyaki sauce

Cornstarch slurry in a bowl with a teaspoon beside.

Step 1: Prepare the cornstarch slurry by combining 2 tablespoons of water with cornstarch.

A pan of uncooked teriyaki sauce.

Step 2: Add all ingredients (except slurry) into a pan and bring the mixture to a low boil.

A pan of teriyaki sauce with a wooden spatula beside.

Step 3: Pour in the cornstarch slurry and simmer for 1 minute, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened.

A jar of teriyaki sauce with a wooden spoon with a stalk of green onion in the background.

Step 4: Remove from the heat and adjust the taste as needed. Use immediately or store for later use.

✔Helpful tips

Teriyaki sauce will be slightly runny at first, but it will thicken as it sits.

If it does not thicken up to the desired consistency after 5-10 minutes, make another portion of cornstarch slurry (½ tablespoon cornstarch + ½ tablespoon water). Heat the sauce, then add the slurry and simmer until thickened. 

Save this recipe!

Email yourself a link to this page and come back later.

Also get a FREE high-protein vegan recipe eBook + weekly new recipes! Unsubscribe anytime.

Vegan teriyaki sauce in a white ramekin with a wooden spoon with sesame seeds and a stalk of green onion in the background.

🥢How to use

As a marinade – This condiment works great as a marinade for plant protein like tofu, tempeh, or homemade instant pot seitan. 

Make stir-fries – You can use it to make stir-fry noodles, like my teriyaki soba noodles, or a simple teriyaki tofu stir-fry. It is also great added to any stir-fry vegetable recipe. 

To glaze proteins – I especially love using it to make my baked teriyaki tofu or seitan teriyaki chicken. 

As a sauce – Drizzle it over your salad bowls or sushi bowls! 

Use it for dipping – You can use it as a dip for sushi, such as my avocado maki or cucumber maki, vegan kimbap, or homemade vegan onigiri.

❄Storing suggestions 

Fridge - Vegan teriyaki sauce can be refrigerated in a sealed glass jar for up to a week. If the sauce thickens too much, remove the desired portion and add a splash of water to thin it out. 

Freezer - Sauce can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can either use ice cube trays or small souper cubes. 

Reheating - Allow frozen teriyaki sauce to thaw overnight in the fridge. You can then use it in cooking or gently reheat it on the stove over low heat before serving.

❔Commonly asked questions

Is teriyaki sauce vegan?

Most store-bought teriyaki sauce is naturally vegan. However, some brands of teriyaki sauce might contain honey. Therefore, it is essential to read the ingredient list before purchasing.

How can I thicken a teriyaki sauce?

If your teriyaki sauce is too thin, you can easily thicken it with a cornstarch slurry. Just mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water until smooth. 

Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then stir in half the slurry. Let it cook for a few seconds to thicken. If it’s still too runny, add the rest and simmer again until it reaches your desired consistency.

How do I fix a teriyaki sauce that is too salty?

Before you get started, it is highly recommended to use low-sodium soy sauce if you prefer a milder teriyaki sauce. 

However, if you have accidentally made your teriyaki sauce too salty, add more sweetener, like maple syrup or sugar, to counteract the saltiness. Adding a splash of rice vinegar can also distract your taste buds, reducing the perception of saltiness.

Vegan teriyaki sauce in a glass jar with a wooden spoon with a stalk of green onion in the background.

🍽More sauces and dips

  • A pan of vegan marinara sauce with a wooden stirrer, olive oil, and chopped basil beside.
    Simple Vegan Marinara Sauce
  • A jar of Italian dressing with spoon with salad in the background.
    Easy Vegan Italian Dressing
  • A bowl of pesto with a spoon, basil leaves, and chili flakes in the background.
    Easy Thai Basil Pesto
  • Chocolate hummus served with blueberries, banana and apple slices.
    Creamy Dark Chocolate Hummus

If you made this recipe, leave a rating and comment below. We would love to hear from you! Subscribe to My Plantiful Cooking to get new recipes delivered straight to your inbox! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest to get the latest updates. 😉

📖 Recipe

Spooning teriyaki sauce from a white ramekin.

Vegan Teriyaki Sauce

Meesha
 Sticky, umami, and jam-packed with flavors, this vegan teriyaki sauce goes well with almost anything! All you need are 10 minutes and 4 ingredients to make this recipe.
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 3 minutes mins
Total Time 8 minutes mins
Course Condiment
Cuisine American, Japanese
Servings 8 servings
Calories 48 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup soy sauce ( or tamari )
  • ½ cup mirin *
  • 2 tablespoon maple syrup or another sweetener
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions
 

  • Start by preparing cornstarch slurry by combining cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water. Set aside.
  • In a non-stick pan, place in water, soy sauce, mirin, maple syrup and garlic powder. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Keep a close eye to prevent it from overflowing.
  • Once the mixture starts to simmer, pour in slurry and mix well. Cook until sauce has thicken, for 30 seconds to a minute.
  • Turn off heat and give it a taste, adding more maple syrup if needed. It is ready to be used !

Video

Notes

* Mirin - A Japanese cooking wine that is subtly sweet. It can be substituted with sake, but you will need to increase the amount of sweetener used to compensate for the sake’s sweetness.
 
Helpful tips 
  • Make it thinner - for a more authentic version with a thinner consistency, skip the garlic powder and cornstarch. This runnier version is perfect as a marinade for protein like tofu or seitan. 
  • Customize this recipe – Aromatics such as minced ginger are a great addition. You can also add sesame oil for a nutty flavor, and substitute water with pineapple juice for a burst of brightness and sweetness.
  • Texture of teriyaki sauce - Teriyaki sauce will be slightly runny at first, but it will thicken as it sits. 
 
Fridge - Sauce can be refrigerated in a sealed glass jar for up to a week. If the vegan teriyaki sauce thickens too much, remove the desired portion and add a splash of water to thin it out. 
Freezer - Sauce can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can either use ice cube trays or small souper cubes. 
Reheating - Allow frozen teriyaki sauce to thaw overnight in the fridge. You can then use it in cooking or gently reheat it on the stove over low heat before serving.

Save this recipe!

Email yourself a link to this page and come back later.

Also get a FREE high-protein vegan recipe eBook + weekly new recipes! Unsubscribe anytime.

Nutrition

Calories: 48kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 2gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 924mgPotassium: 44mgFiber: 1gSugar: 7gVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 9mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.

Did you make this recipe ?Tag @myplantifulcooking on Instagram !

More Vegan Condiments and Sauces

  • Spooning out some stir-fry sauce from a jar with a teacloth in the background.
    Vegan Stir-fry Sauce
  • Holding some pasta with a fork with chopped parsley and chili flakes in the background.
    Creamy Silken Tofu Pasta Sauce
  • A jar of silken tofu mayo with spoon with lemon halves and salt beside.
    Creamy Tofu Mayonnaise
  • A jar of tofu sour cream with a wooden spoon with 2 lemon halves in the background.
    Vegan Tofu Sour Cream
5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

Join the discussion ! Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




A headshot of Mee Sha leaning on a handrail.

Hi, nice to meet you! I am Mee Sha, a final-year dietetic student passionate about nutrition, cooking, and food. This blog was created to share my favorite plant-powered recipe!

More about me →

❄️Vibrant Vegan Summer Recipes

  • A stack of 4 patties on a wooden board with buns, red onion and lettuce in the background.
    Juicy Vegan Chicken Burger Patties
  • Seaweed salad on a plate on a bamboo sushi mat with a cup of tea beside.
    Japanese Wakame Seaweed Salad
  • Seitan ribs on a wooden board with newspaper beneath topped with chopped cilantro.
    Meaty Vegan BBQ Ribs (seitan ribs)
  • A plate of cucumber tomato corn salad with a fork beside.
    Tomato Cucumber Corn Salad
  • A plate of cucumber salad served with chopsticks with sesame seeds and chili flakes beside.
    Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad
  • Pasta salad in a white bowl with fork. There are cherry tomatoes and black peppercorns in the background.
    Easy High Protein Pasta Salad

💚Reader's favorites

  • A plate of chickpea pasta with a fork, cilantro and chili flakes beside.
    Creamy Chickpea Pasta Sauce
  • 2 bowls of cabbage soup with dish of sesame seeds, teacloth and a pot beside.
    Chinese Napa Cabbage Soup
  • Dipping a piece of rice paper rolls in soy sauce.
    Crispy Air Fryer Rice Paper Rolls
  • A plate of noodles served with chopsticks with another bowl of noodles, tea, and chopped green onion beside.
    Stir-fry Noodles with Oyster Sauce
  • A plate of stir-fry vegetables on a wooden board with bowl of rice and chopsticks beside.
    Indian Stir-fry Vegetables
  • PB2 cookies on a white surface with bowl of sea salt, a spoonful of peanut butter and jar of PB2 beside.
    Rich Peanut Butter Powder Cookies (PB2 cookies)

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2025 My Plantiful Cooking

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.