This super flavorful & delicious vegan teriyaki sauce is bold in flavor, yet healthy at the same time ! Super quick to make & only 5 ingredients required.

This might surprise you, but making your own homemade teriyaki sauce is actually pretty damn easy ! Everything is ready just under 10 minutes, and only 5 simple ingredients are required. Oh, and it definitely taste better and is healthier than store-bought ones. 😉
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🧂What you will need
📓List of substitutions
- Soy sauce - To make vegan teriyaki sauce gluten-free, do be sure to use certified gluten-free soy sauce like this Kikkoman's brand. Other substitutions includes tamari and coconut aminos.
- Mirin - Sake is a great alternative if you do not have mirin on hand. If you prefer it to be alcohol free, use rice vinegar instead. You will need to halve the amount and add more maple syrup to taste.
- Maple syrup - Any kinds of sweetener will work great as a substitute including brown and white sugar, agave syrup, sugar substitutes, and even honey if not vegan.
- Cornstarch - Can be substituted for equal amounts of potato starch, or twice the amount of tapioca starch or arrowroot starch.
🔪How to make
Start by preparing cornstarch slurry by combining cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water. Set aside.
In a non-stick pan, place in all ingredients except slurry and 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 !
🌶Variations and add-ins
- If you prefer your sauce to be thin, simply omit cornstarch slurry.
- Add some freshly grated ginger to give it some zing.
- If you are a fan of spice, add a generous sprinkle of chili flakes to give this sauce some kick.
- Throw in some toasted sesame seeds or a few teaspoons of sesame oil to boost the flavors of this sauce !
🥢How to use
- It works really great as a marinate for tofu, tempeh and even seitan !
- Use them as a stir-fry sauce.
- This sauce works well as a flavorful dip for gyozas.
- It can be used in place of marinara sauce for vegan meatballs.
- You can even use it as a salad dressing.
❔Commonly asked questions
Most teriyaki sauce are actually vegan-friendly, but sometimes honey might be added as a sweetener. Hence, do turn and read the label before purchasing to make sure that it is free from animal products.
Or, you can just make yourself some homemade ones using this recipe !
No, teriyaki sauce is not a good replacement for soy sauce as its sweetness might affect the overall taste of the recipe. But you can still use it in a pinch and reduce the amount of sweetener added to the dish, if any.
Let sauce cool completely, before transferring it to a glass jar or sealed container. It can be stored in the fridge for a week.
Yes, this vegan teriyaki sauce is freezable ! To freeze, pour them into ice-cube trays and let it sit in the freezer for a few hours, or until they are frozen. You can then transfer them to any sealed containers or zip-top bags before storing them into the freezer.
Let it thaw in the fridge overnight or on countertop for a few hours when you are ready to use it.
No, teriyaki sauce is not spicy. But as mentioned above, you can add in some chili flakes if you like yours to be spicy !
🍽More sauces and dips
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📖 Recipe
Easy Healthier Vegan Teriyaki Sauce
Ingredients
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
Nutrition
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.
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