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Japanese

Teriyaki sauce

Vegetarian

照り焼きのたれ · teriyaki no tare

The classic Japanese glaze of equal parts soy sauce, mirin and sake with a little sugar, reduced until syrupy so it lacquers grilled or pan-fried fish and chicken.

Teriyaki sauce is a Japanese sauce, ready in about 10 minutes and made with soy sauce and mirin. It serves 6 and is rated beginner to cook.

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Prep
2 min
Cook
8 min
Total
10 min
Serves
6
Level
Beginner
Calories
46

Ingredients

6 servings of 25 ml

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Put the sake (opens in a new tab) and mirin (opens in a new tab) in a small saucepan (opens in a new tab) and bring to a boil for 1 minute to cook off the raw alcohol.

  2. Step 2

    Add the soy sauce (opens in a new tab) and sugar (opens in a new tab), stir until the sugar dissolves, then simmer until reduced by about a third and the bubbles turn large and glossy.

    • 6 min
    • medium heat

  3. Step 3

    Use hot as a glaze in the last minutes of cooking, or cool and keep. It thickens further as it cools.

    • 1 min

About this dish

Origin
Japan · Well documentedAlso popular in United StatesMore food from Japan
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Sauces
Cooking method
Simmered
Taste
sweet & savoury, umami, salty
Diet
Vegan · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Low-carb
All labelsVegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · Low-fat
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Make-ahead · Budget-friendly
Cook more with
Soy sauce · Mirin · Sake · Sugar
Techniques
Boiling · Simmering · Reduction

Allergens

  • Contains, can be adapted: Wheatfrom soy sauce
  • Contains, can be adapted: Glutenfrom soy sauce
  • Contains: Soyfrom soy sauce

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

46 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 27 g · recipe makes 6

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 17%
  • Carbohydrate 79%
  • Fat 4%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g
Energy46 kcal171 kcal
Protein1 g3.9 g
Carbohydrate4.7 g17.8 g
Net carbohydrate4.6 g17.4 g
Sugars3.2 g11.9 g
Added sugars——
Fibre0.1 g0.3 g
Fat0.1 g0.2 g
Saturated fat0 g0 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol0 mg0 mg
Sodium632 mg2371 mg
Salt equivalent1.6 g5.9 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
55 mg
Calcium
5 mg
Iron
0.2 mg
Magnesium
10 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
0 µg
Vitamin C
0 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
2 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • Mirin: Sake (FDC 167723) used as a stand-in; true mirin is sweeter, so sugar is underestimated.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • For the authentic method, cook the meat or fish first, pour off the fat, then reduce the sauce in the same pan so it picks up the browned bits.

Common mistakes

  • Adding the glaze too early — the sugar burns before the meat is cooked.
  • Over-reducing; it turns to toffee once cold.

Serve with

  • Brush over salmon, chicken thighs, tofu steaks or burgers.
  • Spoon over rice bowls.

Storage

  • Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Reheating

  • Warm gently with a splash of water if it has set.

Variations

  • Ginger teriyaki: Add a teaspoon of grated ginger while reducing.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Goes with

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Customise in Sauce & Drizzle

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

The body of the dish

Gravy, sauce & base

Used in steps 1, 2

Make it milder, swap ingredients for your diet, change the batch size or thickness — the original stays as it is.

Customise in Sauce & Drizzle

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