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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Condiment and Sauce Recipes

    Homemade Vegan Teriyaki Sauce

    By: Amy Katz · Published: Jan 11, 2018 · Last modified: Feb 23, 2023 · This post may contain affiliate links. · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe - Print - Pin
    Special diet: gluten-free, nut-free, oil-free, vegan
    Spoon of sauce over a jar with text overlay Oil-Free, Gluten-Free Vegan Teriyaki Sauce.

    Sweet and savory Vegan Teriyaki Sauce is easy to make from scratch in 15 minutes with only 6 ingredients. It's delicious on tofu, rice bowls, noodles, veggie burgers, and more.

    Sauce in a jar surrounded by bottles of tamari and rice vinegar, a bag of coconut sugar, and fresh ginger and garlic.

    The secret to taking a meal from average to extraordinary often comes down to a simple sauce. In fact, it's arguably the most important step I discuss in my free Instant Flavor guide.

    And utilizing this vegan Teriyaki sauce is a sure way to elevate the taste of foods from vegetables to grains to proteins. Plus this homemade recipe tastes better than what you'll find at the supermarket.

    Use it to make Baked Teriyaki Tofu and Grilled Tofu and Veggie Skewers, or drizzle it on steamed rice and vegetables. It's also an incredible addition to veggie burgers and stir-fried chickpeas.

    Jump to:
    • Why you'll love this recipe
    • Ingredients and substitutions
    • Instructions
    • Serving suggestions
    • Storing and freezing
    • Recipe FAQs
    • More vegan sauce recipes
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Why you'll love this recipe

    • You only need 6 ingredients plus water to make it.
    • It's oil-free, gluten-free, and sweetened with coconut sugar.
    • It tastes better than store-bought versions and is delicious on a variety of foods as a marinade and dipping sauce.

    Ingredients and substitutions

    • Tamari (If you are not following a gluten-free diet, you can use soy sauce instead. Or for a soy-free version, coconut aminos can be used, but will result in a sweeter, less salty sauce.)
    • Coconut sugar (If unavailable, substitute â…” the amount of brown sugar in place of the coconut sugar. Or use an equal amount of date sugar or organic white sugar.)
    • Fresh garlic
    • Fresh ginger
    • Rice vinegar
    • Cornstarch (Or substitute an equal amount of arrowroot powder or potato starch.)

    For the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions, please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

    Instructions

    Making homemade vegan teriyaki sauce couldn't be simpler.

    All you need to do is place the ingredients in a small pot, bring to a simmer, and whisk until thickened. The cooking time is only 5 to 10 minutes.

    Serving suggestions

    A spoon of teriyaki sauce over a jar of sauce.

    One of my favorite ways to use this vegan teriyaki sauce is as a marinade for tofu. It's perfect for making Baked Teriyaki Tofu and grilled Teriyaki Tofu Skewers.

    You can also use it as a stir-fry sauce when making Chickpea Stir Fry. Or drizzle some on top of steamed vegetables and rice for an easy and flavorful meal.

    And don't forget the veggie burgers! Make yours Hawaiian style with a pineapple ring and slather of sticky salty and sweet sauce.

    Storing and freezing

    Store the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze it in a freezer zipper bag or glass container with a tightfitting lid for up to 3 months.

    Recipe FAQs

    Is coconut sugar better for you than regular sugar?

    Coconut sugar, also called coconut palm sugar, is a natural sugar made from coconut palm sap. According to Healthline, "It’s very similar to regular table sugar, although it’s not as processed and contains minor amounts of nutrients."

    Does teriyaki sauce thicken when cooked?

    Yes, the cornstarch thickens the sauce. You can also use potato starch or arrowroot powder.

    What makes teriyaki sauce not vegan?

    Some commercial brands of teriyaki sauce contain sweeteners such as honey or white sugar processed with bone char which make them not vegan-friendly.

    More vegan sauce recipes

    • Bowl of mushroom gravy with dinner plate in the background.
      Vegan Gluten-Free Mushroom Gravy
    • Bowl of Vegan Yogurt Sauce with a spoon it in next to sprigs of fresh parsley and mint.
      Vegan Yogurt Sauce with Garlic and Herbs
    • Gravy boat filled with brown gravy and dinner plate on the side with mashed potatoes and gravy.
      Vegan Onion Gravy
    • Images from Vegan Mix & Match Sauces on a computer, tablet, and smartphone
      Vegan Mix & Match Sauces

    And for even more recipes, join the Vegan Mediterranean Diet Recipes Facebook group for support, inspiration, and fun.

    If you love this recipe, please give it 5 stars! ★★★★★

    📋 Recipe

    Vegan Teriyaki Sauce in a glass jar on a floral napkin with ingredients in the background.

    Homemade Vegan Teriyaki Sauce

    Sweet and savory Vegan Teriyaki Sauce is easy to make from scratch in 15 minutes with only 6 ingredients. It's delicious on tofu, rice bowls, noodles, veggie burgers, and more.
    4.84 from 6 votes
    Print Pin SaveSaved! Rate Email recipe + ingredient list
    Special diet: gluten-free, nut-free, oil-free, vegan
    Course: Condiment
    Cuisine: Asian, Fusion
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 32kcal
    Author: Amy Katz

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup tamari*, (Or use soy sauce if you are not following a gluten-free diet.)
    • ¼ cup water
    • ½ cup coconut sugar
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
    • 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
    • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, (Or substitute arrowroot powder or potato starch.)
    US Customary - Metric
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    Instructions

    • Place all the ingredients in a small sauce pan.
    • Over medium heat, whisk the ingredients until the sauce comes to a low boil. Whisk continuously until the sauce has thickened, about 5 to 10 minutes.

    Notes

    *If you are following a low-sodium diet, use low-sodium tamari.
     
    Makes about ¾ cup. Store the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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    Nutrition

    Calories: 32kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.02g | Saturated Fat: 0.003g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.003g | Sodium: 554mg | Potassium: 25mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 0.05IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.2mg

    Nutritional information is an estimation only.

    More Vegan Condiment and Sauce Recipes

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      Oil-Free Vegan Avocado Dressing
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    About Amy

    Amy Katz is a vegan recipe developer, photographer, and Certified Vegan Nutrition Health Coach. She loves sharing delicious plant-based Mediterranean diet recipes that home cooks of all levels can enjoy. Her easy vegan recipes have been featured on HuffPost, LIVESTRONG, Healthline, Parade, VegNews, BuzzFeed, MSN, Greatist, Country Living, Insider, Brit+Co, Well+Good, and more. She lives in Orange County, California with the love of her life, Brad, and their adorable black cat, Ozzy.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    All commentsI made this
    1. BJ

      February 04, 2019 at 1:15 am

      5 stars
      Sauce turned out great even though I used brown sugar and ground ginger spice. I'l be making t this a lot.

      Reply
    2. Robin

      January 15, 2019 at 6:27 pm

      4 stars
      I thought there was too much acid. Next time I will half the rice vinegar and see if it is better for me.

      Reply
    3. Sarah

      October 21, 2018 at 9:33 pm

      5 stars
      This sauce is delicious and will be my new go to for Asian rice or noodle dishes! I used regular white cane sugar and it came out just fine. Thanks for the recipe.

      Reply
      • Ozzy

        July 31, 2022 at 4:09 pm

        5 stars
        Excellent recipe. I cut the sugar in half to lower the calories, used low sodium soy sauce instead of tamari, powdered ginger (half a TBSP), and black rice vinegar, because these are what I had on hand. It turned out great. Delicious on brown rice, and I'll try it tomorrow on some steamed veggies. Thanks Amy!

        Reply
    4. Michelle W

      February 22, 2018 at 2:01 am

      5 stars
      This was a huge hit in our house tonight. So easy to make and hands down the best teriyaki sauce!

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Amy! As a Certified Vegan Nutrition Health Coach, my passion is creating vegan Mediterranean diet recipes to inspire everyone to choose plant-based meals more often. At Veggies Save The Day you'll find simple delicious recipes that are easy to make any night of the week.

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