Vegan teriyaki sauce is incredibly flavorful and easy to make. You'll never want to buy the bottled stuff again!
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It takes less than 10 minutes to make vegan teriyaki sauce from scratch. You're truly going to be obsessed with this recipe! It's delicious in stir fries, as a dipping sauce, as a marinade for tofu or vegetables, and so much more.
This is honestly the best vegan teriyaki sauce I've ever had! It's a sweet, savory sauce that's full of flavor from lots of fresh ginger and garlic.
I love using it to bake some tofu and serving over rice with a side of sautéed broccoli or snap peas. But you can use this sauce anywhere you'd use store-bought teriyaki sauce.
💖 Why You'll Love Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
Most store-bought teriyaki sauce is vegan, so why make your own?
- homemade vegan teriyaki sauce is just so much more flavorful than store-bought!
- easy to make in 8 minutes with 8 simple ingredients
- naturally nut-free and oil-free with easy gluten-free and soy-free options
✓ Ingredients and Substitutions
- cornstarch - For thickening. If you don't want to use cornstarch, you can replace it with potato starch or arrowroot powder instead.
- seasoned rice vinegar - Adds flavor and tang.
- low-sodium soy sauce - For umami. Use coconut aminos for soy-free/gluten-free
- brown sugar - For sweetness and that molasses-y flavor. You can use coconut sugar, if you prefer.
- maple syrup or agave - For sweetness and more flavor!
- garlic and ginger - I am using fresh garlic and ginger, but you can use dried, if needed. Use 1 teaspoon of garlic powder and ½ teaspoon ground ginger in place of fresh, though fresh definitely gives this sauce more flavor.
🔪 How to Make Vegan Teriyaki Sauce
In a cold pan, whisk together the cornstarch and water to make a cornstarch slurry.
Then, mix in the rest of the sauce ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer for a 2-3 minutes to thicken. It might be hard to see that it's getting thick, but you can tell because the bubbles start rolling more slowly. Remember that it will thicken even more as it cools, so don't overcook!
You can stir in a tablespoon of sesame seeds at this point, if you want. Use now or refrigerate for up to a week.
💡 Helpful Tip
The sauce is ready when you see that the bubbles in the pan are forming/popping more slowly. Vegan teriyaki sauce will thicken a bit more when it cools, so you don't want to cook it until it's the exact thickness you want. Go a little thinner.
🫙 Storage Directions
Leftover vegan teriyaki sauce will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator. Shake or whisk before serving.
This sauce also freezes well for up to six months. To thaw, place in the fridge overnight or on the counter for a few hours. Once it's thawed, give it a good whisk to reincorporate any ingredients that have separated.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
This sauce is great for adding a flavor boost to all kinds of delicious meals!
I originally created it for my baked teriyaki tofu recipe. It's also great for drizzling over air fryer tofu, cooked tempeh, roasted eggplant, or roasted or steamed sweet potatoes.
Use vegan teriyaki sauce to pump up your next sushi bowl or noodle bowl, too! Or, make some absolutely delicious teriyaki sushi rolls!
💬 Frequently Asked Question
Yes! More store-bought teriyaki sauce is vegan. The benefit to making it from scratch is that it just tastes so much better! You can also control the ingredients, so if you need to make it allergy-friendly, you can do that easily. I include gluten-free and soy-free options in the Ingredients and Substitutions section above.
📖 Recipe
Vegan Teriyaki Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar
- ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup or agave nectar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1" piece of ginger minced
Instructions
- In a cold pan, whisk together the cornstarch and water, then mix in all of the rest of the sauce ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer for a 2-3 minutes to thicken. It might be hard to see that it's getting thick, but you can tell because the bubbles start rolling more slowly. Remember that it will thicken even more as it cools, so don't overcook!
- You can stir in a tablespoon of sesame seeds at this point, if you want. Use now or refrigerate for up to a week.
Got a question? Tried this recipe? Leave a reply!