This gluten-free vegan teriyaki sauce is sticky, sweet and so versatile. It's guaranteed to take any Asian inspired dish to a whole new flavor level!
This post was originally published on May 16, 2016.
I love a good Asian sauce, but the ones I find at the store are either too sweet, too salty, or just don't give me that flavor I love. Plus, the added extra random ingredients aren't really needed. So I made my own!
Gluten-Free Vegan Teriyaki Sauce
Believe it or not it's insanely easy to make your own teriyaki sauce. Which is why I knew I needed a homemade version in my cookbook. The main thing to watch is burning it, which I am embarrassed to say happened no less than 5 times when I was creating this.
Is teriyaki sauce vegan?
Many recipes, and store bought versions, are vegan. The main thing you will need to look for is if honey is used as a sweetener. Other than that you are good to go!
Teriyaki ingredients
What's in teriyaki sauce can vary by recipe. But generally, it has these main ingredients:
- Soy sauce
- A sweetener of some sort
- A thickener
- Spices and seasonings to amp up the flavor
To make my recipe gluten-free, I used Tamari instead of soy sauce and brown rice flour as a thickener. I used maple syrup for that deeper sweet flavor, and for that natural sugar angle. To ramp up the flavor I used mirin and garlic powder.
Teriyaki substitutes
If you don't have, or don't want to make teriyaki sauce, you can use plain Tamari or soy sauce with a little bit of sweetener to get that signature teriyaki flavor.
What does teriyaki taste like?
Teriyaki sauce has a sweet flavor with a touch of tang. It also has just a little bit of saltiness to it to counter sweet.
Is Teriyaki Chinese or Japanese?
Teriyaki is Japanese. It's used in many traditional dishes to marinate foods before they're cooked.
Storage tips
I am jar obsessed, so when it comes to storing my sauces, a good glass jar is my first choice. Here are some of my favorites!
Tips for using
There are so many ways to use teriyaki sauce to spice up dishes, but these are some of my favorite ways!
- Drizzle over rice and veggies
- Teriyaki rice bowl and roasted veggies
- Veggie fried rice
- Vegetable Teriyaki Stir Fry
How To Make Teriyaki Sauce
- Put all ingredients into a pot and heat over medium/low heat until thickened.
- Serve in your favorite dish!
Gluten-Free Vegan Teriyaki Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ cup Tamari , or soy sauce if you don't need it gluten-free (low sodium if needed, see note)
- 10 tablespoons maple syrup (½ cup plus 2 tablespoons)
- ¼ cup water
- 2 tablespoons mirin (rice cooking wine)
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon brown rice flour
Instructions
- Mix all sauce ingredients in a pot, whisk well.
- Heat on the stovetop on medium low heat until thickened, while whisking. Be careful not to overcook because it thickens more as it cools.
Notes
- You can also use soy sauce for this, or even coconut aminos if you can’t have soy. Using soy sauce will make this non gluten free.
- Using coconut aminos will make it slightly sweeter than the Tamari or soy sauce, so leave out the 2 extra tablespoons of maple syrup and taste first. It may also not be as salty so if you find it needs more salt, feel free to add salt.
- This recipe makes about 2 cups. Serving size is ¼ cup.
Recipe by Veggies Don’t Bite, visit our site for more great plant-based recipes.
Nutrition
Nutrition and metric information should be considered an estimate.
Uma
I never heard or tasted this sauce! Sounds interesting! Is this good with spring rolls?
veggiesdontbite
Hi Uma! Yes!!! This would be great with any Asian food in my opinion. You could dip spring rolls in it. The easiest way to use it would be over rice and veggies!
Aimee
I've added this to my bookmarked recipes for when I next make Asian food. Looks amaaaaaazzziiiinnnggg
veggiesdontbite
Thank you Aimee!!! Let me know if you do!
Hedi
I actually have never ever tasted teriyaki sauce! Almost embarrassed to admit this 🙂
veggiesdontbite
What?! NO!! We need to remedy this stat!
Noel
That sure looks sticky! That spoon is absolutely covered! I'm usually a mix it up as I go kind of sauce girl ... this is worth preparing ahead of time and paying attention to my ingredients!
veggiesdontbite
It's definitely sticky!! That maple syrup helps with that. I mix as I go too but have learned to write stuff down in case it's a blog worthy sauce!
Lisa | Garlic + Zest
This sauce truly looks amazing and your photos are killer! I want to make this one soon!
veggiesdontbite
Thanks Lisa! Let me know if you try it!
Derek @ Dad With A Pan
I had no clue that certain soy sauces weren't vegan-friendly. This is a keeper If i ever need to make a vegan version of teriyaki!
veggiesdontbite
Well, I'm not sure which are and which aren't but Asian food can be tricky with things like oyster and fish sauce so I always make sure my readers know mine are vegan!
Mandy
I'm dying! Bahahaha! You get the shakes! You're seriously the sauce queen. I haven't eaten a lot of Korean inspired foods, but this sauce sounds like it would be wonderful on a lot of dishes. I've also never used mirin before! You've got me craving a big veggie-rice bowl! Looks delicious, Sophia! xo
veggiesdontbite
Ha! I totally do!! It's like a drug. lol!! You'd love this one, it's so flavorful!!
Mark, Compass & Fork
I love making my own condiments, pastes and the like so this recipe fits the bill. I've never made teriyaki but do love that sauce. I love that your version is gluten-free. Great job.
veggiesdontbite
Isn't homemade the best?? Teriyaki is a really easy one to make at home, give it a try sometime!
Dona
Homemade teriyaki is the best! I love the twist you have put on this one - sounds delicious 🙂
veggiesdontbite
Thank you Dona!
Kristy @ Southern In Law
This looks incredible! I always make my own homemade sauces/marinades and I definitely need to try yours out as it sounds delicious!
veggiesdontbite
Thank you Kristy! Homemade is so much better than store bought. Healthier and tastier!
Michelle Blackwood
I don't remember having Korean barbecue sauce even though I love Korean food, will definitely have to make this!
veggiesdontbite
Thanks Michelle!! Let me know if you do!
Becky Striepe
This looks awesome! It would be perfect drizzled over a grain bowl with baked tofu and steamed veggies.
veggiesdontbite
Thank you Becky! That would be a perfect way to use it!
Jenn
All the hail the queen of sauce! My hubs would love this - he is a huge teriyaki fan!
veggiesdontbite
Thanks Jenn! He'd love it!!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Ah yea, the only way for me to enjoy my teriyaki is homemade!!! But that's okay..fresha nd homemade is always best and you can just make tons!
veggiesdontbite
I agree!! Homemade is the best and I love making a boatload!
Jo from yummyvege
This looks great, i love asían dishes And i can ser endless possibilities for this sauce.
veggiesdontbite
Thanks so much Jo!