One of my favourite things to make on a Sunday for the week ahead is my Gluten Free Teriyaki Sauce. It takes 5 minutes to make and keeps well in the fridge for weeks. Having a healthier, homemade teriyaki sauce on hand and ready to go can mean that a delicious dinner is on the table quickly and efficiently. My healthier version of teriyaki sauce is naturally sweetened with honey and uses Tamari, which is kind of like a gluten-free soy sauce.
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Some of my absolute favourite ways of using this sauce is in my Gluten Free Chicken Teriyaki, Teriyaki Chicken Tacos, Teriyaki Beef Bowls or my Teriyaki Ground Turkey Rice Bowls. Both recipes are ready in under 30 minutes and are so packed with flavour and nutrition.
What’s To Love About Gluten Free Teriyaki Sauce
- healthy – my homemade gluten-free teriyaki sauce recipe is much healthier than most store-bought teriyaki sauce as a store-bought version often has artificial colours, thickeners like xanthan gum and heaps of sugar. Making your own means you know exactly what ingredients are going in.
- gluten free & allergy friendly – if you have Celiac Disease then be sure to use certified gluten-free ingredients. This recipe is also dairy free, nut free and egg free.
- quick & easy to make – make this delicious gluten-free teriyaki sauce in just 5 minutes using just 7 easy to find ingredients.
Ingredients Notes & Substitutions
I’ve popped all of the ingredients you will need for this recipe below as well as any ingredient notes and possible substitutions. I was able to source all of these simple ingredients from my local grocery store.
- Tamari – tamari is the main ingredient in this recipe. It is very similar to soy sauce and is gluten free. You can also use a gluten-free soy sauce or coconut aminos instead of Tamari. While being very similar to soy sauce, Tamari has a longer fermentation process which results in a smoother flavour than soy sauce. If you’re not gluten intolerant then you can also use regular soy sauce or a low-sodium soy sauce.
- Rice wine vinegar – I have only tested this recipe with rice wine vinegar but you could also try it with apple cider vinegar.
- Honey – to make a vegan teriyaki sauce you can swap the honey for pure maple syrup. Personally I love the flavour and stickiness of honey in this recipe.
- Corn starch – also known as corn flour. You can use tapioca starch or arrowroot powder for thickening, however I find they create more of a glue texture so my preference is corn starch.
- Garlic paste – I’ve used garlic paste from a bottle but you can absolutely use fresh garlic cloves. I opted for store bought garlic paste purely to save time. You could also use a pinch of garlic powder in place of garlic paste.
- Ginger paste – again, feel free to use fresh ginger in this recipe if preferred. You will need to either grate it very finely or mash it in a mortar and pestle. Like with the garlic, you can use a pinch of ground ginger powder instead of fresh ginger.
- Water
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How to Make Gluten-Free Teriyaki Marinade / Sauce
Making this sauce is so quick and easy. All you need is a small saucepan, small bowl, whisk, spatula and measuring cups and spoons.
First, add the tamari, rice wine vinegar, honey, garlic paste, ginger paste and water to a small saucepan. Turn onto a low-medium heat and whisk until the honey dissolves. Once the honey is dissolved, pour about 3 tablespoons into small bowl. Add the corn starch to the bowl and whisk to combine, making sure there are no lumps.
Pour the corn starch slurry back into the sauce pan and whisk to combine. Continue whisking while the sauce heats up. It will start to darken in colour and turn glossy. Once the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, remove from the heat.
Carefully pour the teriyaki sauce into a glass jar or glass airtight container. Allow to cool to room temperature and then place the lid on securely before refrigerating.
Serving Suggestions
Use this sauce anytime you want that delicious teriyaki flavour. It’s so handy to have some versatile sauces made up and stored in the fridge for those nights you need to prepare a quick, healthy and easy dinner. Some of my favourite ways to use this delicious sauce are below:
- stir fry with vegetables and your choice of protein, top with sesame seeds, sesame oil and red pepper flakes if you like a little spice.
- to marinade proteins like firm tofu, chicken, chicken wings, fish, turkey or beef.
- use as a great dipping sauce.
- use to marinade vegetables like Brussels sprouts, green onions, shiitake mushrooms, beans, broccoli, cauliflower or carrots.
Gluten Free Teriyaki Sauce
Equipment
- Measuring Cups & Spoons
- Whisk
- Small saucepan
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup tamari
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger paste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic paste
- Cracked black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
Instructions
- To make the sauce add the tamari, honey, water, ginger, garlic, pepper and rice vinegar to a small saucepan over a low-medium heat. Whisk well to combine.
- Pour a small amount of the liquid into a small bowl and add the corn starch. Whisk well to combine until there are no lumps.
- Pour the slurry back into the sauce mixture. Continually whisk slowly until the sauce thickens slightly and the sauce is glossy. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Transfer to a glass jar or glass container, place the lid on securely and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
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