Honey Teriyaki Sauce: A 10-Minute Glaze for Chicken, Salmon and Tofu
Honey teriyaki sauce is a sweeter, stickier take on the Japanese glaze, and it takes about 10 minutes to make at home. Traditional teriyaki uses soy sauce, mirin, sake and sugar, cooked until glossy; swapping some of the sugar for honey adds depth and a beautiful shine. This guide gives you the sauce, how to thicken it, and how to use it on chicken, salmon, beef, tofu and vegetables.
Honey teriyaki sauce recipe
This makes about 1 cup, enough for 2 pounds of chicken or salmon. Mirin is a sweet Japanese rice wine; if you cannot find it, use dry sherry with an extra teaspoon of honey, or rice vinegar with 1 tablespoon more honey.
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) soy sauce or tamari
- 1/4 cup (85 g) honey
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) mirin
- 2 tablespoons sake or water
- 2 garlic cloves, minced, and 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water
- Optional: 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, sesame seeds, sliced green onion
Method
Combine the soy sauce, honey, mirin, sake or water, garlic and ginger in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir the cornstarch slurry, pour it in while stirring, and simmer for about a minute, until the sauce turns glossy and thick enough to coat a spoon. Remove from the heat and stir in sesame oil if using. It thickens further as it cools.
For a thinner sauce to use as a marinade, skip the cornstarch.
How to use it
Teriyaki means roughly shine (teri) and grill or broil (yaki), so the sauce is meant to glaze food at the end of cooking. Honey browns quickly, so brush or toss it on in the last few minutes.
| Food | How |
|---|---|
| Chicken thighs | Pan-sear until cooked to 165°F, add sauce, toss 1 to 2 minutes |
| Salmon | Bake at 400°F, brush with sauce in the last 3 minutes, broil briefly |
| Beef strips | Stir-fry, add sauce and toss until glossy |
| Tofu | Press, cube, pan-fry until crisp, toss in sauce |
| Vegetables | Toss with stir-fried broccoli, peppers or green beans |
Marinade tips
Teriyaki sauce without cornstarch makes a quick marinade. Marinate chicken or beef for 30 minutes to 4 hours in the fridge, and fish for 15 to 30 minutes; longer and the salt starts to change the texture. Discard marinade that touched raw meat, or boil it for at least a minute before using it as a sauce. Keep a separate portion of fresh sauce for glazing and serving.
Which honey to use
A mild, light honey such as Clover keeps the sauce close to classic teriyaki. Pure Raw adds a rounder, warmer sweetness. A teaspoon of Buckwheat honey gives a darker, deeper sauce that is very good with beef. Because the sauce is cooked, crystallized honey is fine.
Storage
Store cooled honey teriyaki sauce in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks. It will thicken in the fridge; warm it gently or whisk in a splash of water before using. It also freezes well in an ice cube tray for portioned glazes. For other quick honey sauces, see honey garlic chicken and honey BBQ sauce.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between teriyaki and honey teriyaki?
- Traditional teriyaki is sweetened with sugar and mirin. Honey teriyaki replaces some or all of the sugar with honey, which gives a stickier, glossier glaze.
- How do I thicken teriyaki sauce?
- Stir in a slurry of cornstarch and cold water and simmer for a minute, or simmer the sauce longer to reduce it.
- Can I make honey teriyaki without mirin?
- Yes. Use dry sherry with a little extra honey, or rice vinegar with an extra tablespoon of honey.
- Is honey teriyaki sauce gluten free?
- Only if you use tamari or a gluten-free soy sauce. Regular soy sauce contains wheat.
Al Safa Honey is a food producer, not a medical provider. Nothing here is medical advice. Never give honey of any kind to a baby under 12 months old.
