Easy homemade soy-free teriyaki sauce made with coconut aminos and sweetened with honey. Skip the store bought teriyaki sauce which can be high in sugar and contain wheat and/or soy and give this one a try instead!
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"I was recently diagnosed with soy intolerance, and I tried this recipe on chicken. It was delicious. Thanks for making me not as sad about having to give up soy!" - Amy
Homemade sauces are so much better than store bough, wouldn't you agree!? This easy homemade soy-free teriyaki sauce is ready in less than 10 minutes. Store bought teriyaki sauce can contain sugar, gluten (an issue if you are gluten-sensitive), soy, or added flavors or preservatives.
This teriyaki sauce is made using coconut aminos (a healthier alternative to soy sauce) and is refined sugar free (I use honey to sweeten it), making it Paleo approved too!
Looking for more soy-free recipes? Try my easy ground chicken stir-fry, healthy chicken fried rice, easy gluten-free teriyaki chicken & air fryer teriyaki chicken.
Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below. Here are some specific call-outs and substitutions.
COCONUT AMINOS - Coconut aminos is a common substitute for soy sauce. It has a nice, deep, sweet flavor; a little savory, but not as salty as soy sauce. And don't worry, it tastes nothing like coconut. In addition, it is typically organic/non-GMO, low-sodium, and gluten-free.
We love Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos - it can be found at Target, Whole Foods (and most other grocery stores) by the soy sauce, and on pretty much any online grocer.
What about tamari and liquid aminos? Both of these are made from soy, so there is no substitute for the coconut aminos if you are looking for a soy-free teriyaki sauce.
TAPIOCA STARCH - This is used to thicken the teriyaki sauce. You can use arrowroot starch or corn starch in its place. If wanting to keep this Paleo, use arrowroot or tapioca starch as corn starch is a grain and not Paleo approved.
GARLIC & GINGER - The recipe calls for fresh ginger and garlic, which I highly recommend as it adds so much depth and flavor. But garlic powder and ground ginger can be used in a pinch. See the recipe below for specific amounts.
HONEY - Completely optional to add in some sweetness to this homemade teriyaki sauce. You can omit it all together for a sugar-free teriyaki sauce, or sub maple syrup or coconut palm sugar to keep it vegan. All options keep this refined sugar free/Paleo approved.
Take the guesswork out of clean eating! My free Clean Eating Guide shows you exactly what to look for when you're at the store."
How To Make
1. Add coconut aminos, garlic, ginger, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and honey to a sauce pan. Whisk ingredients over medium-low heat and bring to a simmer.
2. In a separate small bowl, add tapioca (or arrowroot starch) and water. Mix until combined. This creates a "slurry" which is needed for thickening the sauce. Pour slurry into sauce pan and continue to whisk sauce over low heat, or until desired thickness is reached. Ideally you want the sauce to coat a spoon when dipped.
Remove from heat and use immediately or allow to cool and store in the fridge for later.
What to Use Homemade Teriyaki Sauce For
Sauté some stir fry veggies (peppers, carrots, broccoli) and cook up some brown rice for an easy stir fry. Mix sauce in with cooked veggies and put over cooked brown rice (brown rice is a whole grain compared to refined white rice, so I recommend brown rice to keep it as a whole food).
Brush it on some chicken or kabobs before and during grilling (would be great on shrimp too).
Use it as a marinade on chicken or shrimp prior to cooking. If using as a marinade, no need to thicken the sacue with the slurry.
Use as a glaze for grilled or baked salmon.
How to Store
This teriyaki sauce should be stored in the fridge and will last up to one week (I typically store mine in a mason jar). Note that it will thicken when cooled, but will thin back out once heated.
It also freezes well and can be frozen for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw in the fridge overnight.
FAQs
Yes, the main ingredient in traditional teriyaki sauce is soy sauce.
No, it typically is not. Soy sauce contains wheat, and since most teriyaki sauces are made from soy sauce, they end up containing gluten. Since my recipe is made using coconut aminos, it is gluten free.
It has a nice, deep, sweet flavor; similar to soy sauce, but sweeter and not as salty. And don't worry, it tastes nothing like coconut!
You can find coconut aminos in most grocery stores near the regular soy sauce, and pretty much at most online grocers.
Love a good homemade sauce? Try These!
Did you make this recipe? Leave a star rating and comment below. It helps other readers and means so much to me. And don't forget to tag @CleanPlateMama on Instagram or Facebook so I can see your creations!
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Eat Clean.Be Well!
-Sara
Soy-free Teriyaki Sauce (w/ coconut aminos)
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Equipment
- 1 small saucepan
Ingredients
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp. honey (optional)
- 1 tbsp. rice vinegar
- 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil (also known as dark sesame oil)
- 1 tsp. freshly grated ginger (or ¼ tsp. ground ginger)
- 3 garlic cloves, pressed or minced (or ½ tsp. garlic powder)
Ingredients for the Slurry
- 2 tbsp. water
- 2 tbsp. arrowroot or tapioca starch (corn starch works too)
Instructions
- Add ½ cup water, coconut aminos, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic in a small sauce pan. Whisk ingredients until combined.
- Simmer on med-low for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- While the sauce is simmering, create the slurry. In a small bowl, combine 2 tbsp. water and arrowroot (or tapioca) starch. Add this to the sauce pan after you have allowed the sauce to simmer for 5 minutes.
- Continue to whisk until desired consistency is reached. I like the sauce to be able to fully coat a spoon when dipped.
- Remove from heat and use as desired.
Notes
- If vegan, you can sub pure maple syrup or coconut sugar for the honey. Or omit all together for sugar free.
- I use arrowroot or tapioca starch for the slurry, but corn starch can be used too. If wanting Paleo, use either tapioca starch or arrowroot starch.
- Recipe makes about 1 cup teriyaki sauce. Nutrition information is based on total recipe.
- Sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Nutrition
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Alecs says
Thank you for this recipe. My body decided to develop an allergy to soy recently. As a vegetarian, I had to eliminate some easy comfort foods. This recipe is great and allows me to continue making some of them!
Sara Ecklin says
So glad you found this recipe and it's helping you enjoy some of your favorite comfort foods!
Rebecca J Willis says
is there another oil I can substitute for sesame? I have olive and avocado.
Sara says
The sesame oil adds flavor to the teriyaki and does not serve the same purpose as an avocado oil or olive oil... and you'll actually want to use toasted sesame oil (the recipe has been updated to reflect this). If you don't have toasted sesame oil on hand, you can omit it, you just won't get as bold of a flavor as you would if you included it.
M says
Could I use this to marinate chicken overnight? Would you eliminate the thickener if so?
Sara says
Yes, you can absolutely use this as a marinade as well! I would still thicken the teriyaki, even for the marinade, but you can definitely skip it and it will still work great!
Jenny Rumel says
I love this recipe and your taco seasoning recipe.. they are go to staples, in my home.
Sara says
Glad you have found some favorite recipes here! Thanks for sharing!
Peyton says
Hi! I’m yeast intolerant and the only vinegar I can have is distilled white vinegar. Do you think that would work in this recipe?
Sara says
Hi! I think regular white vinegar would be too potent. I would just omit the rice vinegar all together - it should still turn out great 🙂 Enjoy!
Angie Arias says
Loved
Amy says
I was recently diagnosed with soy intolerance, and I tried this recipe on chicken. It was delicious. Thanks for making me not as sad about having to give up soy!
Mike says
Have you used xanthum gum as a thickener before? One benefit is that you do not need to heat it for it to work. I have a catering business and want to use a soy and gluten free sauce for an Asia chicken wrap I make. That s sauce sounds amazing. I wanted to make it even easier to make by using xanthum gum.
Sara says
Interesting question! I have not tried using xanthan gum as the thickener before, but I don't see why it wouldn't work. You could definitely use that in place of arrowroot/tapioca. If you do, please let me know how it turns out!
Amanda says
Made it this week. Thought I had fresh ginger but didn’t, so I used ground ginger. What a fantastic recipe, even subbing the fresh ginger for ground. I’ve never used coconut aminos before, so I didn’t know what to expect, but this sauce is perfect and wonderfully delicious teriyaki sauce. Also— it is 100% kid-approved. (I did add in a few shakes of red pepper flakes for some heat).
Question: Can this be made as a large batch to be individually canned and stored in the pantry for use months later? I think it will can beautifully but just wanted your opinion.
Sara says
So glad you enjoyed this, Amanda! Love the addition of red pepper flakes. I'm not a spice gal, but my husband usually will add some when I make this! I have never canned this before, so I'm sorry, I can't say how it would hold up if you canned it. However, I do know that it works well to freeze and will last up to 3 months if frozen. Sorry I can't be more help on the canning piece.
Elizabeth says
I was just recently diagnosed with an allergic condition and I have to eliminate so many foods from my diet to figure out what the allergen is. Dairy, soy, nuts, eggs, wheat, shellfish. It's pretty miserable. I just wanted to make some ground beef and rice stir fry but teriyaki sauce has wheat and soy in it. I made this recipe and it was PERFECT! Thank you so much! Now I don't feel quite so hopeless!
Sara says
Thanks so much for sharing, Elizabeth! I'm so glad you liked it! And good luck to you as you figure out your allergies... I know first hand how hard that can be!
David Donaldson says
I see that the service size is a cup. Is this accurate? Apologies, keep track of my macros! Thanks!!
Sara says
Hi David - No apologies needed. It's a great question. The nutritional information is calculated off of the entire recipe. The recipe as written makes roughly 1 cup of teriyaki sauce. So pending how much you use, you'd just have to divide that by the total recipe (1 cup). Hope that makes sense. Thanks!
Margaret says
How long does it keep in the frig. Can you freeze it and defrost as needed.
Sara says
Hi Margaret - great questions! It will keep in the fridge for up to a week (stored in an airtight container). Note that the sauce will really thicken when it's stored in the fridge, but once heated it will thin out again. I honestly have never stored in the freezer, but I don't see why it couldn't be store in the freezer for up to a couple months. After a quick Google search 🙂 it looks as though it's perfectly safe to freeze as well. Also, I'm updating the post to reflect this information. Thanks for the questions and let me know what you think if you make it!