By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 2
20 min
Basic Teriyaki Sauce
Recipe GLPRc15e9a2647af58
A classic Japanese teriyaki sauce with a perfect balance of salty, sweet, and umami flavors. This glossy, versatile condiment is made by simmering together soy sauce, mirin, sake, and brown sugar until thickened and rich. Use it to glaze grilled meats, seafood, or vegetables for an authentic Japanese taste.
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Ingredients
1 cup Japanese soy sauce
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup mirin
1/2 cup sake
Directions
Pour the soy sauce, mirin, and sake into a medium saucepan and whisk together to combine.
Add the brown sugar and stir until it begins to dissolve into the liquid.
Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to ensure the sugar is fully dissolved.
Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10-12 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the sauce has thickened slightly and reduced in volume by about one-quarter.
Remove from heat and allow the sauce to cool to room temperature, where it will continue to thicken as it cools. The finished sauce should coat the back of a spoon.
Transfer to a serving container or bottle and refrigerate until ready to use. The sauce keeps for several weeks when stored properly.
Comments
Mirin and sake are the catch here—neither is stocked at Food Lion or ALDI, so you'll need Harris Teeter or Kroger, adding a special trip for a weeknight condiment. The four-ingredient formula is genuinely cheap once you have them (roughly $1.50 total for two servings), and the stated 20 minutes is honest for whisking and reducing. The real caveat is that this is a sauce, not a meal: it shines over protein and rice already in your plan, but it's not a standalone dish, so factor in what it's coating. It keeps well in the fridge and reheats perfectly, making it a smart batch-cook move if you're planning ahead.
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