Teriyaki Marinade: the quick recipe for the tasty Japanese marinade

Need a quick, easy way to infuse ingredients with flavor? Whip up some homemade teriyaki marinade. Teriyaki hails from Japan, but thanks to its delicious flavor and the fact it's effortless to make, teriyaki marinade and teriyaki sauce have become popular all over the world. To make homemade teriyaki marinade, you only need 5 ingredients – soy sauce, a little brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and a dash of water. That's it! It takes under 5 minutes to make and is a great way to add incredible flavor to meat, fish, or tofu. If you love savory, sweet marinades, this is definitely one recipe to master.

How to Turn Teriyaki Marinade into a Sauce

There's a difference between a marinade and a sauce, although they have plenty in common. The main difference is that marinades are used to flavor food before cooking while a sauce is added during the cooking process or after the dish has been cooked. One important thing: don't use premade marinade that's been used to marinate meat, poultry, or fish. Doing so is a serious potential risk for food poisoning.

If you want to turn your teriyaki marinade into a sauce you can serve with your meal, simply add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and ½ cup of water to the other ingredients. Simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce the sauce until it thickens to your desired consistency. Voila! Perfectly tasty homemade teriyaki sauce.

How to Use Teriyaki Marinade

One of the best things about teriyaki marinade (besides its delicious flavor) is how versatile it is to use. Teriyaki is wonderful on everything from chicken to the salmon, beef, pork, and tofu. You don't need to marinate proteins for very long – about 15 to 30 minutes will do if you're in a rush. However, for the best flavor, you can marinate chicken, beef, or pork overnight. Salmon can be marinated for up to 6 hours. You can use teriyaki sauce to flavor your favorite stir-fry.

Tips for Making the Best Teriyaki Marinade Sauce

For extra flavor, there are various other ingredients you may want to add to your marinade. You can whisk in ½ teaspoon of toasted sesame seed oil and 2 teaspoons of sesame seeds to your teriyaki marinade. Or add a little mirin or fish sauce.

Like spice? Mix in ½ teaspoon of chili flakes or ½ teaspoon of chili oil to your marinade or teriyaki sauce.

How to Store and Freeze Homemade Teriyaki Marinade

Have leftover teriyaki marinade? To store it, pour leftovers into an airtight container and place them in the fridge. Your teriyaki marinade will stay good for up to 2 weeks.

You can also freeze teriyaki marinade. Pour the marinade into an ice cube tray. Once it sets, pop the frozen cubes of teriyaki marinade out and place them in a freezer-safe bag. They'll stay good for up to 3 weeks.

How to Make Teriyaki Marinade

In a small bowl, whisk the soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and water to combine.

Pour the marinade over the protein of your choice (meat, fish, poultry, tofu), cover, and leave to marinate for 15 to 30 minutes.

Notes

Worried about the amount of salt in your diet? Use low-sodium soy sauce instead of regular soy sauce.