5 Minute Homemade Teriyaki Marinade || Great For Meat And Vegetables

Homemade teriyaki marinade can be put together in just 5 minutes, and it’s a great way to flavor both meat and vegetables in your kitchen.

chicken cooked in teriyaki marinade on a plate

This marinade is a must-have recipe for all home cooks. You’ll want to have it in your recipe arsenal for sure.

It’s perfect for the beginner cook, because it is just so darn easy to make. And it suits the experienced cook as well. After all, there are those nights that you just don’t want to spend your time in the kitchen. And this recipe can be whipped up ahead of time, so that you have marinated meat ready to cook when you arrive home.

Ways To Use This Marinade

My personal favorite way to use this homemade teriyaki marinade is as a flavoring for chicken. I don’t know what it is about teriyaki marinade, but when I think of it, I think of chicken. For me those two flavors are a match made in heaven.

Add a few sliced pineapples on the side, and toss some chopped onion tops or chives and sesame seeds on top and you’ve got one of the greatest classic flavor profiles ever created. In my humble opinion, of course!

Yet, there are so many wonderful ways to use this marinade. It’s fabulous with pork and steak. And it compliments fish, shrimp, and scallops quite nicely as well.

You can even use it as a brush on marinade for vegetables when grilling. As a light sauce to saute veggies in the kitchen. And it also seasons a rice stir fry, just right.

Can Teriyaki Marinade Be Used As A Sauce?

This marinade is not necessarily thick enough to be used as a teriyaki sauce. I know I mentioned above that it makes a good light sauce for vegetables and stir frys, but that is because it seeps into them, just enough to add a great flavor, as they cook.

soy sauce in a bowl with a whisk on a table

It has a similar consistency to water. So it won’t really stick to food like a sauce would. It is not meant to brush over already cooked dishes and does not make a great dip for meat or veggies.

It is specifically designed to cook with, or be used as an overnight marinade.

How Much Marinade Does This Recipe Make?

This homemade teriyaki marinade is just enough marinade to immerse 4 or 5 chicken thighs, 3 or 4 country style spare ribs, or 2 decent size steaks.

teriyaki chicken on a plate

You get the idea … it’s really a relatively small amount. When I plan to use it for more than just the meat at a meal, I make a double batch.

That way I have enough to saute up some veggies as well. Or I have plenty to toss in a rice side dish.

If you’re making it just for vegetables or rice, one batch is more than enough. But that’s good, because it allows you to keep the extra in the refrigerator to be used another day.

It should last in the refrigerator for a good 10-14 days, possibly even longer. To be honest, I’ve never had it go bad on me. However, I always use it pretty quickly.

What Is In Teriyaki Marinade?

The ingredients for this marinade are all pretty common. You likely have them in your kitchen already.

They are as follows:

ingredients for teriyaki marinade on a table
  • Garlic cloves – Fresh garlic cloves are best for this recipe. They really do make a difference.
  • Ginger – Fresh ginger is important in this recipe as well.
  • Honey – Honey is always a win in any recipe. Local honey is better for your health than store bought.
  • Brown Sugar – Light brown sugar works well in this recipe. Dark brown sugar adds a little more depth. Use what you have on hand.
  • Rice Wine Vinegar – Rice wine vinegar has a different profile than most any other vinegar. It is better to use it for this dish than to try substituting another vinegar.
  • Sesame Oil – Sesame oil is another ingredient that should not be substituted in this dish. The sesame flavor it imparts to the recipe is a key element of the marinade.

How To Make Teriyaki Marinade – Step-by-Step

I love to offer you all a step-by-step instruction guide whenever I’m able. I’m not gonna lie, for this particular recipe it seems sort of silly.

teriyaki chicken and pineapple on a plate

But, nonetheless, here goes …

  1. Gather and measure all ingredients
  2. Place all ingredients in a bowl
  3. Blend with a whisk
  4. Immerse the meat/seafood of your choice in the marinade
  5. Allow to sit overnight
  6. Alternately, use to brush on vegetables as they cook
  7. Or toss some in the bottom of a saute pan to cook veggies or fry rice

That’s all there is to it, folks! It’s super easy stuff, and yet it tastes like it took a decent amount of effort to make.

It’s a definite favorite around our house, that’s for sure.

handmade teriyaki in a bowl

Let me know if you try to make this recipe. I’d love to hear what you think of it. Do you love it as much as I do? How did your friends/family like it? And do you expect it to become a favorite in your kitchen too?

Let’s meet in the comments and chat all about it!

pinnable image for teriyaki marinade

If you try this recipe and love it, please give it 5 stars! It supports my work more than you may realize, and I appreciate that a great deal!

You can also show your support by tagging me on Facebook @sustainableslowliving and/or Instagram @slowlivingbydianegail when you post a pic of your finished dish.

chicken cooked in teriyaki marinade on a plate
Yield: 1 cup

TERIYAKI MARINADE

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

Homemade teriyaki marinade can be put together in just 5 minutes, and it's a great way to flavor both meat and vegetables in your kitchen.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 c amino acids (soy sauce can be substituted)
  • 2 tbls honey
  • 2 tbls brown sugar, packed
  • 2 tbls rice wine vinegar
  • 2 tbls sesame oil
  • 1 tbls fresh ginger, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced

Instructions

  1. Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl.
  2. Use to marinade poultry, pork, beef, or seafood.
  3. Or brush on vegetables while grilling.
  4. Or use as a sauce to saute vegetables.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 104Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 6mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 0gSugar: 21gProtein: 0g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix on 08/23/2021. It is based on an equal distribution of the full recipe into 12 servings. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.

6 Comments

  1. This was so easy to assemble. It’s nice to make home made sauces when I can. Thanks for your tips and easy instructions.

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