Easy homemade soy-free teriyaki sauce made with coconut aminos and lightly sweetened with honey. Skip store-bought versions that can be high in sugar and may contain wheat or soy — this quick recipe is ready in under 10 minutes and is gluten-free when made as written.
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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 almost always better than their store-bought counterparts. This soy-free teriyaki sauce uses coconut aminos in place of soy sauce and is sweetened with honey (optional), making it a refined-sugar-free option that works well for Paleo and gluten-free diets. It’s rich in flavor, quick to make, and versatile.
Ingredients
The full ingredient list and amounts are provided in the recipe card below. Notes and substitutions are summarized here.
Coconut Aminos – A popular soy-free alternative to soy sauce with a deep, slightly sweet, savory flavor. It’s usually lower in sodium than soy sauce and is generally gluten-free. It does not taste like coconut.
Thickener – Use tapioca or arrowroot starch to thicken the sauce. Corn starch works as well but is not Paleo. The starch is mixed with water to form a slurry, which is added at the end to reach the desired consistency.
Garlic & Ginger – Fresh garlic and ginger add the best flavor, but garlic powder and ground ginger can be used in a pinch.
Honey – Optional sweetener. For a vegan option, substitute maple syrup or coconut palm sugar, or omit entirely for a sugar-free sauce.
How to Make
1. Combine coconut aminos, water, garlic, ginger, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, and honey in a small saucepan. Whisk to combine and bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat.
2. While the sauce simmers, make a slurry by mixing arrowroot or tapioca starch with water until smooth. After simmering the sauce for a few minutes, whisk the slurry into the saucepan.
3. Continue whisking over low heat until the sauce reaches your preferred thickness — it should coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and use immediately or cool and store in the refrigerator.
What to Use This Teriyaki Sauce For
Use it to toss with stir-fried vegetables and cooked rice for an easy weeknight meal. Brush it onto chicken, shrimp, or kabobs while grilling as a glaze or baste. It also makes a flavorful marinade — if using as a marinade, skip thickening with the slurry. This sauce is excellent as a glaze for baked or grilled salmon as well.
How to Store
Store the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. It will thicken when cold but thins when reheated. You can also freeze it for up to three months — thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
FAQs
Traditional teriyaki sauce is usually made with soy sauce, so it typically contains soy. This recipe uses coconut aminos to keep it soy-free.
Many teriyaki sauces contain wheat because soy sauce often includes wheat. Using coconut aminos makes this recipe gluten free.
Coconut aminos offer a deep, slightly sweet, savory flavor similar to soy sauce but milder and less salty. It does not taste like coconut.
Coconut aminos are commonly available near soy sauce in most grocery stores and from many online retailers.
Love a good homemade sauce? Try these suggestions
-
Whole30 BBQ Sauce (Paleo)
-
Easy Dairy-free Ranch Dressing {Paleo friendly}
-
Vegan Kale Pesto
-
Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing (dairy free)
If you make this recipe, please let me know what you think by leaving a rating or comment. Share a photo and tag @CleanPlateMama on social media if you like!
Eat Clean. Be Well!
-Sara
Soy-free Teriyaki Sauce (w/ coconut aminos)
Easy homemade soy-free teriyaki sauce made with coconut aminos and sweetened with honey. Skip store-bought teriyaki sauces that can be high in sugar or contain wheat and/or soy.
Equipment
- 1 small saucepan
Ingredients
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp honey (optional; sub maple syrup for vegan)
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil (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 to a small saucepan. Whisk to combine.
- Simmer on medium-low for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- While the sauce simmers, mix 2 tbsp water with 2 tbsp arrowroot or tapioca starch to make a smooth slurry. Add the slurry to the sauce after it has simmered.
- Whisk until the sauce reaches the desired consistency — it should coat a spoon. Remove from heat.
- Use immediately or allow to cool and refrigerate.
Notes
- For a vegan version, substitute maple syrup or coconut sugar for the honey, or omit sweetener for a sugar-free option.
- Arrowroot or tapioca starch gives a clear glossy finish; corn starch is an acceptable substitute but not Paleo.
- Recipe yields about 1 cup of teriyaki sauce. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 week, or freeze up to 3 months.
Nutrition (per total recipe)
Carbohydrates: 66 g |
Protein: 1 g |
Fat: 10 g |
Sodium: 2722 mg |
Sugar: 12 g