Everyone enjoys teriyaki sauce, a common dish in homes and restaurants. But not all sauces are made equally.
Thanks to a few essential components, teriyaki sauce is what it is today. A popular Japanese sauce, teriyaki, may flavor, marinate, and cook meals.
Even though it has been around for a while, the popularity of this cooking style is rising as more people become aware of its health advantages. Soy sauce, which includes sodium chloride or salt, is the key component of teriyaki sauce.
Teriyaki chicken is one of the most well-known recipes for this sauce. It is frequently offered in most Asian eateries, particularly in Japan.
What would you do if you attempted to create one at home but couldn’t locate this sauce? Do not be alarmed; you can substitute for teriyaki sauce.
Several substitutes for teriyaki sauce that you may use in your recipes are covered in this article:
1. Korean Galbi Sauce
One of the greatest substitutes for teriyaki sauce is Korean galbi sauce. It is a traditional marinade in Korea for grilled meats such as beef, pig, lamb, and fish.
Red pepper flakes, garlic powder, fresh ginger, sesame oil, brown sugar, vinegar, rice wine, and water are used. As a result, it tastes well and has a similar smokey flavor to teriyaki sauce.
Adding additional ingredients improves the food flavor when using a substitute for teriyaki sauce.
When cooked, scallops have a wonderful scent, so you could include some chopped ones in the mixture. If you prefer sweet tastes, consider substituting honey for sugar.
Apple cider vinegar can be used instead of water. Finally, you might decide to eliminate the brown sugar. The fact that this sauce lacks flavor means you must season the meal properly before serving.
2. Oyster Sauce
Oyster sauce is another excellent substitute for teriyaki sauce. Its main ingredients are oysters, wheat flour, cornstarch, maltose syrup, mirin, ketchup, and salt. This Chinese-inspired sauce is frequently used to stir-fry veggies and shellfish.
Its distinctive salty flavor is ideal for boosting these meals’ savory flavors. This marinade still has the same smokiness but is sweeter than teriyaki.
Combine all the components to make this substitute smooth. When you are ready to eat, pour the mixture over the prepared dish and set it aside for 10 minutes.
Remember to use a low liquid-to-starch ratio when creating this sauce. Too much starch will produce a thicker consistency instead of a thinner one.
3. Worcestershire Sauce
Worcestershire sauce is a condiment that is available pretty much everywhere in the United States. It is even more comparable if you’re only familiar with Americanized teriyaki sauces, such as the Hawaiian teriyaki sauce.
This is because teriyaki sauce in the US sometimes includes other ingredients like garlic. Worcestershire sauce contains garlic, rice vinegar, salt, and other elements often found in teriyaki sauce.
Even if you live in a rural region where it is difficult to get Asian spices and sauces, it is generally always accessible even though it is not the nearest alternative.
For a more realistic taste, I’d advise using soy sauce with your Worcestershire sauce if you have any in your cupboard. You can experiment with various quantities to find the best recipe for you.
4. Barbecue Sauce
Teriyaki sauce and barbecue sauce are comparable. However, barbecue sauce employs distinct kinds of spices.
The typical ingredients in barbecue sauce are tomato paste, molasses, onion, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, chili peppers, and cayenne pepper.
These ingredients provide a spiciness and tanginess that go well with grilled meats. You must first eliminate the tomatoes from the recipe to make successful substitutes for teriyaki sauce.
The onions should then be cut in half. Then, add more soy sauce, sake, and mirin to the dish. To spice it up, add ground cloves or crushed black peppercorns.
5. Tianmian Sauce
Originating in China, these substitutes for teriyaki sauce have a flavor somewhat reminiscent of sweet soy sauce from Indonesia.
It contains gluten since wheat flour was used in its production. This sauce is so thick that it could appear more like a paste than a sauce to some people.
Tianmian sauce is excellent for coating meat; if you’ve ever had Peking duck, you’ve probably had it.
Given that it is created with soybeans and wheat, it may be referred to in your local store as sweet bean sauce, sweet wheat sauce, sweet wheat paste, or some of the above.
6. Ponzu Sauce
Ponzu sauce, originally developed in Japan’s Edo era, has been around for centuries and is extremely comparable to teriyaki.
Ponzu sauce is considered the Japanese equivalent of Indian-origin tamarind sauce. Like its counterpart, ponzu sauce is made from soybeans, citrus fruits, shoyu, and sugar.
However, ponzu sauce doesn’t have the sourness that comes from tamarinds as tamarind sauce does.
Instead, it gives foods like sushi rolls a reviving sweetness and umami taste.
Because both ponzu sauce and teriyaki sauce are prepared using soybean products, they are interchangeable.
Therefore, if you create your sauce from scratch, follow the guidelines below for making teriyaki sauce from scratch.
Swap the primary component, blend the ingredients, and serve.
7. Sweet Soy Sauce
Sweet soy sauce is thicker and significantly sweeter than regular soy sauce.
It comes from Indonesia and often contains palm sugar, which contributes to its thick consistency.
However, brown sugar can also be used. In Indonesia, it is referred to as kecap manis.
8. Hoisin Sauce
One of the most often-used sauces among Asians is hoisin. It was created in China and is frequently called “hoisin.”
Hoisin sauce, like teriyaki sauce, can be used as a dipping sauce for fried chicken, even though it is often served with steamed rice.
Hoisin sauce has many flavors, including dark, light, red, and white variations. Each kind has a distinctive taste profile of its own.
You must first remove the garlic and ginger from your original recipe before using these as substitutes for teriyaki sauce.
Then, you have to swap shallots and sesame oil for those two items. After that, you can use other ingredients like soy sauce, vinegar, and brown or white sugar.
If you want to improve it further, try substituting apple cider vinegar for the water. But don’t forget to make the appropriate seasoning adjustments.
9. Tamari Sauce
Tamari might be a wonderful choice if you’re looking for a teriyaki substitute without gluten.
It is wheat-free and made from fermented soybeans. Additionally, it doesn’t include any oyster fluids, making it ideal for vegetarians.
Even though it’s thick, unless you add some sugar or honey, it doesn’t precisely taste like teriyaki sauce.
Add a dash of salt or additional ingredients like umami or garlic to spice things up.
10. Coconut Aminos
Do you require simple substitutes for teriyaki sauce because of an allergy? Coconut aminos are your greatest choice in that case.
The greatest soy-free alternative to teriyaki sauce is this one, created from fermented coconut palm sap.
It has been demonstrated to be less salty than teriyaki sauce, which may assist you in occasionally adhering to dietary restrictions!
11. Korean BBQ Sauce
Compared to American BBQ sauce, Korean BBQ sauce is somewhat more similar to teriyaki sauce. Nevertheless, depending on where you reside, it can be a little more difficult to locate.
It is sweet and contains a lot of soy sauce, just like teriyaki sauce. Remember that Korean BBQ sauce is the Korean counterpart of teriyaki sauce and is of Japanese origin.
12. Honey and Soy Sauce
Another excellent substitute for teriyaki sauce is honey and soy sauce. This mixture’s sweet and savory taste profile is comparable to that of teriyaki sauce.
This may be used in stir-fries, glazes, and marinades as a substitute for teriyaki sauce. Additionally, it’s an excellent method for spiceing grilled veggies or meats.
13. Soy Sauce With Sugar
If made correctly, soy sauce and sugar provide a flavor similar to teriyaki sauce. Soy sauce’s umami taste makes it a frequent addition to many Asian recipes.
Sugar provides a slight sweetness and helps to counteract the soy sauce’s salinity.
This alternative is great in rice bowls, noodle meals, and stir-fries. Tofu or meat can also be marinated in it.
Finding the ideal ratio of soy sauce to sugar is crucial. Too much soy sauce will make the dish taste salty, and too much sugar will make it cloyingly sweet.
Experiment to find the percentage that works best for you. Soy sauce and sugar can be substitutes for teriyaki sauce since it is adaptable and simple.
