This is the best vegan teriyaki sauce! Easy to make it uses soy sauce or coconut aminos, fresh ginger, coconut sugar, green onion, and chili flakes to give it the most authentic sweet, yet slightly spicy flavour. It's also gluten free, paleo and soy free! Perfect for stir fries, marinades or as a dip.
Why you will love this recipe:
- Slightly sweet with just a little spice, this sauce is made with just a few simple ingredients and is ready in under 10 minutes!
- It can be used in so many ways including for tofu, stir fries, as a marinade or as a dip or sauce.
- It can be made soy free.
- You can make it without soy sauce.
- It's refined sugar free.
- This healthy teriyaki sauce stores well so is perfect for meal prep.
- It's not only vegan but is also gluten free and paleo.
Key ingredients and substitutions:
- Coconut aminos - this is my favourite soy sauce alternative that is both soy-free and gluten free - if you eat soy you can easily use soy sauce instead
- Coconut sugar - this is a great substitute for brown sugar that gives this sauce the perfect amount of sweetness while keeping it refined sugar free.
- Green onions - add the perfect amount of flavour to this delicious healthy teriyaki sauce recipe.
- Chili flakes - to give it just a little kick. You can add more or less depending on how spicy you like your teriyaki sauce.
- Fresh ginger and garlic - for flavour and some anti-inflammatory properties to make this sauce even healthier!
How to make this recipe:
Step one:
First, put all the ingredients into your Vitamix blender (or other high speed blender) and blend everything until it's smooth.
Step two:
Then transfer the sauce to a small pot and bring it to a boil.
Step three:
Turn down the heat and let the sauce simmer until it thickens (usually about 5 minutes).
Step four:
Let the sauce cool. It will thicken even more during this time. Now enjoy!
Variations and add ins:
- Depending on your dietary restrictions, instead of coconut aminos you could use Tamari soy sauce, Bragg All Purpose Liquid Soy Seasoning, gluten free soy sauce or soy sauce
- To make it less spicy leave out the crushed chili peppers
- To make it more spicy add a full teaspoon of crushed chili peppers
- The tapioca starch is used as a thickener, if you want a thinner sauce just leave it out
- Instead of tapioca starch you can use corn starch instead (note that corn starch is not paleo)
- For a thicker sauce add an extra half teaspoon of tapioca starch (or other thickening agent of choice)
- Instead of coconut sugar you can use brown sugar
Chef's tips:
- Make a double batch so that you have more on hand for when you need it.
- If it thickens too much in the fridge simply heat it before using to thin it out.
How to use:
- To make the best stir fry vegetables!
- To make my Teriyaki Broccoli and Peppers dish!
- As a sauce or marinade for vegan chicken, beef or fish dishes.
- As a sauce or marinade for tofu or tempeh recipes.
- As a dip for raw vegetables, spring rolls or lettuce wraps.
- To make the best fried rice or cauliflower fried rice.
- If you aren't vegan you can use this sauce to make teriyaki chicken, beef or fish.
How to store:
Store this sauce in the fridge in an airtight container or jar for 10-14 days.
Frequently asked questions:
Coconut aminos is a sauce made from the fermented sap of coconut and sea salt. It is soy-free and gluten free and tastes very similar to soy sauce. It is also lower in sodium than soy sauce. You can find it in most grocery stores next to the soy sauce, or in the organic or gluten-free section of the store.
They are located in the Asian section in most stores.
Many of Kikkoman's sauces are vegan including Kikkoman Soy Sauce, Kikkoman Less Salt Soy sauce, Kikkoman Gluten Free Tamari, Kikkoman Teriyaki Marinade, Kikkoman Teriyaki sauce with Toasted Sesame, Kikkoman Teriyaki Sauce with Roasted Garlic and Kikkoman Gluten Free Teriyaki Marinade are all suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets. Kikkoman Teriyaki BBQ-Sauce with honey however is not vegan as it contains honey.
Yes, the teriyaki sauce at Panda Express is vegan friendly.
Other recipes you will love:
- The best vegan guacamole
- Dairy free "cheese" sauce - used to make Mac and cheese!
- Vegan Alfredo Sauce
- Dairy free sour cream
- Vegan cilantro lime dressing
- Vegan bbq sauce
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Vegan Teriyaki Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut aminos or soy sauce
- 1/4 cup chopped green onion
- 4 tablespoon coconut sugar (or sub for brown sugar - just note this is not paleo compliant)
- 1 teaspoon tapioca starch (this is used for thickening the sauce - you can omit it the sauce just won't be as thick)
- 1 clove garlic, minced (or sub 1 teaspoon garlic infused olive oil)
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed chili peppers (also called chili flakes)
- 1 piece of fresh ginger, 2cm x 2cm, peeled and chopped (or sub 1 teaspoon ground ginger)
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients into your Vitamix or other high speed blender and blend well until smooth.
- Transfer the ingredients to medium sized pot on the stove and turn to medium heat.
- Bring the ingredients to a boil and turn down the heat to low.
- Simmer for ~5 minutes and then turn off the heat.
- Let the sauce cool (it will thicken slightly during this time).
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Store this sauce in the fridge for 10-14 days.
- You can omit the tapioca starch, just note that it is used for thickening so the sauce won't turn out as thick.Â
- For a spicier sauce, use 1 teaspoon crushed chili peppers instead of 1/2 teaspoon (or omit it altogether for a less spicy sauce).Â
- For a thicker sauce add an extra 1/2 teaspoon tapioca starch.
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