When I want bold, no-fuss flavor in just minutes, I make this simple teriyaki marinade from scratch. It's ready in just 5-minutes and made with ingredients you likely have on hand. With its sweet, savory balance and a punch of garlic and ginger, it turns chicken, pork, steak, or even veggies into something crave-worthy without any extra fuss.
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Just six fresh, flavorful ingredients like tamari, coconut sugar, garlic, ginger, and green onions come together to make a marinade that tastes like you put in way more effort than you actually did.
Since it's homemade, you can easily adjust it to your taste, whether you like things a little sweeter, a touch spicier, or even with a splash of fresh pineapple juice for that Hawaiian-inspired flavor.
I've used this marinade on everything from weeknight chicken thighs to weekend steak dinners, and it never disappoints, just like this flavorful teriyaki sauce. It's equally good brushed onto grilled skewers, tossed with shrimp, or worked into a quick stir-fry. Once you've made your own teriyaki marinade, it's hard to go back to the bottled version. It's that easy!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Quick: Comes together in only 5-minutes with six simple pantry staples.
- Gluten-free friendly: Uses gluten-free soy sauce (or tamari) for that classic umami flavor without the gluten.
- Better than store-bought: No additives, just fresh ingredients you've prepped and can trust.
- Perfect for meal prep: Works with chicken, pork, beef, fish, shrimp, and even veggies.
- Customizable: Sweetened with coconut sugar, honey, or maple syrup and adjust flavors to suit your taste.
Simple Teriyaki Marinade Ingredients
- Low-sodium tamari (or soy sauce): One of the star ingredients in teriyaki marinade. It's the savory base that brings classic umami flavor.
- Water: Lightens the flavor and keeps the balance just right.
- Coconut sugar, honey, or maple syrup: Each sweetener brings its own personality. Coconut sugar adds an earthy sweetness, honey adds depth, and maple adds a subtle caramel vibe.
- Fresh garlic: Because no good marinade is complete without a little garlicky punch.
- Fresh ginger: adds warmth and a little bite; grated or chopped works best.
- Green onions: For a fresh, mild onion flavor that brightens the whole mix.
See recipe card below for all ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Teriyaki Marinade
Aside from being a seriously versatile marinade superstar, the best thing about this homemade teriyaki marinade recipe is how fast it comes together!
It's a really simple one bowl, 5-minute recipe!
Combine ingredients
In a medium bowl whisk together tamari, water, coconut sugar, garlic, ginger, and green onions.
Marinate your protein
Place chicken, pork, steak, or veggies in marinade.
Refrigerate
Cover or place in seal in a zip- top bag and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes (up to 24 hours) before cooking.
👇 Not sure how long to marinate? Here's a handy cheat sheet to keep your proteins and veggies perfectly tender and flavorful.
Teriyaki Marinating Time Guide
| Protein / Veggies | Suggested Time | Notes |
| Chicken & Pork | 2-3 hours, up to overnight | Best flavor develops with more time |
| Beef & Lamb | 12 hours, up to overnight | Handles longer marinating well |
| Fish & Shrimp | 20-30 minutes | Delicate, don't over-marinate |
| Vegetables | Overnight | Longer time = more concentrated flavor |
| With Pineapple Juice | Max 12 hours | Natural enzymes tenderize quickly |
Tips for Making Easy Teriyaki Marinade
- Make ahead: Double the recipe and keep half in the fridge for later use. It will last about one week in an airtight container.
- Don't reuse marinade: If you'd like extra sauce for dipping, set some aside before marinading your protein.
- Best pairings: Chicken thighs, pork tenderloin, and skirt steak soak up this marinade beautifully, but it also works really well on salmon or tofu.
- Chop the aromatics: Roughly chopping the garlic and ginger gives more opportunity to draw out the flavors rather than if they were just sliced.
Easy Teriyaki Marinade Substitutions and Variations
- Soy sauce: If you can't find gluten-free soy sauce, it's often called tamari. Or swap with coconut aminos for a slightly sweeter flavor.
- Sweetener: Coconut sugar, honey, or maple syrup all work beautifully. If you want a more deep molasses flavor like you get from brown sugar, add a teaspoon of regular molasses with the coconut sugar.
- Acidic touch: Add a teaspoon of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar for brightness.
- Heat lovers: Stir in a pinch of red chili flakes or a splash of sriracha.
- Sesame oil: Just a teaspoon adds a lovely nutty flavor.
- Fresh pineapple juice: Always use fresh, not jarred or canned. Fresh juice contains natural enzymes that gently break down proteins, which helps tenderize meat while adding natural sweetness. Swap it for the water in this recipe, but don't marinate for more than 12 hours or the texture can become too soft.
Sweet Teriyaki Marinade FAQs
Not exactly. Teriyaki marinade is thinner and designed to soak into proteins before cooking, while sauce is usually cooked and thickened to coat dishes. You can turn this marinade into an easy teriyaki sauce by simmering it in a small saucepan and whisking in an arrowroot or cornstarch slurry until it's glossy.
At least 30 minutes, but for the best flavor, 2-12 hours works well. Avoid going beyond 24 hours, as the marinade can start to break down the texture of the meat. See the handy marinating chart above.
It's delicious on chicken wings, boneless chicken breasts, pork chops, flank steak, shrimp, salmon, or even grilled veggies. It's also a great base for stir-fries when you want a quick weeknight dinner with lots of flavor.
If it's touched raw meat, discard it. But if you set aside a portion before marinating, it will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
Storage Tips
- When making ahead, the marinade can be stored in the fridge, in an airtight container for up to a week.
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📖 Recipe
Sweet Teriyaki Marinade
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (174 grams) low-sodium tamari or soy sauce
- ¼ cup (59 grams) water
- ⅓ cup (53 grams) coconut sugar
- 3 cloves fresh garlic chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger about 1" piece
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
Instructions
- In a medium bowl whisk together tamari, water, coconut sugar, garlic, ginger, and green onions.¾ cup low-sodium tamari, ¼ cup water, ⅓ cup coconut sugar, 3 cloves fresh garlic, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger, 2 green onions
- Optional heating step: For a deeper infusion of flavor, warm the mixture in a small saucepan over medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes, just until the garlic and ginger are fragrant. Cool completely before using as a marinade.
- Place chicken, pork, steak, fish, shrimp (about 2 pounds), or veggies in a resealable bag or airtight container. Pour the marinade over. Timing depends on what you're using. Refer to marinating time guide in notes section.
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Notes
- Chicken & Pork: 2-3 hours, up to overnight
- Beef & Lamb: 12 hours, up to overnight
- Fish & Shrimp: 20-30 minutes
- With Pineapple Juice: Max 12 hours
Jeff Thomson says
We marinaded chicken thighs with this overnight. The next day, I threw them on the barbecue and came out looking like a master chef hero! So succulent and delicious! Up-level your next bbq protein with this marinade!!
Jacqui Wilson says
I'm happy you liked the marinade. And I'm glad you got to enjoy your master chef status!
Jacqui Wilson says
Made grilled chicken and steak this week with this easy marinade and the flavors were a hit! I hope you love it as much as we do!