Soy Free Teriyaki Sauce (Whole30, Paleo)

Sweet, tangy and super versatile, this homemade Soy Free Teriyaki Sauce is Whole30 and Paleo compatible! It’s soy-free and made without any refined sugar, so it’s a better-for-you option to use all your favorite Asian dishes, especially Japanese cooking.

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A small glass jar filled with soy free teriyaki sauce.

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Homemade teriyaki sauce is easy to make and oh-so-delicious! You’ll love it because…

You can use this homemade sauce to make any kind of stir fry or make chicken teriyaki or hibachi vegetables.
If you’re following Whole30 or Paleo, you probably need to avoid most store-bought teriyaki sauces, which contain soy and refined sugar. This version is made without soy sauce!
Soy sauce isn’t gluten-free, so this soy-free teriyaki sauce is a winner for anyone dealing with gluten sensitivities or celiac disease.
Best of all, to make this delicious sauce yourself, you only need 5 simple ingredients.

Other recipes contain brown sugar or pineapple juice for sweetness, or corn starch and tapioca starch for thickness. These ingredients aren’t Whole30. Also, some recipes contain sesame oil and sesame seeds, but this simple sauce recipe is great without them.

What are Coconut Aminos?

Coconut aminos are a liquid made from the sap or nectar of the coconut plant. It tastes very similar to soy sauce, so it can be used interchangeably in cooking. You can usually find it in the specialty section of grocery stores or buy it on Amazon.

Coconut aminos are Whole30 compatible, even if the ingredients label uses the term coconut sap, coconut nectar or coconut syrup. It even has its own rule. However, soy sauce usually contains gluten, and it’s not Whole30, so using coconut aminos as a gluten-free soy sauce alternative makes this one a real winner.

Some brands of coconut aminos are taste more salty than others, so I recommend tasting before adding any additional salt to recipes containing coconut aminos. You can always add more salt to your food later.

Good to know: The brand Braggs makes a product called Liquid Aminos that contains soy. The bottle looks almost identical to their Coconut Aminos bottle. Be very careful and do not buy “liquid aminos” if you’re avoiding soy.

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe:

Coconut aminos (Be sure not to use “liquid aminos”
Rice vinegar: If you don’t have rice vinegar, substitute apple cider vinegar.
Medjool dates: Dates are super sweet and perfectly balance the punch of the vinegar, garlic and ginger.
Garlic: You can use fresh garlic cloves or store-bought minced garlic. Garlic powder can work in a pinch too.
Ginger: Both fresh ginger and frozen ginger work great!

Step by Step Instructions

Ready to make soy free teriyaki sauce? Here’s what to do, step by step!

Collage showing the three numbered recipe steps.

Do the prep work. Remove the pits from the dates (if they aren’t already pitted). Mince the ginger, garlic, and dates.

Start cooking. Add all the ingredients to a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Allow it to simmer and cook together for about 8-10 minutes, or until the sauce is reduced enough that it coats the back of a spoon. Remove it from the heat.

Strain the sauce. This step is optional. Once it’s cooled slightly, strain the sauce through cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer into a small bowl. Press gently with a spatula to make sure all the liquid is expressed.

Allow the teriyaki sauce to cool, then transfer it to a small airtight container. Cover it and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it.

One Aloha Hawaiian Burger drizzled with homemade teriyaki.

Uses for Teriyaki Sauce

How can I use teriyaki sauce? Use this savory sauce to make stir fry recipes or anything from Japanese cuisine. You can also use it on my favorite Hawaiian burgers.

Teriyaki chicken is a classic of course, but there are many other teriyaki dishes like marinated teriyaki salmon. Or you can use it to flavor sauteed vegetables.

FAQ

How long does homemade teriyaki sauce keep?

Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Can I freeze teriyaki sauce?

Teriyaki sauce freezes beautifully! Transfer the sauce to a freezer safe bag or container, squeezing out as much air as possible. Transfer to the freezer and freeze. For best taste, use within 2-3 months. To defrost, set the container on a plate in the refrigerator overnight.

A hand spooning out some of the teriyaki sauce.

More Homemade Sauces

I’d love to hear about your experience making this recipe!
Please leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @cookathomemom.

A small glass jar and spoon with soy-free teriyaki sauce.

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