Sauce, teriyaki, ready-to-serve
Whole food · Soups, Sauces, and Gravies
Photo: Wikipedia
Teriyaki sauce is a glossy, dark brown Japanese glaze with a sweet-savory umami punch, balancing soy sauce's saltiness with mirin's sweetness. It's a thin, pourable liquid that clings beautifully to grilled or pan-fried foods. Nutritionally, it's a carbohydrate-dense condiment, with sugar making up nearly 90% of its 15.56g carb content per 100g.
💚 Why it's loved
People love it for its perfect sweet-salty-umami trifecta that instantly elevates grilled chicken, fish, or tofu. Its cultural association with Japanese cuisine and teppanyaki grills gives it a sense of authentic, restaurant-quality flavor at home.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
The high sugar content (14.1g per 100g) can cause rapid blood-sugar spikes, especially when used liberally. It is also typically very high in sodium, which can be a concern for those monitoring blood pressure. Tip: Use it as a finishing glaze applied in the last minute of cooking rather than a cooking liquid, or dilute it with a splash of rice vinegar and water to reduce sugar and sodium per serving.
Key benefits
- Adds deep umami flavor without added fat
- Quick way to add complexity to simple proteins
- Low in fat, making it a lean flavor enhancer
- Versatile base for marinades, glazes, and dipping sauces
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
Authentic Japanese teriyaki is a simple technique (teri = shine, yaki = grill/broil) using just soy sauce, mirin, and sugar, while many ready-to-serve Western versions contain added thickeners like cornstarch and preservatives like sodium benzoate.
Full nutrition (scales with serving)
| Water | 67.7 g |
| Energy | 89.0 kcal |
| Energy | 371 kj |
| Protein | 5.9 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 0.02 g |
| Ash | 10.4 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 15.6 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 0.10 g |
| Total Sugars | 14.1 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 25.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 1.7 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 61.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 154 mg |
| Potassium, K | 225 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 3833 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.10 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.10 mg |
| Manganese, Mn | 0.00 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 1.1 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 0.00 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.03 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.07 mg |
| Niacin | 1.3 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.20 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.10 mg |
| Folate, total | 8.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, food | 8.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 8.0 ug |
| Choline, total | 19.5 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 0.00 ug |
| Retinol | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 0.00 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, IU | 0.00 iu |
| Lycopene | 0.00 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 mg |
| Tocopherol, beta | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3), International Units | 0.00 iu |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 0.00 ug |
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.00 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans | 0.00 g |
| Cholesterol | 0.00 mg |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
FAQ
Is teriyaki sauce gluten-free?
Most traditional and commercial teriyaki sauces contain soy sauce, which is brewed with wheat, making them not gluten-free. However, gluten-free versions made with tamari (a wheat-free soy sauce) are widely available.
Can I use teriyaki sauce as a marinade?
Yes, but with caution. Its high sugar content can cause meat to burn quickly over high heat. For marinating, use it for a short time (30 minutes) or combine it with an acid like rice vinegar or citrus juice. Always pat off excess marinade before grilling.
How is teriyaki sauce different from soy sauce?
Teriyaki sauce is a sweetened, seasoned blend, primarily soy sauce plus sugar, mirin (sweet rice wine), and often ginger or garlic. Soy sauce is a fermented condiment on its own; teriyaki is a finished sauce.