The best honey teriyaki sauce and it’s paleo and gluten-free! It’s super easy to make this homemade paleo teriyaki sauce recipe. Try it with chicken, beef and salmon!

Honey Teriyaki Sauce
I've really been into Asian cuisine recently and have been all about making things from scratch. I've made teriyaki sauce a few times now and by far this honey teriyaki sauce is my favorite!
This is actually a paleo teriyaki sauce recipe because it doesn't use soy sauce or brown sugar. I also used tapioca flour to thicken it instead of corn starch. It's what you would call a coconut aminos teriyaki sauce recipe!
This easy homemade teriyaki sauce is soon to be a pantry staple. It has the best flavors, and it can spice up an easy weeknight meal.
Why you'll love this paleo teriyaki sauce recipe
- Paleo recipe: this is a teriyaki sauce recipe without soy sauce!
- Lower in carbs: compared to traditional teriyaki sauce this savory sauce has fewer carbs per serving
- Versatile: use on salmon, chicken wings, beef, pork chops, vegetables and more!
- Pantry staples: This recipe doesn't use any fancy ingredients. You can find everything at your local grocery store.
Teriyaki Sauce Ingredients
- Honey: any type will work, but be cautious of choosing an overly fragranced kind because it might change the taste of the teriyaki sauce
- Coconut aminos: replaces soy sauce in this recipe to make it paleo
- Water
- Seasonings: Ground ginger (or grated fresh ginger), fresh garlic cloves (or garlic powder), crushed red pepper flakes
- Tapioca flour or tapioca starch: replaces corn starch to thicken the teriyaki sauce.
How to make paleo teriyaki sauce
- First combine the honey, coconut aminos, water, ground ginger, minced garlic and crushed red pepper in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until honey is no longer sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- In a small bowl mix the tapioca flour and cold water. Stir until dissolved.
- Add the flour mixture to the saucepan, mix well. Cook the sauce, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens (about 5 minutes). Then remove from heat.
- Transfer to a glass container.
Tips for the best homemade teriyaki sauce recipe
- Make sure that the tapioca flour dissolves completely before you add it to the saucepan with the teriyaki sauce. You don't want a lumpy sauce! Cold water is best for dissolving tapioca flour.
- Don't cover the saucepan when reducing the sauce. Also, stir frequently so that it doesn't burn or stick to the bottom of the saucepan.
Teriyaki Sauce Substitutions
- If you don't have coconut aminos, you can substitute them with tamari or soy sauce. It just would not be a paleo gluten-free teriyaki sauce any more
- If you don't have honey, you can use brown sugar or maple syrup instead. You could also add orange juice or pineapple juice as a sweetener.
- If you want to make a teriyaki marinade instead of a sauce, simply do not add the water and flour mixture. Add all of the ingredients to a mason jar and shake. You can even add sesame oil, rice vinegar and/or sesame seeds for extra flavor.
- If you want to make a teriyaki glaze, reduce the sauce further until desired consistency.
Recipes using this Paleo Teriyaki Sauce
- Teriyaki Salmon on the Blackstone
- Pork Chops on the Blackstone Griddle
- Blackstone teriyaki chicken tenders
- Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
- Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon
How to store paleo honey teriyaki sauce
- Store the leftover teriyaki sauce in a glass airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days. Make sure it cools completely before you transfer it to the fridge.
Don't have time to make this recipe, but want a healthier teriyaki store bought brand? Check out Kevin's, Primal Kitchen, or even G Hughs for low carb teriyaki sauces that you can buy online or at stores.
FAQs
Yes, honey is paleo. It's one of the paleo approved sweeteners. Dates are another paleo approved sweetener.
Wether you're thickening a paleo teriyaki sauce or traditional teriyaki sauce, the process is the same. First mix the flour or tapioca flour with cold water to make a slurry. Stir until dissolved.
Add the flour mixture to the saucepan, mix well. Cook the sauce, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens to desired consistency.
Traditional Teriyaki Sauce that is made with soy sauce does contain trace amounts of gluten. Tradition soy sauce is made from WHEAT, soy, water and salt. Tamari is the gluten free version of soy sauce.
Traditional Japanese teriyaki sauce does not contain honey. The sweetener in traditional teriyaki sauce is sugar or brown sugar, but since this is a paleo recipe it uses honey as a sweetener.
You can! Honey already has a thick consistency so if you add it to a teriyaki marinade or sauce it will thicken it slightly.
Honey Teriyaki Sauce Recipe {paleo & gluten free}
Equipment
- small saucepan
Ingredients
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ cup coconut aminos
- ½ cup water
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 teaspoon tapioca flour
- ¼ cup cold water
Instructions
- Combine the honey, coconut aminos, water, ground ginger, minced garlic and crushed red pepper in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- In a small bowl mix the tapioca flour and cold water. Stir until dissolved.
- Add the flour mixture to the saucepan, mix well.
- Cook the sauce, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens (about 5 minutes).
- Remove from heat
- Store in a glass airtight container.
Notes
Nutrition
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