This thick and sticky Pineapple Teriyaki Sauce is the sweet and salty symphony of flavors you’ve been craving! Just a few simple ingredients and a quick stir in a sauce pan… and your sauce will be hot and ready for action! You’ll never go back to store bought teriyaki sauce again!
Teriyaki sauce is one of those sauces, that when done well, can create a full mouth sensory experience that is unmatched.
So when creating this sauce I made sure to include only the best flavors, while keeping the ingredient list as short as possible.
Just how short? Only 7 simple ingredients if you don’t count the water! 🙂
The result is a rich and thick teriyaki sauce that wonderfully captures the vast array of heartwarming flavors you want and expect in a really good teriyaki sauce.
Now my love of teriyaki sauce goes way back. All the way back to college.
I was living on campus attending college in Seattle, and was working just a few hours a day in between classes. This led to the little fact that I was feeling pretty poor with a capital ‘P’.
The good news is, I was only a 5 minute drive away from the best authentic hole-in-the-wall teriyaki restaurant. My order on repeat? The $1.50 side of rice drenched in glistening teriyaki sauce. Now this I could afford!
It was the most glorious comfort food I could treat myself to, and it was love at first bite!
You see, Seattle has a whole teriyaki culture vibe going on that’s completely authentic and slightly bizarre. Just like how NYC is riddled with pizza restaurants, there’s a teriyaki shop on every corner of Seattle.
The ambience is almost always the same… hard folding chairs with folding tables, bland walls, local radio playing old tunes, a case with canned soda (no fountain drinks here), but the teriyaki is out of this world and the BEST you’ll ever find!
So I can’t tell you exactly just how much teriyaki sauce it took to get me through college, but I do know it was a copious amount!
That’s why I had to recreate this silky smooth sauce and share it with you!
That way you could also enjoy smothering it all over your chicken and salmon, or using it to drench your udon noodles and rice!
Just like you’ll want to do with my other quick and easy Asian Sauces, like this sensational Ginger Soy Sauce and dreamy Sweet and Sour Sauce Recipe!
So what are you waiting for?
Here’s what you’ll need to get your pineapple teriyaki sauce started…
Ingredients
The ingredients in teriyaki sauce are quite simple… but when combined you’ll magically create the BEST pineapple teriyaki sauce recipe ever!
- Pineapple Juice – I recommend using a high quality pineapple juice.
- Low Sodium Soy Sauce – Coconut Aminos can be substituted.
- Brown Sugar – I used light brown sugar in this recipe.
- Garlic – I like to use minced garlic from a jar to save time.
- Fresh Ginger – To achieve the best flavor, fresh makes all the difference.
- Black Pepper
- Corn Starch – To make thick teriyaki sauce.
- Cold Water – Used with the corn starch to create a paste that will be mixed into your sauce.
- Optional: Green Onions and/or Sesame Seeds for garnish
That’s it. You’ll just need 8 simple ingredients to create one of the tastiest recipes for sauces ever!
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Pin ItHow To Make A Teriyaki Sauce
If you just want to know how to make a simple teriyaki sauce, you are in the right place!
Just follow these easy step-by-step instructions:
1. Combine your Corn Starch and Cold Water, and stir into a white cornstarch paste.
2. In a saucepan, whisk together the rest of your ingredients, and heat.
3. Then stir in the white corn starch paste and continue heating as directed until your sauce is done.
That’s it. Just a few minutes of stirring and your amazing copycat Kikkoman teriyaki sauce is ready to go!
And if you’re lucky, the Swedish Chef might even pop by to help you with your whisking! As long as you can tune out the gibberish, he really is quite helpful!
Scroll down for the printable pineapple teriyaki sauce recipe card with detailed, step-by-step instructions.
Variations
Want to change your up pineapple teriyaki sauce? Go for it!
To make an extra thick teriyaki sauce like the original Kikkoman teriyaki sauce, simply use more corn starch. To make it thinner, use less corn starch.
If you want to make an extra sweet teriyaki sauce, simply stir in small amounts of sugar until you achieve the desired sweetness you want.
Storage Tips
Do you want to make this Hawaiian teriyaki sauce ahead of time, or do you have some leftovers?
I recommend storing your sauce in an airtight container, like a mason jar with a lid.
Refrigerator Storage: Store for up to 1 week.
Freezer Storage: Cool sauce completely, leave a little headspace for expansion, and store for up to 2 months.
How to Use
This homemade teriyaki sauce recipe is incredibly versatile and these recipes I am about to share all prove that point deliciously!
Chicken – Prepare this tasty Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken using a triple batch of this teriyaki sauce. (triple this recipe)
Pork – Double this teriyaki sauce recipe to smother your Teriyaki Pork Chops.
Meatballs – Prepare these Pineapple Teriyaki Meatballs using a double batch of this oh so good teriyaki sauce. (double this recipe)
Burgers – Infuse your Hawaiian Burger inside and out with this heavenly Hawaiian teriyaki sauce!
Teriyaki Rice – Drizzle this thick teriyaki sauce over sticky rice or jasmine rice for an amazing teriyaki treat, or as a delicious Asian Side Dish.
Marinade – I’ve also created a variation of this sauce to use as a Teriyaki Chicken Marinade.
More Simple Sauces Recipes
Pineapple Teriyaki Sauce
Doubling Recipe Tip
If doubling or tripling with buttons below, ingredient notes after comma won’t adjust. Increase as needed.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Pineapple Juice, (I use a 6 oz. can of Dole)
- 5 tbsp Low Sodium Soy Sauce, (Coconut Aminos can be substituted)
- 1/4 cup Light Brown Sugar, packed
- 1 tsp minced Garlic, (approx. 1 clove)
- 1 1/2 tsp finely diced Fresh Ginger, (or frozen)
- 1/8 tsp Black Pepper
- 2 tbsp Corn Starch
- 1/4 cup Cold Water
Instructions
- Gather your pineapple teriyaki sauce ingredients.
- In small bowl, combine Corn Starch and Cold Water, and whisk into a white paste.
- Add Pineapple Juice, Soy Sauce, Brown Sugar, Garlic, Ginger and Black Pepper to medium sauce pan.
- Cook over Medium-High heat, and bring mixture to a soft boil, whisking continually.
- Once it begins to boil, add Corn Starch/Cold Water paste mixture, and keep whisking to combine thoroughly.
- Allow sauce to gently boil for 1 more minute.
- Then reduce heat to Medium-Low, and allow to simmer while stirring with whisk or spoon for 4-5 more minutes. Sauce will continue to thicken as it cooks.
- Once done, serve over your favorite chicken, pork chops, meatballs, burgers or white rice. ENJOY!
Notes
- Thickness: To make an extra thick teriyaki sauce, simply use more corn starch. To make it thinner, use less corn starch.
- Sweetness: If you want to make an extra sweet teriyaki sauce, simply stir in small amounts of sugar until you achieve the desired sweetness you want.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
Wow, I had no idea how easy it was to make this sauce! I’m saving this for the summer. Thanks for sharing Heidi!
You are so welcome Winnie. I hope you are having a beautiful week!
Pineapple and teriyaki is the combo I didn’t know I needed! Love the flavor profile of this: sweet and salty is always a favorite. Thanks for sharing this one!
You are so welcome. I hope you have a beautiful week!
I love that you added pineapple juice to this! What a brilliant way to bring that sweet, tropical note into a classic teriyaki! The ingredient list is so refreshingly short too. I’m always trying to skip the jarred sauces and make things from scratch at home, and this one is going straight into my regular rotation. The tip about adjusting the cornstarch for thickness is so helpful. Can’t wait to try it over chicken meatballs first (then I have a feeling it’s going to end up on everything in my kitchen!)
Same with me. I literally have this homemade teriyaki sauce on repeat!
We made this pineapple teriyaki sauce with our grilled chicken last night and it was so good! The teriyaki sauce had the perfect balance of sweet and savoury. We grilled fresh pineapple alongside the chicken, which took it over the top. Easy recipe & great flavour!🍍🔥
I am so glad you liked it Elaine. Adding some grilled pineapple to the mix is definitely a very good idea!!!
I love how easy this sauce is to make! And I can immediately think of dozens of ways to use it. Your idea of rice is a super easy one, but I want to brush this on top of grilled chicken and grilled pork chops. Talk about flavor!!
Although I use this sauce for almost everything, I first started using it for grilling. So you can’t go wrong there!
I need to make this sauce for the next time we grill chicken! So perfect for summer and so easy!
You definitely cannot go wrong using it for grilling chicken!
This sauce sounds so amazing – so flavorful – I’d want to put it on EVERYTHING – and it is made with ONLY 7 ingredients!!!
This teriyaki sauce recipe really is wildly easy to make. That’s one of my favorite parts!
Love the addition of pineapple juice to the teriyaki sauce! That natural sweetness gives it so much zing and flavor.
I am so glad you like it Michelle. I hope you have a beautiful week!!
Adding pineapple juice is such a clever twist.
I’ve only ever made teriyaki the usual way. Can’t wait to try this version over rice!
I am so glad you like it Veronica. The pineapple really does add such a lovely tropical twist!
Hey Heidi, this Pineapple Teriyaki Sauce sounds absolutely delicious! It looks so versatile too, perfect for everything from stir-fries to grilled chicken and burgers! Yum!
You definitely want to try it on both chicken and burgers. I use it both ways and it’s absolutely amazing!