Benihana Teriyaki Sauce
Benihana's teriyaki sauce recipe, sourced directly from the restaurant's own published recipe. This Japanese-Western fusion sauce uses Kikkoman soy sauce, sake, mirin, ketchup, and apple juice, thickened with a cornstarch slurry instead of traditional reduction. Ready in about 15 minutes with ingredients from any grocery store. Use it on teriyaki chicken, teriyaki steak, or any grilled protein.
Servings 24 servings
Calories 70kcal
Equipment
- 1 All-Clad Saucepan Medium saucepan
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Mixing Bowls For cornstarch slurry
- 1 Deli Containers For storage
Ingredients
Teriyaki Sauce
- 1 cup Japanese soy sauce Kikkoman brand
- 1/2 cup sake drinking sake, not cooking sake
- 5 tsp ketchup
- 1 cup mirin
- 3 tbsp apple juice
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 cup white sugar
Cornstarch Slurry
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 1/3 cup water
Instructions
Make the Cornstarch Slurry
- Whisk cornstarch and water together in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside.
Make the Teriyaki Sauce
- Add soy sauce, sake, ketchup, mirin, apple juice, black pepper, and white sugar to a medium saucepan. Stir until the sugar has completely dissolved.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for approximately 10 minutes. This cooks off the alcohol from the sake and mirin.
- Re-whisk the cornstarch slurry to recombine, then slowly drizzle it into the simmering sauce while whisking constantly.
- Continue to simmer for 1-2 minutes, or until the sauce reaches your desired thickness. The sauce will thicken further as it cools.
- Remove from heat, let cool, and transfer to a covered container. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Video
Notes
Why ketchup? Benihana is a Japanese-Western fusion restaurant. The ketchup adds a subtle tomato acidity and body to the sauce. You will not taste it as ketchup in the finished product.
Traditional vs. Benihana teriyaki. Traditional Japanese teriyaki thickens through reduction, which takes 30-45 minutes. Benihana uses cornstarch for speed and consistency. The result is a thicker, glossier sauce that's ready in about 15 minutes.
Sake substitution. Use drinking sake, not cooking sake. Cooking sake contains added salt that will over-season the sauce. Any inexpensive drinking sake works.
Sauce consistency. The sauce thickens as it cools. If it looks slightly thin at a simmer, let it cool to room temperature before adding more cornstarch slurry.
Storage. Refrigerate in a covered container for up to one week. Warm gently over low heat and stir to thin it back out. Add a small splash of water if needed.
Nutrition
Calories: 70kcal