Pineapple Teriyaki Sauce
Pineapple teriyaki sauce is easy to make and tastes much better than store bought sauces. Make this Japanese sauce with only 4 ingredients!
If you like saving money on groceries (don’t we all?), an easy way to cash in is to make your own sauces, spice blends, and other pantry staples.
In most cases, homemade versions are less expensive than store bought, and you’ll also know exactly what ingredients are in them.
No more reading ingredient labels to check for MSG or unnatural food dyes in your Japanese sauce!
If you normally buy organic, non-GMO condiments, it’s a good opportunity to switch over! Making your own costs a lot less than buying organic brands from the store.
Uses for Pineapple Teriyaki Sauce
This go-to Asian condiment is great for adding instant flavor to just about anything, from veggies, seafood to meat!
If you’re cooking up a meal on the grill, use it as a mopping sauce for ribs, grilled salmon, or chicken kabob.
It’s a fantastic upgrade to a traditional stir fry sauce. Use the pineapple teriyaki sauce in place of regular teriyaki sauce, and it would be fabulous as a holiday ham glaze, too!
Ingredients
Even better, there are only 4 ingredients needed to make this Japanese sauce. It doesn’t get much simpler!
- Pineapple juice – If you have a juicer and can make fresh pineapple juice, it’ll make a huge difference in the flavor of your sauce. Otherwise, to prevent the sauce from being too sweet, be sure to use a brand with no added sugar.
- Soy sauce – If you want to make a gluten free version of this recipe, tamari is a good substitute for soy sauce.
- Sake – Although the flavor profiles are completely different, some people refer to sake as the Japanese version of Chinese rice wine.
Sake is usually kept in the ethnic foods aisle of the grocery store. If not, you can substitute it with dry sherry. - Mirin – This ingredient is similar to sake, but it has less alcohol and more sugar.
IMPORTANT
If you have gluten allergies or sensitivities, be aware that some brands of mirin have ingredients that contain gluten. So, be sure to read the labels. Also, use dry sherry in place of the sake.
No Alcohol Pineapple Teriyaki Sauce
To make this recipe alcohol-free, omit the sake and mirin and use one of these two options instead:
- ½ cup white vinegar, plus 4 teaspoons of sugar
OR - ¼ cup vegetable or beef broth and ¼ cup water
Recipe Notes
- For a thicker pineapple teriyaki sauce, just continue cooking it until it reduces to the thickness you prefer. Or, if it’s already finished simmering, add a slurry to the warm sauce. To make a slurry, combine 1 tablespoon each of cornstarch and cold water.
- Want it spicy? To add a little bite of heat to the Japanese sauce, add a teaspoon of ginger paste. For even more bite, add up to 1 tablespoon.
Pineapple Teriyaki Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup pineapple juice
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup sake (See Note 1)
- 1/4 cup mirin
Instructions
- For the marinade – In a medium saucepan or skillet, mix together all the pineapple juice, soy sauce, sake and mirin. Bring to a boil and simmer 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to use as is for a teriyaki marinade for beef, poultry or seafood.
- To make the pineapple teriyaki sauce – bring mixture to a boil, lower heat to simmer for about 8 minutes if using a saucepan, or 5-6 minutes if using a skillet. Simmer and cook until reduced and thickened. It turns into a glossy, syrupy sauce.
- Allow to cool to room temperature before using. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator and use within 2-3 weeks.
Notes
- Substitute sake with Chinese cooking wine or a dry sherry.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I keep coming back to this recipe, it’s so good. Thought I’d let you know! Thank you. 🙂
Much appreciated Natalie!
Can this be used as a salad dressing?
Joan, I think as-is, the sauce would be too potent for a salad, but you could try making a vinaigrette with it! The standard ratio for a vinaigrette is 3 parts oil to 1 part acid, so try adding 3/4 cup of your favorite oil with 1/4 cup of the teriyaki sauce and see what you think. A light sesame seed oil or vegetable oil would be great.