Home Recipes Cuisines Asia
ByLisa Kaminski
Updated: Apr. 29, 2024
Need a shortcut for homemade stir-fry? Snag a bottle of store-bought teriyaki sauce. Our Test Kitchen loved Panda Express and these other brands.
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As much as we enjoy ordering takeout, we can’t ring up our favorite Asian restaurant every night. That’s when it’s time to give easy stir-fry recipes a go at home. The secret to many of these stir-fries (along with marinades, grilled skewers and appetizers) is a bottle of pre-made teriyaki.
This Japanese sauce is a shortcut for adding plenty of savory, salty flavor with a kick of ginger and garlic. But before you whip up this teriyaki-glazed mahi mahi, make sure you’re uncorking a bottle of the best teriyaki sauce. Check out the four options our pros called Test Kitchen-Preferred.
Best Teriyaki Sauce for Homemade Stir-Fry
Panda Express Mandarin Teriyaki Sauce
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Best Teriyaki Sauce for Marinating
P.F. Chang's Teriyaki Sauce
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Best Garlic-Forward Teriyaki Sauce
Kinder's Teriyaki Marinade & Sauce
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Best Spicy Teriyaki Sauce
Sky Valley Organic Teriyaki Sauce
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Most of the time when you reach for store-bought teriyaki sauce, it’s to make a stir-fry or other Asian-inspired dish. For these recipes, our Test Kitchen recommendsPanda Express Mandarin Teriyaki Sauce. Yep, the fast-food chain famous for its orange chicken makes sauce you can take home!
This sauce is thick with deep, caramelized flavor, says Sarah Tramonte in the Test Kitchen: “It’s so good—well-balanced between sweet and salty.” This balance is achieved by combining the just-right blend of soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, lemon juice and cayenne. Each of these ingredients works together in perfect harmony to create a bright and savory sauce.
Beyond the excellent flavor, the honey-thick consistency of this sauce makes it ideal for coating your favorite mix of Asian veggies and proteins for a fuss-free stir fry. All you have to do is stir this into the pan and toss for an easy weeknight meal. The ease and great flavor are exactly what our team wants when creating dishes like this chicken stir-fry and other Panda Express copycat recipes.
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Planning on using bottled teriyaki sauce as a marinade? Make sure you pick up a bottle ofP.F. Chang’s Teriyaki Sauce.
That’s right, the home of your favorite lettuce wraps sells teriyaki sauce right at the grocery store. This sauce is not only perfect for making P.F. Chang’s copycats but our Test Kitchen says this is the sauce for marinating proteins.
“It’s mildly smoky,” explains Sarah. That smoky flavor is a great way to amplify the charcoal flavors from your grill or to add smoke when you’re making something like crispy baked tofu in the oven.
In addition to the smoke flavor, this sauce has a nice level of salt (not too much!) and a bit of pineapple juice. Both of these ingredients help to tenderize meat, so it’s a great choice when making something like a stir-fry that uses a tougher cut of beef.
Blended together, the smoke, salt and pineapple—as well as ginger, garlic and chili paste—create a terrific teriyaki that’s worth having on hand for marinating (or even making a riff on P.F. Chang’s lo mein).
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We know there are lots of garlic fanatics out there. And by garlic fanatics, we’re talking about the folks that add 10 cloves of garlic to a recipe that calls for two (no shame!). So for those folks, our Test Kitchen recommendsKinder’s Teriyaki Marinade & Sauce.
According to Josh Rink in the Test Kitchen, “It’s more garlic-y than a traditional teriyaki sauce but very good!”
The minced garlic combined with the sweet sesame flavor in this sauce gives it a unique sweet-savory balance that begs you to keep eating. That can’t-stop-won’t-stop flavor pairs perfectly with appetizers that use bottled teriyaki sauce like our sticky sesame cauliflower, sesame chicken sliders and Hawaiian skewers.
Teriyaki sauce doesn’t typically have a lot of heat, but that doesn’t mean it’s not welcome! Sky Valley Organic Teriyaki Saucehas a touch of spice, and it’s why our Test Kitchen loves it so much.
“The spiciness in this brand is really tasty,” says the Test Kitchen’s Catherine Ward. That kick is courtesy of a good dose of red pepper flakes and ginger puree. Ginger is a warming ingredient that can really amp up the feeling of spice in a dish.
While it’s not traditional, this heat along with citrus notes makes Sky Valley’s teriyaki a nice change of pace. Our team suggests using it when you want to switch up the flavor of your go-to stir-fry. “I also think it would be great brushed onto grilled shrimp,” Catherine suggests. With this sauce, try making teriyaki salmon.
What to Look for When Buying Teriyaki Sauce
- Ingredients: Look for sauces with simple, natural ingredients and try to avoid artificial additives or preservatives.
- Flavor: Many brands add additional seasonings like ginger, sesame, rice vinegar or even pineapple juice and bourbon. Choose one that best suits your taste.
- Consistency: Some sauces are thicker and better suited for glazing, while others are thinner and better for marinades.
- Allergens: Check the label for allergen information, especially if you have dietary restrictions or food sensitivities. Some sauces may contain wheat, soy or other common allergens.
- Packaging: Consider how you plan to use the sauce. A bottle with a convenient pour spout or squeeze bottle may be easier to use and store than one with a traditional cap.
- Price: Consider the price per ounce or serving to ensure you’re getting a good value for the product.
Why You Should Trust Us
I’m a formerTaste of Homeeditor and passionate baker. During my tenure, I dedicated my time to finding and testing the best ingredients, kitchen gear and home products for ourTest Kitchen-Preferredprogram.
In addition to my expertise, we enlisted knowledgeable pros to find the best store-bought teriyaki sauces available. Our Test Kitchen team includes professional chefs, pastry specialists, a registered dietitian and other culinary experts. This passionate group is dedicated to testing recipes, products, gadgets and more to bring you the very best.
How We Tested the Teriyaki Sauce
To find the best store-bought teriyaki sauce, our Test Kitchen squad rounded up 10 different brands. These sauces vary from big names to smaller brands with serious internet followings; our team wants to cover all their bases!
Like all our taste tests, our team sampled each sauce without knowing its identity. This helps our team avoid any biases they may have going in. For this test, our team judged solely on flavor. Since the texture and appearance of this sauce are often masked or diluted as it’s added to recipes, these factors didn’t matter much to our team.
As for the flavor, our pros kept this in mind: Teriyaki sauces and marinades are typically made with a blend of essential Japanese ingredients like soy sauce, vinegar, ginger and garlic. Occasionally mirin and pineapple juice are added. While recipes vary, our team was looking for a tangy and slightly sweet sauce. Whether that sweetness comes from brown sugar or fruit juice matters not to our pros. Our team just wants a shortcut sauce that tastes great!
FAQ
What is authentic teriyaki sauce made of?
Authentic teriyaki sauce is typically made from a combination of soy sauce, sake, brown sugar and sometimes ginger or garlic. The ingredients are simmered together to create a thick, glossy sauce that is sweet and savory.
Is it better to buy or make teriyaki sauce?
The choice between buying or making teriyaki sauce comes down to personal preference. Making teriyaki sauce at home allows you to control the ingredients and customize the flavor to your liking. Buying pre-made sauce is convenient and saves time, especially if you don’t have all the necessary ingredients on hand. Many varieties are available in stores, ranging from basic to gourmet, so you can choose one that suits your taste.
Does teriyaki sauce need to be refrigerated?
Yes, teriyaki sauce should be refrigerated after opening to maintain its freshness and prevent spoilage. On the other hand, unopened bottles can be stored in a pantry.
Taste of Home
Check Out More Test Kitchen-Preferred Products
Our Test Kitchen is constantly testing food, kitchen gadgets and cleaning gear looking for brands that deserve the right to be calledTest Kitchen-Preferred.
If you want to fill your pantry and fridge with the best products, check out these tests:
- The best soy sauce
- The best olive oil
- The best chicken broth
Originally Published: February 21, 2023
Author
Lisa Kaminski
Lisa is a former editor of Taste of Home and a fantastic baker. During her tenure, she poured her love of all things sweet (and sometimes savory) into Taste of Home’s Bakeable community. She also tested ingredients and kitchen gear. Today, Lisa continues to share her passion for baking and embroidery on her blog Cabin in the City.
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