Soy Sauce for Japanese Chicken Teriyaki Recipe | Hakko Hub (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between soy sauce and teriyaki sauce? ›

Teriyaki Sauce vs Soy Sauce

Teriyaki sauce is a sweet and savory sauce made from soy sauce, sugar, and mirin. On the other hand, soy sauce is a dark, salty sauce made from fermented soybeans, wheat, and salt.

Made with Kikkoman® Soy Sauce, premium wines, vinegar, corn syrup and Asian seasonings, Kikkoman® Teriyaki Marinade & Sauce gives foods rich teriyaki flavor you can count on time after time. Use it right from the bottle as a marinade, dipping sauce, condiment or signature sauce base.

Japanese soy sauces have a sweeter flavour because they are made with a mix of wheat and soy. Whereas Chinese soy sauce traditionally uses 100% soy for a stronger, saltier flavour.

You know how the irresistibly sweet-salty teriyaki-slathered grilled meat you get at a Japanese restaurant is infinitely more delicious than the stuff you make at home? Well, the reason is simple: Homemade teriyaki sauce is just always better than the sickly sweet store-bought stuff.

Balsamic vinegar is a vegan soy sauce substitute

The dark vinegar can be used to replace soy sauce in equal measure, so as long as the soy sauce isn't the star of the dish — think marinades and salad dressings where the sauce is one of several components.

Coconut aminos is similar to a light soy sauce but tastes less salty and slightly sweeter, because of its natural sugars. In cooking, people can substitute coconut aminos for soy sauce and still enjoy the umami flavor.

Worcestershire Sauce

Another fermented sauce, this British condiment usually contains a blend of malt vinegar, anchovies, spices, sugar, salt, garlic, onions, tamarind extract and molasses. It has the same umami quality as soy sauce, but much less sodium and no soy or gluten.

The easiest swap by far is tamari, which is basically soy sauce's gluten-free twin. Tamari has a richer, less salty vibe, but it can stunt-double for soy sauce in equal measure in practically any recipe. Low-sodium tamari is also a better option for those monitoring sodium.

Does it matter what soy sauce you use? ›

To put it simply, light soy sauce is used for seasoning and dark soy sauce is used for adding colour to dishes. Light soy sauce is golden brown in colour and rich in taste to add flavour during marinating and seasoning stage. It uplifts the flavour of any meat, noodles or rice dishes.

Substituting for Soy Sauce

Other options to try that will impart a unique flavor with a salty component are olive brine, umeboshi vinegar (also called ume plum vinegar) or balsamic vinegar plus a fair amount of salt. You can also use coconut aminos with a bit of molasses (to darken the color).

Generally, two hours is enough time for the meat to soak up the teriyaki marinade, but it all depends on what you're marinating. If you don't let it marinate for long enough it may not absorb enough flavor, but if you let it marinate too long, the meat can become so soft that it's soggy.

Dark soy sauce

It's less salty than your regular light soy sauce, and has a darker, more intense colour. Because it's been aged for longer, it has a richer flavour, and therefore adds more depth to a dish. I find it's a good one for marinades, or when you want that deep brown hue adding to a dish.

Teriyaki sauce is not a good replacement for soy sauce unless you're preparing a recipe that includes ginger and sugar or honey, in which case teriyaki sauce may make an acceptable substitute. Otherwise, teriyaki sauce is too sweet and thick to replace soy sauce without affecting the taste of the recipe significantly.

Its shine and strong flavour make it the perfect partner for grilling meat, fish, tofu or vegetables. Either marinate for at least 30 minutes to infuse the flavour before grilling or dip or brush the food with the sauce several times during cooking to layer up the taste.

The names on the labels are often interchangeable, so how do you tell the difference between thin and thick teriyaki sauces? The thinner sauce may be labeled as a marinade and the thicker sauce may be labeled as a grilling sauce, but some brands claim to be both.

Like other sauces, condiments, and marinades, teriyaki sauce doesn't contain any essential vitamins or minerals. However, with soy sauce as one of the main ingredients, it's a high-sodium food. Though sodium content may vary by brand and recipe, a 1-tablespoon serving may have more than 600mg of sodium.

The bottled american-style Teriyaki has more similarities to some barbecue sauces in terms of consistency, but still has a very different flavor profile because of the soysauce and Sesame elements and lack of smokiness.