The Best Keto Teriyaki Sauce! Look no further. Only 2 net carbs, ready in 5 minutes, sugar free, low carb, and crazy delicious! This low carb sugar-free teriyaki sauce tastes savory, salty, tangy, and little sweet…just like what you get in Japan Izakaya restaurants.

Use it as a marinade or glaze for Air fryer salmon teriyaki, chicken yakitori skewers, or Tsukune (Japanese grilled meatballs). One bottle, multiple uses. The possibilities are endless!

Keto Teriyaki Sauce in a glass measuring cup

Keto Teriyaki Sauce (sugar-free, 2 grams of net carb!)

This Keto teriyaki sauce is simple, easy, and absolutely delicious and today I share a low carb and keto version. There’s a reason why this sauce is popular around the world. The savory, salty, and sweet flavor packs with loads of umami deliciousness. You can use it as a marinade or a glaze. Super versatile!

In Japan, people rarely buy teriyaki sauce because it’s super easy to make and there’s no reason to spend money to purchase a bottle. The homemade version always tastes better and healthier and I almost always prefer making the sauce my own. My homemade Asian “peanut” sauce and vegetarian oyster sauce are two wonderful examples.

What Is Teriyaki

Teriyaki (照り焼き) in Japanese actually describes a type of cooking method. It means grilled, broiled, or pan fried. Teri (照り) refers to the shin and luster on the food and Yaki (焼き) means the method of grilling. So teriyaki means a cooking method with food that has a shining glaze and it’s not a sauce.

The ingredients to make low carb teriyaki sauce

Sugar Free Keto Teriyaki Sauce Ingredients

The ingredients for traditional Japanese teriyaki sauce usually consists of soy sauce, mirin, sugar, sake, and corn or potato starch. To make it keto, low carb, sugar free, and soy free, I use coconut aminos, Lakanto golden monk fruit sweetener, and xanthan gum, and with apple cider vinegar, grated ginger and garlic for extra flavor.

Coconut aminos is made from coconut nectar and sea salt. It tastes sweeter and lighter than soy sauce. They are low in sugar (about 1 gram of sugar per teaspoon). Coconut aminos is a must-have for Paleo Asian-inspired dishes! It’s soy, gluten, and wheat-free. See a video below I made about coconut aminos and subscribe to my youtube channel!

Coconut aminos is pricier than gluten-free tamari. If you are okay with soy, you can still make this sugar free teriyaki sauce with tamari. Please note: Bragg’s liquid amino is NOT the same as Coconut Aminos. It does not taste the same and the ingredients are not the same. If you use liquid aminos, you will be changing my recipe and I cannot guarantee what it will taste like. Just an FYI. 🙂

How To Use Keto Teriyaki Sauce

What I love about this teriyaki sauce is that it’s super versatile. You can use it as a marinade or a glaze.

Use it as a marinade:

Simply don’t add the thickening agent – xanthan gum. Simmer the sauce for about 3 minutes and let it cool completely, and use it as a marinade for chicken, beef, salmon, or shrimp!

Use it as a glaze:

After you bring the sauce to a simmer (about 3 minutes), gradually sprinkle a tiny amount of xanthan gum to the sauce while whisking at the same time and your sauce will be thickened!

It’s perfect for making Teriyaki chicken, Chicken yakitori skewers, Tsukune (Japanese grilled chicken meatballs), Baked gyoza meatballs, and Teriyaki salmon.

Teriyaki homemade sauce in a white and blue cup
Ready in 5 minutes!

How To Make The Best Keto Teriyaki Sauce

  1. Add the coconut aminos, apple cider vinegar, Lakanto Golden, which is a “brown sugar” erythritol/monk fruit blend, and grated ginger and garlic to a small pot.
  2. Bring it to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, about 3 minutes.
  3. Slowly and gradually sprinkle about ½ tsp xanthan gum to the sauce while whisky at the same time so it won’t clump.
  4. The sauce will be thickened pretty quickly. Let it cool and you have a pot of shiny sweet and savory Japanese keto teriyaki sauce!

Recipe Variation

If you don’t have all the keto ingredients, here are some alternatives.

  • If you use tamari, you can follow the same recipe quantity. The sauce will be saltier than coconut aminos so balance it with a bit more keto sweetener.
  • If you use tapioca or arrowroot starch, the carb count will be slightly higher but not that much. My Whole30 and Paleo Teriyaki Sauce uses arrowroot starch.

You can also try chia seeds. They are often used as a thickening/binding agent in low carb cooking. For example: my Keto Scallion Pancakes, low carb oatmeal, or Instant Pot Strawberry compote. I haven’t tried the recipe with chia seeds yet so if you do and find success, please share it in the comment below!

Summary & Important Tips

  • Use it as a marinade – you can use the keto teriyaki sauce as a marinade, simply leave out the xanthan gum.
  • Use it as a glaze – once the sauce is thickened. Brush it over chicken, beef, or seafood for teriyaki salmon!
  • Bring the sauce to simmer – please do not cook down the sauce. It will turn too salty and bitter. As soon as the sauce is simmering, add the thickening agent.
  • Don’t turn it into jelly – a small & tiny amount of xanthan gum is all you need. A little goes a long way.
  • Smooth shiny sauce – don’t dump the xanthan gum into the pot at once. It will clump. Sprinkle a tiny amount little-by-little while whisking the sauce at the same time.
A close shot to show a different angle of the sugar free sauce teriyaki recipe

Other keto sauce/dressing you might like

What dishes can you make with Keto teriyaki sauce

Brush it on chicken to make air fryer chicken teriyaki, beef, or salmon, use it as a stir-fry sauce for hibachi vegetables and hibachi noodles, or Japanese Tsukune – grilled chicken meatballs. I can’t wait to see your lovely creations!

This keto, low carb, and sugar-free teriyaki sauce is super versatile and you can whip up quickly in a pinch! That salty, sticky, and little sweet flavor is seriously addictive! With only 6 simple ingredients, it’s so easy that you will want to keep it on hand at all times! If you are following paleo or Whole30, check out my paleo teriyaki sauce!

Horizontal shot of the meatballs
Brush the sauce on these amazing Japanese chicken meatballs!
A horizontal shot of the teriyaki salmon photo
Air Fried Teriyaki Salmon!
A close shot to show a different angle of the sugar free sauce teriyaki recipe
5 from 12 votes

Keto Teriyaki Sauce (Sugar Free, Low Carb, Easy)

Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 3 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 16 tbsp
Author: ChihYu Smith
This Keto Teriyaki Sauce is sugar-free, low carb, and ready in 5 minutes! It’s the best Japanese teriyaki sauce made keto friendly! Makes 1 cup.
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Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • In a small to medium size pot, add ingredients from the coconut amino to the sweetener.
  • Give it a stir and cover the pot with a lid. Bring it to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, about 3 minutes.
  • Slowly and gradually sprinkle in the xanthan gum little-by-little while whisking the hot simmering sauce at the same time. The sauce will thicken pretty quickly.
  • Off heat. Let it cool to room temperature before packing it to a mason jar. Store it in the fridge and best use it in 2-3 weeks.

Notes

  • If you use tamari, you can follow the same recipe instructions BUT please reduce the quantity. Tamari or gf soy sauce is much saltier than coconut aminos and is not as sweet. You’ll need to balance it with more sweetener.
  • Please also note that if you are used to store bought teriyaki sauce, you’ll notice that this homemade version is NOT AS SWEET. Feel free to add more sweetener to your own liking. 
  • If you use tapioca or arrowroot starch, the carb count will be slightly higher but not that much. My Whole30 and Paleo Teriyaki Sauce uses arrowroot starch.
  • If you use this sauce as a marinade, simply leave out the xanthan gum.
  • Bring the sauce to simmer – please do not cook down the sauce. It will turn too salty and bitter. As soon as the sauce is simmering, add the thickening agent.
  • Don’t turn it into jelly – a small & tiny amount of xanthan gum is all you need. A little goes a long way.
  • Use my keto teriyaki sauce for Tsukune (Japanese grilled chicken meatballs), Chicken Yakitori, Teriyaki chicken, grilled beef, and air fryer teriyaki salmon!
  • If use low sodium gluten-free tamari, the net carb is 1.
  • Please note: Bragg’s liquid amino is NOT the same as Coconut Aminos. It does not taste the same and the ingredients are not the same. If you use liquid aminos, you will be changing my recipe and I cannot guarantee what it will taste like. Just an FYI. 🙂

Nutrition

Serving: 1tbsp, Calories: 22kcal, Carbohydrates: 4g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 341mg, Potassium: 6mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 1mg, Iron: 1mg
Course: sauce
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: Best Teriyaki Sauce, Easy Teriyaki Sauce, Homemade Teriyaki Sauce, Japanese Teriyaki Sauce Recipe, Keto Teriyaki Sauce, Low Carb Teriyaki Sauce, Sugar Free Teriyaki Sauce
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