Teriyaki sauce is made using a combination of soy sauce, mirin (a sweet cooking sake), and sugar. While it can be made with just soy sauce and sugar, the addition of mirin adds a beautiful luster to the sauce and mimics that restaurant quality feel. It's sweet, tangy, and a little sticky.

Teriyaki sauce pairs well with meats such as fish, chicken, beef, and pork. When used as a dipping sauce, teriyaki sauce flavors chicken wings, dumplings, shrimp, and steak. Stir-fries, rice dishes, and vegetables use teriyaki sauce for additional flavor.

There are several ways to enhance the sweetness of store-bought teriyaki sauce. Here are some suggestions: Honey or Brown Sugar: Adding a little honey or brown sugar can give the sauce a touch of sweetness that balances out the saltiness. Simply stir in a teaspoon or two of honey or brown sugar until it dissolves [1].

Home cooks should be aware of the two versions of teriyaki sauce when they go shopping. The thinner teriyaki sauce makes for a better a marinade, though in our teriyaki taste test, we determined you're better off making your own teriyaki marinade at home than buying a bottle of the thin stuff.