Why It's Confusing
The word "teriyaki" refers to a cooking technique, not a fixed recipe. In its simplest Japanese form, teriyaki sauce combines soy sauce, mirin (rice wine), and sugar. All three components are plant-derived. This leads many people to assume that any bottle or dish labelled "teriyaki" is safe.
The confusion begins with commercial production. Some bottled teriyaki sauces add honey as a sweetener [[2]](#source-2). Honey is classified as an animal product by The Vegan Society [[5]](#source-5). Restaurant preparations may also incorporate fish sauce, oyster sauce, bonito extract, or dashi for depth, and some glazes contain butter, cream, or Worcestershire sauce.
Restaurant preparations add another layer of uncertainty. A house-made teriyaki glaze may follow a traditional recipe, or it may incorporate any combination of animal-derived ingredients depending on the chef. The same restaurant may use different formulations for its teriyaki sauce and its teriyaki glaze. There is no universal standard.
Where It Commonly Appears
Teriyaki sauce is one of the most widely encountered condiments in travel contexts:
- Japanese restaurants worldwide, from fine dining to fast-casual
- Airport food courts and grab-and-go counters
- Hotel breakfast and dinner buffets across Asia, Europe, and North America
- Convenience store bento boxes and pre-made meals, particularly in Japan
- Grocery store marinades and cooking sauces
- Hawaiian plate lunch restaurants, where teriyaki is a staple preparation
Its ubiquity means travellers encounter it frequently, often without the opportunity to inspect an ingredient list before ordering.
What To Watch For
When evaluating whether a specific teriyaki product or dish is vegan, check for the following ingredients:
- Honey. The most common non-vegan addition in commercial teriyaki sauces. Honey is not vegan [[5]](#source-5).
- Fish sauce. Used in some restaurant preparations and fusion-style bottled sauces.
- Oyster sauce. Occasionally blended into teriyaki for umami depth.
- Bonito extract or dashi. Fish-derived flavouring agents common in Japanese cooking. May appear in restaurant teriyaki but rarely on commercial labels outside Japan.
- Butter or cream. Found in some teriyaki glazes, particularly in Western-style Japanese restaurants.
- Worcestershire sauce. Some formulations contain anchovies. Used as a supporting ingredient in certain teriyaki recipes.
Note that "teriyaki glaze" and "teriyaki sauce" are not interchangeable. Glazes are often reduced and may contain additional ingredients not present in the thinner sauce version.
Vegan Alternatives
Several commercially available teriyaki sauces have ingredient lists with no animal-derived components:
- Kikkoman Teriyaki Marinade & Sauce. The standard pourable bottle lists soy sauce, sugar, wine, water, vinegar, salt, sodium benzoate, onion powder, natural flavors, succinic acid, and garlic powder. No honey or animal ingredients [[1]](#source-1). Note that Kikkoman also produces a "Teriyaki BBQ Glaze Sauce, Honey & Pineapple" that does contain honey [[2]](#source-2). Always check the specific product.
- San-J Teriyaki Sauce. Built on tamari soy sauce with ginger, garlic, and a touch of sweetness. Certified gluten-free and verified non-GMO [[3]](#source-3).
- Primal Kitchen No Soy Teriyaki Sauce & Marinade. Uses coconut aminos in place of soy sauce, with date paste and orange. USDA Organic, no animal-derived ingredients [[4]](#source-4).
For a reliable homemade option: combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, minced garlic, grated ginger, and a small amount of cornstarch dissolved in water. Heat until thickened. This produces a teriyaki sauce with no uncertainty about its ingredients.