AIP teriyaki sauce: the Asian pantry staple, rebuilt without soy or sugar

The bottles in the Asian aisle are built on soy, refined sugar, and often fermented ingredients the elimination phase sets aside. This version covers the same ground in 5 minutes with a handful of things you can keep in the pantry.

Ginger contributes more than heat here. Gingerols, the active compounds in fresh ginger, are well-documented anti-inflammatory agents that inhibit the same COX enzymes targeted by ibuprofen - without the NSAID side effects. A recipe used regularly as a marinade or finishing sauce is a low-effort way to include a meaningful amount.

Coconut aminos carry the salty, slightly sweet depth that soy sauce once did, and they are a source of 17 amino acids. Maple syrup brings modest sweetness. A squeeze of orange lifts the whole thing. Arrowroot thickens the sauce as it cools into the glaze that makes teriyaki feel like takeout. Fresh garlic and ginger round it out.

Keep a jar in the refrigerator. Brush it over salmon before roasting, stir it into a chicken and cauliflower rice bowl, or use it as a quick marinade for pork. It stores for a week and takes seconds to reheat into a glossy glaze.

AIP note: omit the sesame oil. Sesame is a seed, excluded during the elimination phase. The sauce is complete without it.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup coconut aminos
• 1/4 cup maple syrup (start with 3 tbsp and add more to taste)
• 2 tsp fresh orange juice
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
• Pinch of sea salt
• 1/2 tsp arrowroot flour, dissolved in 1 tsp cold water

Method

Combine the coconut aminos, maple syrup, orange juice, apple cider vinegar, garlic, ginger, and salt in a small saucepan. Whisk together and bring to a low boil over medium heat, stirring.

Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 2 to 3 minutes to let the garlic and ginger bloom into the liquid. Remove from the heat and stir in the dissolved arrowroot, then return to the heat for 30 to 60 seconds, stirring, until the sauce thickens and turns glossy.

Taste and adjust: more maple for sweetness, more ACV for tang, more salt if it needs depth.

Yield: About 3/4 cup.

How to use it

• Brush over salmon fillets before roasting at 400 F for 12 to 15 minutes
• Toss with cooked chicken and cauliflower rice for a teriyaki bowl
• Use as a marinade for pork tenderloin (30 minutes to overnight)
• Drizzle over roasted sweet potato and greens
• Stir 2 to 3 tbsp into stir-fried vegetables at the end of cooking

Storage

Refrigerator: up to 1 week in a sealed glass jar. The sauce will thicken as it chills. Warm it gently in a small saucepan with a splash of water or coconut aminos to loosen.

*Adapted from autoimmunewellness.com/teriyaki-sauce/ by Kris King*