Unagi Sauce (Homemade Eel Sauce Recipe) (2024)

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This homemade Unagi Sauce or Eel Sauce is sticky, sweet, savory, and flavorful! Popular in Japanese cuisine, it’s traditionally used on grilled eel (unagi), barbeque dishes and sushi rolls. Unagi sauce is made by simmering 4 simple ingredients to a sugary, salty reduction that’s perfect atop your favorite dish.

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Unagi sauce is often served at restaurants that feature Asian cuisine, and particularly Japanese restaurants. You may even have seen little packets of it in your takeout. It’s thick, sweet, salty, and packed with umami – that unique fifth category of taste in food.

This sauce is available in the Asian cuisine aisle of most grocery stores. But once you’ve tried this easy and delicious homemade alternative, you won’t believe how such a complex medley of flavors is made from just 4 ingredients.

Whatis Unagi Sauce (Eel sauce)?

Unagi Sauce, also known as Unagi no Tare (うなぎのたれin Japanese) or eel sauce, is a thickened golden brown soysauce made with caramelized sugar. It’s traditionally served with grilled eel,but these days, it’s popularly served with all kinds of sushi. If you’refeeling adventurous, try using this delicious sauce on BBQ chicken for a flavorfusion that’s out of this world.

Ingredients and Substitutes

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  • Soy Sauce: I used low-sodium soy sauce in this recipe. You can sub regular soy sauce.
  • Sugar: Adds a nice and sweet flavor. It also helps to thicken the sauce.
  • Mirin: It’s a popular condiment in Japanese cuisine.Mirinadds a sweet and tangy flavor to the sauce. you can sub in dry sherry or sweet marsala wine.
  • Sake: Another popular ingredient in Japanese cuisine. You can substitute Chinese cooking wine.

How toMake Unagi Sauce at Home

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1. Add the mirin, sugar, and sake to a saucepan over medium heat.

2. Add soy sauce to the saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to ensure the sugar dissolves.

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3. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens. Stir occasionally.

4. Remove from heat and let it cool. Serve and enjoy!

ProTips

  • Make sure NOT to over-thicken the sauce as it will become thicker as it cools.
  • Let the sauce cool to room temperature before storing it in an airtight container. It’ll last up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

Waysto use Unagi Sauce

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There are so many delicious ways to enjoy unagi sauce. It’s anextremely versatile sauce that can even be used in many ways:

  • Dipping or Drizzling Sauce: Drizzle it over grilled eel, fried chicken, sushi or other BBQ dishes. You will find that unagi sauce is a welcome addition to BBQ dishes and is delicious with grilled meats and grilled mushrooms.
  • As a Marinade: Use it to marinate the meat before cooking.
  • As a Stir-fry Sauce: Sauté the food with unagi sauce. You can use it with traditional Asian meals or branch out and incorporate it into non-Asian meals too.

Vegans and vegetarians will love tofu smothered in this sticky-sweetsauce. Of course, unagi sauce is simply delicious with sushi and can addunbelievable flavor to rice balls.

WhatDoes Unagi Sauce Taste Like?

This sauce is often compared to BBQ sauce because of its flavor profile – sweet, savory and full-bodied. Unagi sauce has that unique umami taste that’s typical of soy sauces. Imagine a thick, caramelized soy sauce and that’s unagi sauce for you.

Whatare Substitutes for Unagi Eel Sauce?

If you can’t find eel sauce (or the ingredients to make it), you maybe wondering about substitutions. Teriyaki sauce can be used in a pinch, sinceit has a similar flavor to unagi sauce and it is often more readily available.

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IsUnagi Sushi sauce made of eel?

Unagi sauce is commonly referred to as eel sauce because of its traditional use – being drizzled over grilled eel or used in meals that feature grilled eel. The sauce itself is made with just 4 ingredients (and NO eel!): soy sauce, sake, sugar and mirin. That’s it!

IsUnagi sauce the same as eel sauce?

Yes! These terms are interchangeable. Unagi sauce is commonly referredto as eel sauce because of its traditional usage – being served with grilledeel or with meals that feature grilled eel.

HowLong Does Homemade Eel Sauce Last?

While store-bought eel sauce can last for months due to the presence of preservatives, your homemade eel sauce should be used within 5 days. If you’ve made too much, you can freeze the sauce and use it for future meals.

WhereCan I Buy Unagi Sauce?

Homemade eel sauce has the advantage of being freshly made and can becustomized to your flavor preferences. Still, you may wish to purchasereadymade eel sauce because it’s far more convenient and will last longer.

Look for unagi sauce in the Asian aisle of your supermarket. You may also have better luck looking in the condiment aisle of an Asian supermarket. It can also be found online at retailers like Walmart and Amazon.

BestUnagi Sauce Brands

There are a number ofbrands of unagi sauce available in the U.S. Here are some of the most commonlyavailable brands:

Kikkoman Unagi Sushi Sauce is highly regarded as one of the best brands that you can buy. This sauce is made with the highest quality ingredients and contains no artificial flavoring or coloring.

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If you tried this recipe, let me know how your Unagi Sauce turns out in the comments below!

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Unagi Sauce Recipe

This homemade Unagi Sauce or Eel Sauce is sticky, sweet, savory, and flavorful! Popular in Japanese cuisine, it’s traditionally used on grilled eel (unagi), barbeque dishes and sushi rolls. Unagi sauce is made by simmering 4 simple ingredients to a sugary, salty reduction that’s perfect atop your favorite dish.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 16 tablespoons

Author: Izzy

Calories: 33kcal

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup soy sauce
  • 5 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 cup mirin
  • 3 tablespoons sake

Instructions

  • Place a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the mirin, sugar, and sake. Mix well.

  • Add soy sauce to the saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to ensure the sugar dissolves.

  • Once boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes until you see many bubbles on the surface. Stir occaionally.

  • Remove from heat and let it cool. Use as directed in the post. Enjoy!

Notes

  • The sauce will thicken more as it cools.
  • Store the unagi sauce in an airtight container and it’ll last up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Calories: 33kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 461mg | Potassium: 15mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 1mg

Author: Izzy

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: Eel sauce, Unagi Sauce

Tried this recipe?Follow or tag us on Pinterest @izzycooking

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Unagi Sauce (Homemade Eel Sauce Recipe) (2024)

FAQs

Is unagi sauce the same as eel sauce? ›

Eel sauce is also called nitsume or kabayaki sauce, and unagi no tare in Japanese. It's a sweet and salty sauce that goes great over grilled fish or chicken and is a common drizzle over sushi.

What is authentic eel sauce made of? ›

So, What Ingredients Are In Eel Sauce? Eel sauce is a simple reduction of only four ingredients: sake, mirin, sugar, and soy sauce. Due to its sugar and salt content, the sauce keeps quite well, so don't be afraid to make too much (you can even freeze it).

What can I use instead of unagi sauce? ›

Tare sauce would be the closest sauce to eel sauce. It is very much like teriyaki sauce and is commonly made of soy sauce, sugar, and mirin.

Is eel sauce just teriyaki sauce? ›

What is the Difference Between Eel Sauce and Teriyaki Sauce? Eel sauce at the most basic version is made of soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. It is thick and sticky like syrup. Teriyaki sauce typically does not include mirin which is a sweet Japanese rice wine.

What are the ingredients in Kikkoman unagi sauce? ›

Sugar, Water, Soy Sauce (Water, Soybeans, Wheat, Salt), Caramelised sugar syrup, Salt, Modified starch, Ethyl alcohol, Molasses, Yeast extract, Spirit vinegar, Thickener: Xanthan gum, Seaweed (Ascophyllum nodosum) powder.

Is eel sauce just hoisin sauce? ›

No, eel sauce and hoisin sauce are not the same. While both are sweet and savory condiments commonly used in Asian cuisine, eel sauce is typically made with soy sauce, mirin, and sugar, whereas hoisin sauce contains soybean paste, garlic, vinegar, and various spices, resulting in different flavor profiles.

Why is it called unagi sauce? ›

So, why is it called eel sauce then? Because it's commonly used to glaze eel in Japanese cooking. Unagi (freshwater eel) is commonly cooked kabayaki style; that's where a fish is gutted, scaled, deboned, and cut into squares, then skewered, dipped in a marinade and grilled. For unagi, that marinade is eel sauce.

What tastes like unagi sauce? ›

What Does It Taste Like. It tastes savory-sweet from the sake, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. Since the ingredients are the same as teriyaki sauce, you might wonder if eel sauce is the same. Yes, both sauces are similar, but you'll notice the slight differences in the richness and sweetness.

Is dark soy sauce the same as eel sauce? ›

Eel sauce is made of a combination of dark soy sauce, mirin, sugar and sake cooked together and reduced to a thickened consistency.

What is unagi made with? ›

Unagi is actually a freshwater eel and a common ingredient in Japanese cooking. More specifically, it refers to a Japanese freshwater eel called Anguilla japonica. Unagi, which has a bold taste, is packed with nutrients like protein and calcium.

What is yum yum sauce made of? ›

Yum Yum Sauce is made of mayonnaise, ketchup, vinegar, garlic, sugar, paprika and water to thin the sauce out. That's it! It's really just a matter of the right ratios of ingredients to get the flavor you want!

Is ponzu sauce eel sauce? ›

Ponzu Sauce: a citrus-based sauce and popular addition to soy sauce, ponzu is a popular dipping sauce for adding a tart, tangy flavor to sashimi. Eel Sauce: heated for serving, eel sauce is a thick, sweet sauce that comes drizzled on top of a variety of nigiri.

What is ponzu sauce made of? ›

Ponzu sauce is a Japanese dipping sauce made from soy sauce or tamari, citrus juice, mirin, katsuobushi (bonito flakes), kombu (kelp), and rice vinegar. It's commonly served as a condiment for sashimi, shabu shabu (hot pot), tataki (grilled meat), gyoza (dumplings), cold noodles, and tempura.

Is sushi sauce the same as unagi sauce? ›

Also known as unagi sauce, eel sauce is a sweet and savory sauce that is typically drizzled over eel sushi rolls. Made from soy sauce, sugar, and mirin (a sweet rice wine), eel sauce has a caramelized flavor that pairs perfectly with the rich flavor of the eel.

How healthy is unagi? ›

If you enjoy other fatty fish such as tuna or mackerel, you will probably love unagi as well. In addition to a higher fat content, unagi also has an overall higher nutrient content than anago, including vitamins A, B1, B2, D, E, and omega-3 fatty acids.

Does unagi sauce have to be refrigerated? ›

Do I need to refrigerate Kikkoman sauces after opening? While we recommend our regular soy sauces be refrigerated for quality, our less sodium soy sauces and other sauces should be refrigerated after opening. For the freshest tasting sauce, we recommend using the sauces within one month of opening.

What is eel sauce in grocery store? ›

Eel sauce, or unagi sauce, is a sweet and salty sauce that is traditionally used in Japanese cuisine for grilled eel dishes. In Japanese, unagi means eel and tare means sauce, so eel sauce is also known as unagi no tare.

What is the orange sauce on top of sushi? ›

Do you like that orange dipping sauce for sushi or that delicious orange drizzle over sushi rolls? Spicy mayo is SO easy to make and you only need 2-INGREDIENTS! Try this spicy mayo sauce if you like that delicious restaurant-style spicy mayo dipping sauce!

Does unagi sauce have shellfish? ›

Fortunately, eel sauce is totally safe for those avoiding seafood. Despite its name, eel sauce doesn't actually contain any eel. Instead, the sauce combines sake, mirin (a sweet Japanese rice wine), sugar, and soy sauce.

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