I’m sharing my Unagi Sauce Recipe for natsume, the sweet and salty sauce also called unagi or kabayaki that pairs beautifully with grilled fish, chicken and as a drizzle over sushi.
People call it Natsume, Unagi or Kabayaki, and honestly the drizzle turns ordinary sushi into something a little dangerous, in a very good way. I make this because a splash of soy sauce and mirin makes grilled fish or chicken sing, and I’ve ruined a few tries before I got it right.
If you’ve ever saved an Unagi Sauce Recipe hoping for a quick win, this version rewards a tiny bit of patience. It’s forgiving, glossy, and clings to rice like it means business, so if you’re poking around Sushi Sauces ideas this one might surprise you.
Ingredients
How To Make Eel Sauce For Sushi
Eel sauce is sticky, shiny and totally addictive.
It makes sushi taste sweeter and richer, and a little salty too.
Below I break down the main ingredients so you can see what they add, and roughly how they affects flavor and nutrition.
- Soy sauce: deep umami, salty backbone, tiny protein, high sodium, low calories.
- Mirin: sweet rice wine that adds glossy sweetness and mild acidity, mostly simple carbs.
- Sugar: pure sweetener, concentrates sweetness and mouthfeel, all simple carbs, no fiber.
- Sake: optional, adds depth and aroma, small alcohol content, helps meld flavors.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) soy sauce
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) mirin
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) sake (optional)
How to Make this
1. Put 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup mirin, 1/4 cup sugar and the 2 tablespoons sake (if using) into a small saucepan and give it a quick stir so the sugar starts to dissolve.
2. Heat the pan over medium heat until it just comes to a gentle boil, stir occasionally so the sugar melts and nothing sticks to the bottom.
3. Lower the heat to medium-low so it simmers, you want small bubbles not a furious boil, simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Keep an eye on it and stir every minute or two, foam might form on top, skim that off with a spoon if it bothers you.
5. The sauce is ready when it has reduced by roughly a third and it coats the back of a spoon in a glossy layer, remember it will thicken more as it cools.
6. Take the pan off the heat and let it cool at room temp for 10 to 15 minutes, don’t leave it boiling until it’s syrupy or it can burn and taste bitter.
7. If you want a super smooth finish you can strain it through a fine mesh, but most of the time its fine straight from the pan.
8. Transfer to a clean jar, refrigerate. It keeps about 1 to 2 weeks, just warm slightly before using if it gets too thick in the fridge.
9. Tip: use a small saucepan so it reduces faster, and taste once cooled a bit, if it’s too salty add a touch more mirin next time, if too sweet use a little less sugar.
Equipment Needed
1. Small saucepan about 1 to 1.5 quart so it reduces faster
2. Measuring cups and measuring spoons (1/2 cup, 1/4 cup, tablespoons)
3. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula for stirring
4. Heatproof spoon or small ladle for skimming and tasting
5. Fine mesh strainer for a super smooth finish optional
6. Clean jar or bottle with lid for storing the sauce
7. Stove or cooktop with reliable low heat
8. Oven mitt or kitchen towel for handling the hot pan
FAQ
How To Make Eel Sauce For Sushi Recipe Substitutions and Variations
How To Make Eel Sauce For Sushi — quick swaps you can try
- Soy sauce: swap with tamari (1:1) for gluten free, or coconut aminos (start 1:1, reduce other sweeteners a bit since it’s sweeter and less salty).
- Mirin: use sweet rice wine or a mix of 1 tbsp sake plus 1 tsp sugar per tbsp mirin, or use 1 tbsp rice vinegar + 1 tsp sugar if you need nonalcoholic option.
- Granulated sugar: use light brown sugar (1:1) for a deeper flavor, or honey or maple syrup (use about 3/4 the amount, stir well while reducing).
- Sake (optional): substitute dry sherry or a dry white wine (1:1), or omit and add a splash of water and a pinch more sugar to keep volume and balance.
Pro Tips
Pro tips:
– Keep the heat low once it starts bubbling, you want tiny bubbles not a roiling boil, or it’ll taste bitter if it scorches and you’ll lose that glossy finish.
– Use a small saucepan so it reduces faster, and swirl the pan gently instead of vigorous stirring so sugar doesnt crystalize, skim any foam off the top if it bugs you.
– Taste it after it cools a bit, it always tastes saltier hot and thickens as it cools, if it was too salty next time add a little more mirin, too sweet use less sugar or splash in a bit more soy next time.
– For the smoothest, shiniest sauce strain it through a fine mesh or cheesecloth and store in a clean jar in the fridge, warm it slightly before using if it gets too thick.
How To Make Eel Sauce For Sushi Recipe
I’m sharing my Unagi Sauce Recipe for natsume, the sweet and salty sauce also called unagi or kabayaki that pairs beautifully with grilled fish, chicken and as a drizzle over sushi.
8
servings
76
kcal
Equipment: 1. Small saucepan about 1 to 1.5 quart so it reduces faster
2. Measuring cups and measuring spoons (1/2 cup, 1/4 cup, tablespoons)
3. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula for stirring
4. Heatproof spoon or small ladle for skimming and tasting
5. Fine mesh strainer for a super smooth finish optional
6. Clean jar or bottle with lid for storing the sauce
7. Stove or cooktop with reliable low heat
8. Oven mitt or kitchen towel for handling the hot pan
Ingredients
1/2 cup (120 ml) soy sauce
1/2 cup (120 ml) mirin
1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons (30 ml) sake (optional)
Directions
- Put 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup mirin, 1/4 cup sugar and the 2 tablespoons sake (if using) into a small saucepan and give it a quick stir so the sugar starts to dissolve.
- Heat the pan over medium heat until it just comes to a gentle boil, stir occasionally so the sugar melts and nothing sticks to the bottom.
- Lower the heat to medium-low so it simmers, you want small bubbles not a furious boil, simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Keep an eye on it and stir every minute or two, foam might form on top, skim that off with a spoon if it bothers you.
- The sauce is ready when it has reduced by roughly a third and it coats the back of a spoon in a glossy layer, remember it will thicken more as it cools.
- Take the pan off the heat and let it cool at room temp for 10 to 15 minutes, don’t leave it boiling until it’s syrupy or it can burn and taste bitter.
- If you want a super smooth finish you can strain it through a fine mesh, but most of the time its fine straight from the pan.
- Transfer to a clean jar, refrigerate. It keeps about 1 to 2 weeks, just warm slightly before using if it gets too thick in the fridge.
- Tip: use a small saucepan so it reduces faster, and taste once cooled a bit, if it’s too salty add a touch more mirin next time, if too sweet use a little less sugar.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 40g
- Total number of serves: 8
- Calories: 76kcal
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Polyunsaturated: 0g
- Monounsaturated: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sodium: 920mg
- Potassium: 88mg
- Carbohydrates: 13g
- Fiber: 0g
- Sugar: 13g
- Protein: 1g
- Vitamin A: 0IU
- Vitamin C: 0mg
- Calcium: 8mg
- Iron: 0.3mg
