I keep these six Japanese sauces in my fridge for instant flavor on everything from grilled meats to steamed vegetables. With teriyaki, ponzu, miso, tonkatsu, yakiniku, and unagi sauce ready to go, dinner never has to be boring.
I’m obsessed with keeping Japanese sauces in my fridge because they make my everyday food taste sharper, richer, and way more fun with almost no effort. Teriyaki sauce goes glossy and savory-sweet on chicken, salmon, tofu, and whatever vegetables I’m trying to use up.
Ponzu sauce wakes up dumplings, noodles, grilled fish, and salads with that bright citrusy bite I crave. And the rest?
I drizzle, dip, brush, and spoon them onto rice bowls, cutlets, stir-fries, steamed greens, and late-night leftovers. So good.
I love having these on standby because dinner gets bold fast, even when I’m barely trying.
Ingredients
- Teriyaki sauce brings glossy sweet-salty vibes, especially good on chicken, salmon, or tofu.
- Ponzu sauce is bright and tangy, so it keeps fried or rich foods feeling lighter.
- All purpose miso sauce tastes cozy and savory, with a little creamy, nutty depth.
- Tonkatsu sauce is thick, sweet, and punchy, basically perfect for crispy cutlets.
- Yakiniku sauce is garlicky and bold, made for grilled meats and smoky vegetables.
- Unagi sauce is sticky-sweet and salty, plus it makes rice bowls feel extra special.
Ingredient Quantities
- Teriyaki sauce
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup mirin
- 2 tablespoons sake
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 clove garlic minced optional
- Ponzu sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed citrus juice (yuzu or lemon)
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 2 tablespoons dashi stock or water with 1/2 teaspoon instant dashi powder
- All purpose miso sauce
- 3 tablespoons white miso (shiro miso)
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon sugar or honey
- 1 to 2 tablespoons warm water to thin as needed
- Tonkatsu sauce
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon or yellow mustard
- Yakiniku sauce
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 2 tablespoons sake
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 clove garlic grated
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- Unagi sauce (eel sauce)
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup mirin
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons sake
How to Make this
1. Gather ingredients for all six sauces and measure them out so you can work efficiently.
2. Teriyaki sauce: in a small saucepan combine 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup mirin, 2 tablespoons sake, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger and 1 clove minced garlic (optional). Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook 5 to 8 minutes until sugar dissolves and sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat and cool.
3. Unagi sauce (eel sauce): in a small saucepan combine 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup mirin, 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons sake. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and simmer 8 to 12 minutes until reduced to a glossy, syrupy consistency. Cool.
4. Tonkatsu sauce: in a small saucepan or bowl whisk together 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon mirin, 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 1 teaspoon Dijon or yellow mustard. Warm gently for 2 to 3 minutes to meld flavors or use as is.
5. Ponzu sauce: in a bowl whisk 1/4 cup soy sauce with 1/4 cup freshly squeezed citrus juice (yuzu or lemon), 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon mirin and 2 tablespoons dashi stock (or water with 1/2 teaspoon instant dashi powder). Taste and adjust acidity or salt, then refrigerate at least 30 minutes for flavors to marry.
6. All purpose miso sauce: in a small bowl whisk 3 tablespoons white miso, 1 tablespoon mirin, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil and 1 tablespoon sugar or honey. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons warm water to reach desired pourable consistency.
7. Yakiniku sauce: in a bowl combine 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons mirin, 2 tablespoons sake, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 clove grated garlic, 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger and 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds. Stir until sugar dissolves; chill or use immediately as a marinade or dipping sauce.
8. Taste each sauce and adjust sweetness, acidity or saltiness to preference (add more sugar or mirin to sweeten, more vinegar or citrus to brighten, more soy for salt). Reheat gently before serving warm sauces if desired.
9. Store sauces in airtight containers in the refrigerator: teriyaki and unagi 1 to 2 weeks, ponzu and yakiniku up to 1 week, miso sauce up to 1 week, tonkatsu 1 to 2 weeks. Label jars with date.
Equipment Needed
1. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
2. Small saucepans (2)
3. Mixing bowls (various sizes)
4. Whisk
5. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula
6. Sharp knife and cutting board
7. Microplane or fine grater (for ginger)
8. Citrus juicer or reamer
9. Fine mesh sieve or chinois
10. Airtight jars or squeeze bottles for storage and labeling
FAQ
Six Best Japanese Sauces Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Mirin
- Sake plus sugar: 1 tablespoon sake + 1 teaspoon granulated sugar per 1 tablespoon mirin
- Sweet rice wine or sweet cooking wine in same amount
- Rice vinegar + sugar: 3 parts rice vinegar to 1 part sugar, diluted with a little water to taste
- Lightly sweet white wine (e.g., Gewurztraminer) in equal amount
- Soy sauce
- Tamari (gluten free option) in equal amount
- Coconut aminos for a milder, slightly sweeter, lower-sodium option
- Liquid aminos for similar umami and saltiness
- Reduced-sodium soy sauce if you need less salt
- Dashi stock
- Instant dashi powder dissolved in water (use amount on package for equivalent strength)
- Vegetable broth plus a splash of soy sauce and a pinch of kombu or kelp powder for vegetarian umami
- Make-your-own: steep kombu and dried shiitake mushrooms in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes
- Chicken broth with a touch of fish sauce for nonvegetarian alternative
- White miso (shiro miso)
- Yellow miso in equal amount for a slightly stronger flavor
- Mild red miso thinned with a little warm water to soften its intensity
- Chickpea miso for a gluten free, similar textured substitute
- Blend of tahini and a pinch of salt plus a bit of rice vinegar to mimic creaminess if miso is unavailable
Pro Tips
1. For glossy, clingy teriyaki and unagi sauces simmer gently and watch closely as they reduce. Pull them off the heat slightly earlier than you think, because they will thicken more as they cool.
2. Taste and tweak in small increments. If a sauce is too salty, add a touch of sweetness or a splash of water. If it is flat, brighten with a little acid like rice vinegar or citrus juice. Small adjustments preserve the sauce character.
3. Make a few sauces ahead and store them in small jars so you can mix and match during the week. Label jars with the date and keep portion sizes manageable so you don’t repeatedly open and reheat large quantities.
4. Use texture and aromatics to lift each sauce at service. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds, finely sliced scallion, or a few drops of sesame oil on yakiniku and miso sauces. Warm the sweeter sauces briefly and brush them on at the end of cooking for maximum shine and flavor.
Six Best Japanese Sauces Recipe
I keep these six Japanese sauces in my fridge for instant flavor on everything from grilled meats to steamed vegetables. With teriyaki, ponzu, miso, tonkatsu, yakiniku, and unagi sauce ready to go, dinner never has to be boring.
12
servings
60
kcal
Equipment: 1. Measuring cups and measuring spoons
2. Small saucepans (2)
3. Mixing bowls (various sizes)
4. Whisk
5. Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula
6. Sharp knife and cutting board
7. Microplane or fine grater (for ginger)
8. Citrus juicer or reamer
9. Fine mesh sieve or chinois
10. Airtight jars or squeeze bottles for storage and labeling
Ingredients
Teriyaki sauce
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin
2 tablespoons sake
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 clove garlic minced optional
Ponzu sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup freshly squeezed citrus juice (yuzu or lemon)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon mirin
2 tablespoons dashi stock or water with 1/2 teaspoon instant dashi powder
All purpose miso sauce
3 tablespoons white miso (shiro miso)
1 tablespoon mirin
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon sugar or honey
1 to 2 tablespoons warm water to thin as needed
Tonkatsu sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon mirin
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon Dijon or yellow mustard
Yakiniku sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons sake
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 clove garlic grated
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Unagi sauce (eel sauce)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup mirin
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons sake
Directions
- Gather ingredients for all six sauces and measure them out so you can work efficiently.
- Teriyaki sauce: in a small saucepan combine 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup mirin, 2 tablespoons sake, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger and 1 clove minced garlic (optional). Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook 5 to 8 minutes until sugar dissolves and sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat and cool.
- Unagi sauce (eel sauce): in a small saucepan combine 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup mirin, 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons sake. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and simmer 8 to 12 minutes until reduced to a glossy, syrupy consistency. Cool.
- Tonkatsu sauce: in a small saucepan or bowl whisk together 1/2 cup ketchup, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon mirin, 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 1 teaspoon Dijon or yellow mustard. Warm gently for 2 to 3 minutes to meld flavors or use as is.
- Ponzu sauce: in a bowl whisk 1/4 cup soy sauce with 1/4 cup freshly squeezed citrus juice (yuzu or lemon), 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon mirin and 2 tablespoons dashi stock (or water with 1/2 teaspoon instant dashi powder). Taste and adjust acidity or salt, then refrigerate at least 30 minutes for flavors to marry.
- All purpose miso sauce: in a small bowl whisk 3 tablespoons white miso, 1 tablespoon mirin, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil and 1 tablespoon sugar or honey. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons warm water to reach desired pourable consistency.
- Yakiniku sauce: in a bowl combine 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons mirin, 2 tablespoons sake, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 clove grated garlic, 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger and 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds. Stir until sugar dissolves; chill or use immediately as a marinade or dipping sauce.
- Taste each sauce and adjust sweetness, acidity or saltiness to preference (add more sugar or mirin to sweeten, more vinegar or citrus to brighten, more soy for salt). Reheat gently before serving warm sauces if desired.
- Store sauces in airtight containers in the refrigerator: teriyaki and unagi 1 to 2 weeks, ponzu and yakiniku up to 1 week, miso sauce up to 1 week, tonkatsu 1 to 2 weeks. Label jars with date.
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: 20g
- Total number of serves: 12
- Calories: 60kcal
- Fat: 2.5g
- Saturated Fat: 0.3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Polyunsaturated: 0.4g
- Monounsaturated: 1.5g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sodium: 700mg
- Potassium: 80mg
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 0.3g
- Sugar: 6g
- Protein: 2g
- Vitamin A: 20IU
- Vitamin C: 2mg
- Calcium: 30mg
- Iron: 0.6mg
