Eel Sauce Recipe (4 ingredients only)

Whip up a batch of this homemade one Eel sauce recipe in just 15 minutes! Also known as Unagi Sauce (うなぎのたれ in Japanese), this dipping sauce recipe only requires 4 ingredients and makes the best sushi sauce.

Use it in any of these raw fish recipes: Tuna Crudo, Salmon Crudo, Hawaiian Poke, Temaki Sushi, and Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl.

What is eel sauce

It’s essentially a soy sauce that’s gooey, sweet, and thick, perfect for dipping.

Despite the name, eel is not a necessary ingredient! Its name is based on the fact that it is traditionally used in grilled eel recipes such as unagi sushi or unagi don.

Eel sauce ingredients

Wondering what’s in this savory sauce? The only ingredients you need to make this sushi sauce: soy sauce, sugar, mirin, and sake. That’s it!!

Soy sauce – Use a quality brand like Kikkoman.

favor – Make sure you use a sake that you would drink to ensure the end product.

Rice Vinegar (Spiced Rice Vinegar) – Marukan Spiced Rice Vinegar and Nakano Spiced Rice Vinegar are two popular brands sold in many grocery stores.

How to do

This easy-to-make recipe only takes 15 minutes, most of it hands-free. Essentially, the sugar is dissolved in the mirin, sake, and soy sauce and boiled down for 10 minutes to thicken. Check out the recipe card below for the full instructions.

Eel Sushi Sauce

There’s nothing like a large batch of dipping sauces for sushi nights. Serve with one of our favorite sushi, nigiri, or sashimi recipes:

Crispy Spicy Tuna Roll
Spicy tuna
Tuna nigiri
Tuna Sashimi
tuna rolls
Tuna tartare
Avocado Rolls
Spicy tuna rolls
Tempura shrimp

Tip – Serve alongside a bowl of soy sauce and ponzu sauce for a flavorful trifecta.

expert tips

• Keep the heat level too low to avoid burning the sugar.
• Don’t reduce too much as it will thicken as it cools.
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
• We do not recommend freezing. It only takes 15 minutes to copy and you want top quality.
• Is this sauce vegetarian? Yes, all 4 ingredients are plant-based, making it not only vegetarian but vegan too!
• Use tamari or gluten-free soy sauce to make this gluten-free.

Used

While it’s commonly paired with raw fish, it’s not the only use. Here are a few ideas:

Use as a marinade

Double the recipe to use as a marinade. Just make sure you reserve some to use as a dipping sauce. You must cool the sauce before adding protein to avoid boiling.

If you’re using them as a marinade, remember that sugar-based marinades burn quicker than non-sugar marinades, so keep your eyes peeled as you cook.

variations

Make it spicier – Add a dash of sriracha, chili sauce, togarashi, or even a pinch of cayenne pepper.

Sweeten it – Double the sugar for a supremely sweet dipping sauce.