These epic homemade Japanese sauces are quick and easy to make, perfect for marinating, dipping, or slathering over your favourite Japanese recipes. Bring authentic Japanese flavour to your cooking with these delicious sauces.
Why Make Japanese Sauces at Home?
While you can buy a lot of these sauces at supermarkets or import stores, they can often be quite expensive. Not to mention, they are sometimes hard to find depending on where you live and usually contain more additives, stabilisers and MSG.
When you make your own Japanese sauces at home, you know exactly what’s in them.
You can make the exact quantity you need for your chosen meal for a fraction of the cost of store-bought sauces!
Staple Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are the key ingredients you’ll need to have on hand for most of the sauces we’ve listed below.
If you love cooking Japanese cuisine, it’s worth investing in these base ingredients, as you’ll be able to use them across a whole range of recipes – not just sauces!
We use dashi stock powder dissolved in hot water, which is our favourite shortcut to save time on making dashi stock from scratch. You can find it in two different styles – kombu dashi (vegan) or hondashi (made with smoked dried bonito). If you don’t have it or can’t source it, you can substitute for vegetable stock or chicken stock.
For the best flavour and quality, use aJapanese soy brandsuch as Kikkoman which has the perfect balance of flavour and salt. Chinese or Korean soy sauces may be too salty or bitter, however Japanese tamari works great as a gluten-free option. If you only have dark soy sauce on hand you can still use it, you just may need to balance out the intensity with a little extra sugar.
Cooking Sake
This is a type of rice wine made for cooking. It’s lighter and more delicate in flavour than Chinese cooking wine, but you can use either. Look for it at Asian grocers or online. Substitute with dry white wine, water, or add extra sugar.
This is a sweet rice wine for cooking. You can sometimes find it in regular supermarkets, otherwise head to your nearest Asian grocer or online. If you don’t have it, just leave it out and add in extra sugar instead.
Rice Vinegar / Rice Wine Vinegar
Both names refer to the same thing. Rice vinegaris a little sweeter than regular vinegar. You can substitute with apple cider vinegar, black vinegar or white wine vinegar if you need, but if you only have simple white vinegar on hand that will also do the trick.
Sesame Oil
This is essential for adding a rich, nutty flavour to a lot of our favourite Japanese recipes. Choose a high quality brand for the best flavour as some sesame oils can have less flavour than others. You can also make a homemade sesame infused oil in a pinch.
Worcestershire Sauce
European style Worcestershire sauce tends to be quite tangy, while Japanese-style Worcestershire sauce is often sweeter. If you know your brand isQUITEtangy, you might like to adjust the amount to compensate. Ultimately it’s up to your personal flavour preference.
Tomato Sauce / Ketchup
They’re almost the same thing so either works fine for these sauces.
Miso Paste
Miso paste is a versatile Japanese ingredient made from fermented soybeans and salt.White miso is generally sweeter and lighter in intensity than red miso paste.
Other Basic Ingredients
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Sugar
- Chilli flakes (or shichimi togarashi blend)
- Kewpie mayonnaise
- Tahini – homemade is super easy (or peanut butter)
FAQs
Can I use just one main Japanese sauce for everything?
A lot of Japanese sauces share similar ingredients, but differ in the amount used to give a unique flavour profile to each sauce. This means that while you can substitute a lot of Japanese sauces for each other, they have been created to be the perfect match for their specific dish.
Therefore we do recommend pairing okonomiyaki sauce with okonomiyaki pancakes, takoyaki sauce with takoyaki, etc.
How long will these sauces last in the fridge?
They should last quite a while if stored in a clean, airtight container such as a glass bottle or jar. We recommend using them up within a month or two if you can. Always do a smell test – if it seems off, play it safe and throw it out.
Do homemade Japanese sauces taste like the commercially made versions?
These recipes are made to taste as close as possible to the commercial versions. However, the final flavour will depend on the quality and amount of the base ingredients you use in your final sauces. Always feel free to do plenty of taste testing and tweaking with the ingredients to get it just how you like it!
10+ Epic Homemade Japanese Sauce Recipes
For Dipping
Yakiniku Sauce – Japanese BBQ Sauce
Ready to make your new favourite sauce? This easy Japanese yakiniku sauce is the ideal BBQ companion for grilled meats. Use it as a marinade or dipping sauce!
Yakiniku Sauce – Japanese BBQ Sauce
Quick Mentsuyu Recipe (Cold Soba Noodle Sauce)
This Mentsuyu Recipe (Cold Soba Noodle Sauce) is ready in minutes! Made from soy sauce, mirin, sake and dashi powder, it’s a super refreshing dipping sauce for a hot summer’s day.
Quick Mentsuyu Recipe (Cold Soba Noodle Sauce)
Goma Dare – Japanese Sesame Sauce
A creamy, nutty, Japanese sesame sauce known as Goma Dare. It's perfect for dipping pork and veggies in shabu shabu hot pot, drizzling over crisp salads or freshly cooked noodles.
Goma Dare – Japanese Sesame Sauce
Quick Japanese Ponzu Sauce
Ponzu sauce is the ultimate Japanese dipping sauce. Pair this tangy citrus-soy dressing with just about anything – noodles, hot pots, salads and more! Just 6 ingredients and no cooking required.
Quick Japanese Ponzu Sauce
Super Quick Gyoza Sauce (Just 4 Ingredients!)
A quick and easy dumpling dipping sauce you can serve with Japanese gyoza or potstickers. Just 4 ingredients, with extra ideas to make it your own. Use it with your favourite homemade or store-bought dumplings.
Super Quick Gyoza Sauce (Just 4 Ingredients!)
As a Marinade or Basting Sauce
The Best Teriyaki Sauce Recipe
This is the best teriyaki sauce recipe, full of umami flavour and so easy to make! Use it as a marinade, or cook down into glossy perfection. Try this homemade teriyaki sauce and you’ll never want to buy store-bought again.
The Best Teriyaki Sauce Recipe
4 Ingredient Yakitori Sauce
This 4 Ingredient yakitori sauce is the perfect Japanese seasoning to have in your repertoire. While it’s traditionally used for yakitori chicken skewers, you can use it at home for all your favourite Japanese creations!
4 Ingredient Yakitori Sauce
Easy Japanese Eel Sauce – Unagi Sauce
Make this easy sweet and savoury unagi sauce with just 4 ingredients – tamari, sake, sugar and mirin. Also known as Japanese eel sauce, it's perfect for drizzling over homemade sushi, noodles and more!
Easy Japanese Eel Sauce – Unagi Sauce
As a Dressing
Wafu Dressing – Japanese Salad Dressing
Wafu Dressing is an easy vinaigrette you can whip up in less than a minute. With the perfect balance of flavour from soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and sugar, this Japanese salad dressing will bring effortless flavour to raw salads, vegetables and grilled meats.
Wafu Dressing – Japanese Salad Dressing
Sarah’s Creamy Sesame Dressing
Grab your hot chips, burgers or sushi bowls – it’s time to slather them in Sarah’s Creamy Sesame Dressing. Whipped up in a minute, this versatile Japanese sauce is SO necessary with your next meal!
Sarah’s Creamy Sesame Dressing
As a Topping
Yakisoba Sauce Recipe
This Homemade Yakisoba Sauce Recipe is like barbecue sauce on steroids. Mix a few easy ingredients together and this bad boy is ready for your noodles, beef, pork or even on an omelette. AND – it's ready in less than 5 minutes.
Yakisoba Sauce Recipe
Easy 4 Ingredient Okonomiyaki Sauce for Japanese Pancakes
You've just made Japanese pancakes and realised you're out of sauce! Never fear – this 4 ingredient Okonomiyaki sauce recipe is here! With easy pantry ingredients, you'll have it ready in minutes.
Easy 4 Ingredient Okonomiyaki Sauce for Japanese Pancakes
Easy Tonkatsu Sauce – Restaurant Style
Homemade Japanese tonkatsu sauce at its best. This easy restaurant style recipe includes the all important toasted sesame seeds for the perfect pairing with any katsu cutlet.
Easy Tonkatsu Sauce – Restaurant Style
Takoyaki Sauce
A quick and easy recipe for homemade Takoyaki Sauce, PERFECT for drizzling over crispy golden takoyaki (Japanese octopus snacks). Sweet, tangy and oh-so-delicious, it’s also an amazing sauce for other Japanese dishes likeokonomiyaki(savoury pancakes) andyakisoba(crispy fried noodles).
Takoyaki Sauce
The Ultimate All Rounder Umami Sauce
Try our handcrafted recipe for umami sauce, made with a blend of umami-packed ingredients like soy, miso and katsuobushi. This sweet and salty sauce is ready to bring huge savoury flavour to your cooking.
The Ultimate All Rounder Umami Sauce
3 Ingredient Simple Rayu Chilli Oil (La Yu)
Spice lovers – here's a chilli oil which only needs a minute to infuse! With just 3 ingredients, drizzle your homemade Rayu Chilli Oil all over your favourite Japanese dishes like Tantanmen Ramen and Gyoza.
3 Ingredient Simple Rayu Chilli Oil (La Yu)
Nikumiso – Japanese Pork and Miso Sauce
Add a burst of umami flavour to your favourite dishes with nikumiso! This easy Japanese miso meat sauce features a flavour-packed blend of pork mince and mushrooms simmered to perfection with classic Japanese seasonings.
Nikumiso – Japanese Pork and Miso Sauce
Bonus Condiments
How to Make Kewpie Mayo – Japanese Mayonnaise
The easiest and tastiest homemade Japanese mayonnaise recipe – ready in under a minute. Learn how to make Kewpie mayo at home and never buy store bought again!
Click here for Kewpie Mayo
Easy Homemade Worcestershire Sauce Recipe
Sweet, tangy and savoury, this Worcestershire sauce recipe packs a huge punch of umami flavour! The best part? It's small batch, naturally vegan and gluten free.
Click here for Kewpie Mayo
Japanese 7 Spice – Shichimi Togarashi
The super easy Japanese spice blend is here to transform your dishes. Sprinkle your homemade Shichimi Togarashi over everything – udon noodles, dipping sauces and anything else you want to spice up. Ready in less than 5 minutes, and you guessed – only 7 ingredients!
Click here for Kewpie Mayo
Gomashio Three Ways – Japanese Sesame Salt
Gomashio is the perfect garnish for a range of your favourite Japanese dishes. Ready in minutes, sprinkle your Japanese sesame salt over sekihan, onigiri or anything that calls for a little salt kick!
Click here for Kewpie Mayo
★ Did you make one or more of these tasty sauces? Let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
Looking for MORE delicious ingredient ideas to use up those condiments in the cupboard? Try these:
- 12+ Incredibly Healthy Recipes Using Miso Paste… Including Dessert!
- 15 Ways to Use Gochujang Korean Chilli Paste
- 5+ Amazing Egg White Recipes to Use Up Leftover Egg Whites
- Top 12 BEST Recipes with Kewpie Mayo
- 12+ Epic Ways to Use Katsuobushi / Bonito Flakes
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