This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure.
A perfectly sweet and savory sauce, eel sauce is commonly served with sushi rolls, perfect for dipping, and great drizzled over grilled fish, shrimp and chicken!
Also called unagi sauce, this eel sauce is like a thickened, sweetened soy sauce - it is so flavorful and delicious!
This eel sauce is ultra, ultra easy to make and comes out beautifully thick and flavorful. So much better than store-bought as you know exactly what went into it!
I'm all about homemade sauces on this site - you'll love some of these other favorites as well:
Jump to:
What is Eel Sauce?
Contrary to what you might believe, eel sauce does NOT actually have eel in it! It is often used on Japanese grilled eel dishes, as well as a sauce for sushi rolls, a dipping sauce or a glaze for grilling proteins.
It's a super simple sauce made from soy sauce and sugar reduced down to make a thickened sweet and savory sauce.
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Went Here 8 This.
Why This Recipe Works
- It only has 3 ingredients, one of which is water!
- It comes together in under 30 minutes and is incredibly versatile.
- It can be used as a glaze, dipping sauce, or a sauce drizzled on sushi rolls or rice bowls.
- It's easy to make ahead so you can have it in your fridge all week for meal prep.
Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and amounts is included in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
You only need 3 ingredients to make this recipe - water, soy sauce and plain old white granulated sugar.
You could substitute coconut sugar for the granulated if you prefer for a more caramelized flavor.
Step By Step Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan.
Simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes, or reduced almost by half (about 40%).
Serve with sushi rolls.
Expert Tips
- You can substitute honey or agave for the sugar, but the flavor will be slightly different.
- Sauce should be reduced by about 40%. It will also continue to thicken as it cools.
- Add a couple tablespoons of sake or mirin for an added boost of flavor.
Serving Options
- You can add some extra flavors to this sauce by adding in some of these options while it reduces:
- A slice of ginger
- a ½ teaspoon of fresh minced garlic
- Thai chili to add some spice to the sauce
- Its really great drizzled as a sauce on in these dishes:
- Any type of sushi roll or temaki hand roll
- Spicy tuna
- Duck pizza
- Chicken summer rolls
- Sushi rice
- Use it to brush on grilled chicken thighs, this yakitori chicken, these grilled lamb chops instead of the teriyaki, or as a glaze for any sous vide fish recipe.
- Use it in stir fries and in rice or noodles bowls.
Frequently Asked Questions
It sauce is made from just a few simple ingredients - soy sauce and water, as well as mirin and/or sake in some cases. It's very simple.
Eel sauce is similar, but not the same as teriyaki sauce. It is saltier and less sweet than teriyaki sauce, and has a more intense flavor.
Contrary to it's name, eel sauce does not actually contain any seafood in it.
Eel sauce has an intensely sweet and savory flavor, a little less sweet and saltier than teriyaki sauce.
Storage Instructions
Leftover sauce can be store in the fridge for up to a month in a covered, airtight container.
If you love this recipe, please leave a star rating and a comment below and let us know your favorite thing about it. We'd also love to connect on Instagram! Follow us at @went_here_8_this for awesome recipes and all sorts of fun food stuff 🙂
Recipe
Eel Sauce
Ingredients
- ½ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a saucepan.
- Simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes, or reduced almost by half.
- Serve with sushi rolls.
Expert Tips:
- You can substitute honey or agave for the sugar, but the flavor will be slightly different.
- Sauce should be reduced by about 40%. It will also continue to thicken as it cools.
- Add a couple tablespoons of sake or mirin for an added boost of flavor.
Nutrition
henry
It's funny, I did always think eel sauce was somehow made from eels LOL! We tried this and it came out really good - we actually used it on chicken.
Danielle
LOL, I did too until I started doing more research a while back. Glad you liked it!