Homemade Eel Sauce (Unagi Sauce)

Homemade eel sauce (unagi sauce) is a sweet, salty and umami-rich Japanese condiment that’s perfect for sushi, rice bowls and grilled seafood dishes.

Also try this easy copycat Panda Express black pepper chicken, tofu Thai wraps, or some delicious vegan tofu kung pao.

Why You’ll Love It

Versatile: This eel sauce is a versatile, sweet and tangy 4-ingredient recipe that’s ready in just 10 minutes. It’s perfect for drizzling over your favorite sushi rolls, sashimi, or shrimp ceviche.
Easy: It’s so easy you’ll wonder why you haven’t been making it your whole life.
Customizable: You can adjust the thickness of the sauce by adding water and even the level of sweetness can be adjusted.

Classic Eel Sauce Ingredients

A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Mirin: This sweet Japanese rice wine lends a depth of sweetness and flavor to the unagi sauce. Look for it in the Asian section of your grocery store.
Granulated sugar: This sweet ingredient adds the perfect level of sweetness to the sauce, helping to balance out the salty soy sauce.
Soy sauce: For a gluten-free eel sauce recipe, be sure to use a gluten-free tamari or soy sauce. This umami-rich sauce adds a depth of flavor and a salty kick.
Rice wine vinegar: The mild acidity of rice wine vinegar helps to cut through the sweetness of the mirin and sugar, balancing the flavors of the eel sauce.

How to Make the Best Homemade Eel Sauce

For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.

Combine the ingredients: In a saucepan, combine the mirin, soy sauce, sugar, and rice wine vinegar.
Cook the sauce: Cook the sauce over medium heat, stirring often, until it has reduced to a thick syrup. This will take about 10 minutes.
Tweak the consistency if needed: If the sauce is too thick, you can thin it out by adding a spoon of water at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.

Substitutions and Variations

Regional variations: You can add eggs, dashi or sake to this eel sauce to give it a different twist.
Gluten-free: Make sure your mirin and soy sauce are both gluten-free.
Sweeter or saltier: You can adjust the sweetness or saltiness of this eel sauce by adding more sugar or soy sauce, according to your preference.
Mirin substitute: In case you can’t find mirin, you can substitute sweet marsala wine or dry sherry at a pinch. Even dry white wine would do, but you’d need to increase the sugar to offset the lack of sweetness.

Serving Suggestions

Seafood: This eel sauce is perfect for drizzling over sushi, sashimi, or any other seafood dishes. Whether it’s plain seafood or ceviche, this sauce adds a burst of flavor that complements the delicate fish. I especially love it with this fresh Mexican-style shrimp ceviche with avocado.
With potstickers: Enjoy eel sauce with gluten-free potstickers, turkey potstickers or pork potstickers.
Grilled dishes: Consider using this eel sauce on BBQ dishes or any grilled meats. The sweet and salty flavors of the sauce pair well with the charred and smoky notes of grilled food.

How to Store Unagi Sauce

Store: After making the eel sauce and allowing it to cool, if you have any leftovers, you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should keep well for up to two weeks.
Freeze: Fortunately, you can also freeze this homemade sauce. Allow it to cool down, then transfer it to a freezer-safe container. It can be frozen for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to have it, allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge.