Some people might turn their noses up at the mere thought of eel sauce, but truth be told, there’s no actual eel in this umami-laden sauce. In fact, it’s a delightfully rich, sweet sauce that’s the perfect accompaniment for sushi, dumplings, and spring rolls.
What You Will need
You only need a few ingredients to whip up this savory eel sauce. A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.
- Mirin – Mirin, a sweet rice wine that is similar to sake, balances the sauce with its acidity. If you want to skip the alcohol, use rice vinegar instead.
- Soy sauce
- Sugar
- Cornstarch
Perfect Pairings
It should come as no surprise that eel sauce is a classic condiment to serve with eel! But, it is also a perfect pairing with sushi rolls, grilled fish, or a salmon poke bowl.
You can also drizzle it over fried rice, or mix it into a stir fry. And, if you’re looking for a way to dress up roasted veggies, it can do that, too!
- Salt – Because one of the main ingredients of this sauce (soy sauce) already has a high salt content, I don’t feel it needs any additional salt. You can always add some kosher salt to taste if you’d like.
- Seasonings – For garlicky flavor, sprinkle in some garlic powder or mix in minced garlic. Add warm flavor to the sauce by grating in some ginger. Stir in some fresh herbs like parsley or cilantro.
- Sauces – Squeeze in some citrus to brighten up the sauce. Orange juice, lemon juice, or lime juice all work well. Add a bit of sriracha to spice up the sauce.
- Swaps – Replace some or all of the sugar with honey, agave or even maple syrup for a different flavor profile.
- Senses – This eel sauce is thick and glossy, with a sweet-salty aroma. It tastes rich and savory, with a smooth, sticky texture and deep umami finish.
Homemade Eel Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup soy sauce*
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup mirin
- 1 tablespoons cornstarch optional
Instructions
- Combine the 1/2 cup soy sauce*, 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup mirin in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over low heat, whisking continuously until sugar has dissolved. Watch carefully, sugar has the tendency to burn or bubble over even at low heats. If it starts to build, remove from the heating element immediately.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the 1 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water and then whisk this into the eel sauce. Continue to whisk for 1-2 minutes.
- Remove from heat. The sauce will thicken as it cools. It can also be placed in the fridge to speed up the process.
- If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.
Notes
Nutrition
Storage and Freezing
You can store this sauce in the fridge for up to one week in an airtight container.
Yes! Freeze this sauce for up to 3 months in a resealable plastic bag, freezer-safe container, or ice cube tray.
Common Questions
It’s made of a simple blend of mirin, soy sauce, and sugar. Some recipes may include a cornstarch slurry to more quickly thicken the sauce.
No, it is not quite the same as teriyaki sauce. Teriyaki sauce uses brown sugar instead of granulated sugar and eel sauce can have a slightly saltier flavor.
Actually, this sauce does not contain any fish, so it is not fishy.
More Asian-Inspired Homemade Sauces
Sauces can elevate just about any meal- especially when they’re homemade! Here are a few of our favorite Asian-inspired sauces.
Never tried eel sauce before. Sounds interesting. Thanks for sharing.
This sauce is amazing! My family loves it over cooked shrimp! Thank you for this recipe!
This definetely sounds like my kind of sauce. Yummy! Can’t wait to try it!
This was so good and surprisingly easy to make. Def gonna try out the flavor variations next.
This was so easy to make and so delicious too! I had it as a dip on the side of sushi. It was incredible!