Eel sauce (also known as kabayaki or unagi sauce) is a sweet and savory glaze often used on sushi rolls. This eel sauce recipe uses no mirin or sake and still retains a concentrated umami flavor, even when using coconut liquid aminos. So, it works without the use of soy sauce.  This lasts long in the fridge and adds amazing flavor!

homemade eel sauce that can be made without soy sauce or mirin (or sake)

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Homemade eel sauce is very versatile. I drizzle it on Sushi Rolls, as one of the umami sauces in Chicken Lo Mein, and it would be incredible over plain Sushi Rice. There is just so much flavor!

I used to buy Unagi Sushi Sauce at Asian markets, but it was sometimes hard to find back in the day when Amazon wasn’t a thing. It was the black sticky glaze drizzled over sushi rolls that was so good! So, when I located a Squeeze bottle at a store, I had to try it. 

The sauce is very good, but the ingredients are questionable and not something I would want to feed my family. When I got off soy sauce (the main ingredient in this sauce), I tried it with coconut aminos, and it works just as well. 

Making this sauce from scratch is very easy with this recipe. 

This eel sauce recipe is a pantry staple I make at home, especially when preparing sushi. Use it as a marinade in Asian recipes or in place of soy sauce. 

What is Eel Sauce?

Wondering what eel sauce is made of? It’s not an actual eel. The Food Network explains it well here, but in short, it’s a concentrated sweet and salty sauce made from fermented soy sauce and wines (like sake or Mirin) with the addition of sugar to balance out the savory flavors and carmelize the sauce.

homemade eel sauce

 

What Does Eel Sauce Taste Like?

Eel sauce has a distinctive, dark, sweet, and savory flavor with a pronounced sweetness. It’s on the thicker side of sauces and is best described as a glaze with its smooth and shiny texture. The umami sweet and salty sauce goes well with grilled eel dishes, although it is not made from eel itself. 

Mirin Substitute:

If you don’t have sake or mirin, use equal parts of rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar for the mirin or sake called for in most recipes. I use all apple cider vinegar in my formula of a 0.66:1 ratio of apple cider vinegar to soy sauce (or coconut liquid aminos). You could do a combination of vinegars or wines, but I like to stick to one kind. 

Ingredients:

The ingredients in eel sauce are so simple and basic, thanks to the mirin substitute! Everything is probably sitting right in your pantry, and it only takes minutes to make before serving homemade sushi rolls!

  • Soy Sauce: I used to use soy sauce to make this eel sauce, but now I only use coconut liquid aminos, and it works great! The key to success with coconut aminos is to boil it briefly; otherwise, it will caramelize and become rock-hard. 
  • Sugar: Granulated sugar is the choice of sweetener here to create a shiny glaze.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar is the perfect substitute for sake or mirin. Use rice vinegar if you prefer. 

How To Make Eel Sauce:

This recipe for eel sauce takes minutes to make using a saucepan and a whisk! Eel sauce thickens as it sits, so make eel sauce for at least 20 minutes before serving if you want to drizzle it fresh over sushi rolls for a glaze. If using coconut liquid aminos, bring it to a boil for 1 minute and turn it off. 

  1. Combine the soy sauce, sugar, and apple cider vinegar in a small saucepan.
  2. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil and boil over high heat for 7 minutes, whisking constantly. Don’t boil for too long; the sauce gets too thick at the 10-minute mark.
  3. Turn off the heat and allow the sauce to thicken as it sits.
  4. When cooled, pour the sauce into a Plastic Condiment Squeeze Bottle and keep refrigerated.

Pro Tip: It is key to cook the mixture while constantly stirring with a whisk or wooden spoon. You know it is thick enough if it coats the back of a spoon. 

 

How Long Does Eel Sauce Last?

This homemade eel sauce will last for months in the fridge due to the high sugar content (that works like a preservative). Because soy sauce and apple cider vinegar are fermented products, they are self-preserving in this sauce, especially considering that apple cider vinegar is more alkaline than pure vinegar. Once cooked together, it is important to keep the eel sauce refrigerated. This sauce will last easily for 2 months if stored in a squeeze bottle or an air-tight food container.

You can also freeze eel sauce in a freezer bag if you are not planning to use it within the first couple of months. To revive, simply thaw it overnight in the fridge and pour out the contents into a saucepan to reheat.

Creative Ways to Use Up Eel Sauce:

Need ways to use up eel sauce recipes? You can make so many Asian recipes with eel sauce, so don’t think it’s only for eel or as sushi sauce! It’s excellent for marinating poultry, meat, and fish! Use it to enhance soups, drizzle it over roasted vegetables, or dip and glaze sushi rolls with it! Here are some ideas;

  • Use it as the base sauce for Lo Mein by replacing hoisin or oyster sauce.
  • Replace any teriyaki sauce with it.
  • Drizzle it over salads or sushi bowls.
  • Serve it as a side to Spicy Mayo for dipping sushi rolls.
  • Marinate and bake chicken wings in it.

FAQ

Where To Buy Eel Sauce?

The best eel sauce is homemade because you know exactly what’s in it. However, you can buy eel sauce brands online at websites like Walmart, Target, Asian supermarkets, and Amazon. Don’t confuse Ponzu with eel sauce; Ponzu is a citrus-flavored soy sauce. 

Other Names For Eel Sauce:

Bottled eel sauce found at Asian markets or Restaurant supply chains is sometimes labeled Sushi sauce or Unagi sauce. Why is it called eel sauce? Well, the answer to that is simply because it pairs best with Japanese fish dishes or Sushi. If you are wondering how eel sauce is made, it’s actually not from actual eel; that would be Nitsume Sauce. 

What is similar to Eel Sauce? 

Tare sauce would be the closest sauce to eel sauce. It is very much like teriyaki sauce and is commonly made of soy sauce, sugar, and mirin.  

 

 

 

Tips:

  1. Unagi sauce is another name for eel sauce. 
  2. The best substitute for sake or mirin is apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar.
  3. Wondering how to make this sugar-free and healthy? Use honey or maple syrup! 
  4. Cook the sauce on high heat the entire time to reduce and make a glaze. 
  5. Buy a plastic squeeze bottle for easy storage.
  6. Continue whisking your reduction to keep the foam down; it’s a sign that the sauce is reducing. 
  7. Don’t boil for too long, as it’ll become so thick that you’ll hardly be able to squeeze it out. 
  8. Although hoisin sauce is not quite the same as eel sauce, you can interchange the two sauces. Hoisin sauce has more flavor from seasonings like pepper and garlic, whereas unagi sauce is a simple reduction of ingredients.  

Did you like this Japanese eel sauce? Tell me what you made this eel sauce for besides sushi in the comments below!  

How To Make Eel Sauce: 

Eel Sauce

Prep Time: 3 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Author: Alyona Demyanchuk
Eel sauce is a sweet and sticky Japanese glaze made of soy sauce, sugar, and mirin. This eel sauce recipe is made without mirin and tastes like the thickened sweet soy sauce drizzled over sushi rolls! Use for grilling, fish (Kabayaki), Lo mein, or as a favorite teriyaki sauce in Chinese food. You will love this easy eel sauce and it lasts super long when stored in the fridge! 

Equipment

Ingredients

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar (or rice vinegar)
  • 1/2 cup soy sauce (can use coconut aminos** see notes)
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar

Instructions

Directions:

  • In a medium saucepan, combine 1/3 cup of apple cider vinegar, 1/2 cup soy sauce, and 3/4 cup of sugar.
  • Bring the mixture to a rapid boil over high heat and boil for 5-7 minutes, whisking constantly. Do not boil for too long, or it will get too thick as it cools.
  • storing eel sauce
    Cool and pour into a squeeze bottle. Keep refrigerated.

Notes

  • Tips: For a runnier eel sauce, cook for 5-6 minutes. For a thicker sauce, cook for 8 minutes. We tested that 7 minutes is the best in consistency.
  • This sauce yields about 1 1/2 cups of sauce, so look for a 16-oz Squeeze Bottle.
  • If using coconut aminos, boil the sauce for only 1 minute. 

Nutrition per serving

Serving: 2TablespoonsCalories: 28kcalCarbohydrates: 7gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 270mgPotassium: 13mgFiber: 1gSugar: 6gCalcium: 1mgIron: 1mg

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19 comments

    • Guzel

    Thank you so much, this was searching for the replacement for ages

    • Nicholas Flowers

    Hi, this recipe is a great non-alcohol and no yeast substitute for people with gout. I’m glad I found it and it tastes great. I had some spiced apple cider vinegar that gave it a kick of spice that I enjoy. Now I can eat sushi with a greater smile without the pain later 😁

      • Alyona Demyanchuk

      Thank you for this comment. I’m happy to provide alternatives.

    • Alyona

    I am making this sauce and I like it! Thank you very much again for sharing it with us!

    I do have a question, do you know how to make unagi sauce without wine, sake or mirin?

    Thank you!!

      • Alyona Demyanchuk

      Unagi sauce is the same, but a good substitute for mirin is apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar.

        • Lena

        Do you by any chance know a good non alcoholic alternative for sake? Thanks!

          • Alyona Demyanchuk

          I like to use apple cider vinegar in place of Mirin or Sake.

    • Shaheda

    Hi, wonderful recipe for us no alcohol users. Thanks.
    How long can we store this and in the fridge?

      • Alyona Demyanchuk

      Hi, it will store for a very long time in the fridge, at least 3 months…

    • Kate

    I did it for 6 minutes and it was still extremely runny

      • Alyona Demyanchuk

      Hi Kate, it thickens as it cools.

    • Lena

    I am so happy I found this recipe. I am glad it doesn’t have alcohol/wine in it. So, Thank you!
    I have a question though. I cooked it for 7 min on high boiling. I let it cool down but it got really really thick and I couldn’t use it. Any suggestions on what I possibly did wrong? Thank you again!!

      • Alyona Demyanchuk

      Hi Lena, it was likely overcooked. I’d do 3-5 minutes next time. Also the key to a good consistency is to still have it runny when finishing because it tends to thicken as it sits. Hope this helps.

      • Ken

      Use a candy thermometer and boil to ‘syrup’ stage, or 110C

    • Diana

    Should the soy sauce be light or thick ?

      • Alyona Demyanchuk

      It should be a thick running consistency.

    • Adriana

    This recipe is great it’s really easy to make and when I drizzled it on top of my sushi it was just so perfect.I always looked for a recipe without Alcohol or any of that junk and I found this recipe everyone should try this!!!

      • Alyona Demyanchuk

      Love this, thank you Adriana!

    • Jared Ashley

    I really like it, it’s going to be my go to for making sushi at home. Thanks

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