By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026
Serves 4
227 cal · 20 min
Unagi No Tare (Homemade Eel Sauce)
Recipe GLPRe3f5f74c51e570
A classic Japanese eel sauce made by simmering together dashi, mirin, sake, sugar, and light soy sauce until reduced to a glossy, caramelized glaze. This versatile condiment has a perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors and is traditionally served over grilled eel (unagi), rice bowls, or used as a dipping sauce for various Japanese dishes.
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Ingredients
1 cup (240 ml) basic dashi
1/2 cup (120 ml) mirin
1/2 cup (120 ml) sake
1 cup (207 g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (120 ml) light soy sauce (usukuchi shoyu)
Directions
Combine the dashi, mirin, and sake in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes to allow the alcohol to cook off from the sake and mirin.
Add the granulated sugar and stir until completely dissolved, about 1-2 minutes.
Pour in the light soy sauce and stir well to combine all ingredients.
Reduce the heat to medium and let the sauce simmer, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes until it thickens and becomes glossy and slightly syrupy.
Remove the pan from heat and allow the sauce to cool to room temperature, which will help it thicken further.
Transfer the finished unagi tare to a clean jar or container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Comments
This is a genuine weeknight shortcut for someone who cooks Japanese food regularly, but it demands a multi-store trip. Dashi, mirin, and sake are uncommon at Food Lion and Walmart; you'll need Harris Teeter or ALDI for dashi packets, and Harris Teeter specifically for mirin and sake, which can run $8–12 together. The actual cooking is honest at 20 minutes—just simmering and reducing—but the ingredient hunt makes this a project for planned leftovers. The sauce keeps beautifully in the fridge for weeks and freezes well, which redeems the upfront friction if you use it on grilled fish, rice bowls, or as a gift.
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