Yuzu Ponzu is a smoky, umami-packed sauce that makes a delicious marinade or dipping sauce. It has the bright citrusy flavor of yuzu juice and the salty, smoky flavor of soy sauce and katsuobushi, or bonito flakes. This versatile sauce takes just 15 minutes to make and only requires a few simple steps.
This umami flavored sauce is perfect for marinating meat or dipping sushi and sashimi. It adds a unique and exciting flavor and goes well with so many dishes. We recommend making a batch and keeping it in your fridge or freezing it for whenever you want to add it to your favorite meals.
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Why You'll Love Yuzu Ponzu Sauce
- Taste - The combination of ingredients create a tangy and sweet aroma with floral and slightly sour undertones.
- Texture - The sauce is light and thin, with a similar viscosity to soy sauce.
- Effort - All you need to do is simmer some of the ingredients then mix in the rest.
- Time - It takes less than 15 minutes to simmer, cool, then mix all of the ingredients together.
What to Serve with Yuzu Ponzu
Yuzu ponzu is a multifaceted sauce that can enhance the flavor of a wide variety of dishes. Here are our favorite ways to enjoy it:
- Dressing for hamachi crudo and salmon crudo.
- Dipping sauce for ebi tempura, vegetable tempura, shabu shabu, and kani sushi.
- A marinade for cooked meat or fish. For example, Tataki is a cooking style where the meat or fish is quickly seared on the outside, then marinated briefly in rice vinegar and thinly sliced for serving.
- Drizzled over steamed Japanese rice.
- Dipping sauce for broccoli, roasted asparagus, and other vegetables. If you want to make this yuzu dipping sauce for veggies, combine ½ cup of kewpie mayo and 1 tablespoon of yuzu ponzu sauce.
- Dressing for salad. Yuzu dressing would be delicious on a simple romaine or iceberg based salad with shaved carrots, sliced tomatoes, and protein.
Ingredients
- Kombu - Kombu is dried kelp, it provides a briny sea salt flavor.
- Katsuobushi (bonito flakes) - Katsuobushi is simmered and feremented skipjack tuna, it adds a smokey flavor to the ponzu sauce.
- Mirin - Mirin is a Japanese sweet rice wine that adds to the umami flavor and is the base of many Japanese sauces and marinades.
- Rice vinegar - rice vinegar adds a light sweet and tart flavor to the sauce.
- Soy sauce - Soy sauce, or shoyu in Japanese, is an essential condiment in Japanese cooking.
- Yuzu citrus extract - Yuzu juice adds a fresh and citrusy flavor to the sauce. Yuzu is a Japanese citrus fruit that tastes like a combination of lemon, grapefruit, and orange.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Cook ingredients - Add kombu, katsuobushi, mirin, and rice vinegar in a small saucepan and cook on low until the mixture just simmers. Then give it a stir, remove from heat, and allow the mixture to cool. Once cooked, the mixture will smell sweet and smoky, and the Kombu will soften.
- Strain - Once the mixture cools after about 10 minutes, strain it to remove the katsuobushi and kombu and pour the mixture into a jar.
- Shake - Add the soy sauce and yuzu juice to the jar. Secure the lid on the jar and give the mixture a good shake until combined. Place in the refrigerator to chill.
Substitutions
- Lemon juice - Replace yuzu with lemon juice if you want the ponzu sauce extra citrusy.
- Lime juice - Use lime juice instead of yuzu juice if you prefer the flavor of lime to lemon.
- Orange juice - Use orange juice instead of yuzu juice if you want a more orangey flavored sauce.
Variations
- Spicy - Add red chili pepper flakes while cooking to imbue heat to the sauce.
- Vegan - Make this sauce vegan by omitting katsuobushi.
- No yuzu - omit yuzu if you prefer the sauce to not be citrusy.
- Garlic - Minced garlic adds a pungent aroma to the sauce.
- Sesame oil - Sesame oil will add a toasty flavor and nutty aroma.
- Sugar - Add sugar for extra sweetness.
- Green onion - Green onion will add a spicy and aromatic bite to the dish.
FAQ
The ingredients are usually available at Japanese markets, like Mitsuwa or Nijiya, or some common chain grocery stores. You can also buy some of the ingredients online including the bottled yuzu juice.
Soy sauce is one of several ingredients that make up ponzu. With regard to taste, ponzu is lighter and more citrusy.
Yes, the sauce has a slightly fishy flavor due to the Katsuobushi. However, the fish flavor is very light, the sauce is mainly salty and tangy with a hint of citrus.
No, this sauce has no ingredients that make it spicy. If you want to make it spicy, add a teaspoon of Sriracha.
No, katsuobushi is made of skipjack tuna. In order to make the sauce vegan, omit the katsuobushi. If you are looking for a vegan recipe with ponzu sauce, tofu marinated in ponzu is delicious.
No, soy sauce has gluten. If you want to make this recipe gluten free, replace soy sauce with tamari.
Equipment
This easy Japanese sauce recipe calls for just a few common kitchen essentials, including measuring spoons, a saucepan, a spoon or chopsticks to mix, and a jar or container to store.
Storage
Store homemade yuzu ponzu in the refrigerator in an air-tight container or lidded jar for up to 1 month. Before using it again, stir it softly until it reaches its original consistency. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Just be sure to store it in the correct container (not a lidded glass jar, which can break in the freezer).
Top Tips
- Use a baking spatula to scrape all of the sauce from the bowl and eliminate food waste.
- To use homemade ponzu as a marinade for chicken, fish or beef, place the meat in a bag or mixing bowl and coat it with the sauce. Remove it from the bag and bake it in the oven.
- For fresh sauce, do not leave the sauce out at room temperature for an extended period of time.
Related Recipes
- Unagi Sauce (Eel Sushi Sauce)
- Spicy Kewpie Mayo (Sauce for Poke, Sushi, and More)
- Miso Sauce (Glaze and Marinade)
- Spicy Chipotle Mayo Sauce
- Healthy Ranch Dressing with Greek Yogurt
Did You Like This Recipe?
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📖 Recipe
How to Make Yuzu Ponzu Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
Instructions
- Cook ingredients - Add kombu, katsuobushi, mirin, and rice vinegar in a small saucepan and cook on low until the mixture just simmers. Give it a stir, remove from heat, and allow the mixture to cool. The mixture will smell sweet and smoky, and the Kombu will soften.1 strip of kombu, ¼ cup katsuobushi , 3 tablespoon mirin, 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
- Strain - Once the mixture cools after about 10 minutes, strain it to remove the katsuobushi and kombu and pour the mixture into a jar.
- Shake - Add the soy sauce and yuzu juice to the jar. Secure the lid on the jar and give the mixture a good shake until combined.¼ cup soy sauce, ¼ cup yuzu juice
Notes
Storage
Store homemade yuzu ponzu in the refrigerator in an air-tight container or lidded jar for up to 1 month. Before using it again, stir it softly until it reaches its original consistency. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Just be sure to store it in the correct container (not a lidded glass jar).Top Tips
- Use a baking spatula to scrape all of the sauce from the bowl and eliminate food waste.
- To use homemade ponzu as a marinade for chicken, fish or beef, place the meat in a bag or mixing bowl and coat it with the sauce. Remove it from the bag and bake it in the oven.
- For fresh sauce, do not leave the sauce out at room temperature for an extended period of time.
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