Yakiniku Sauce is a sweet and savory Japanese BBQ sauce that’s perfect for dipping thin slices of grilled beef and vegetables. You can also use it in stir-fries, over rice bowls or noodles, or as a dipping sauce for spring rolls.
Looking for a truly great BBQ sauce that can kick things up a notch? You need to try Yakiniku Sauce (焼肉のタレ). Sweet, savory, and complex in flavor, you’ll love everything about this sauce!
Sure, it’s a must-have for Japanese BBQ, but it also offers plenty of versatility. Make a batch of my Yakiniku Sauce recipe and use it for fresh spring rolls, teppanyaki, Asian-themed grilling, or on your noodle and rice bowls!
Table of Contents
What is Yakiniku Sauce?
Yakiniku sauce is the special dipping sauce for a Japanese BBQ meal called yakiniku (焼肉). For this dish, everyone cooks the meat and vegetables on a small grill set in the center of the table, then dip them in the sauce known as yakiniku no tare (焼肉のタレ). Everything tastes tantalizingly fresh and delicious.
The protein and vegetables are not marinated or seasoned prior to grilling. So, it makes sense to place high importance on the dipping sauce—the flavor bomb for barbecue enjoyment!
You can find commercial brands of yakiniku BBQ sauce such as Ebara Foods Sauce or Kikoman, but nothing can live up to the fresh taste of a homemade sauce. It’s simple to make, healthier, and you don’t even have to boil it!
Here’s my complete guide on how to host Yakiniku (Japanese BBQ) at home!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Simple ingredients – They strike the right balance of sweetness, acidity, and umami.
- Luxurious texture – It’s smooth and rich without being overly thick, with speckles of nutty sesame seeds.
- Versatile – It’s not only for grilled meat and veggies. Use it as a dipping sauce for spring rolls, a stir-fry sauce, or a sauce for your rice bowls and noodles.
- Make-ahead friendly – This sauce keeps for up to 2 weeks in the fridge, so make a big batch and enjoy it for different meals.
Ingredients You’ll Need for Yakiniku Sauce
- sweet onion – adds natural sweetness and tang
- garlic and grated ginger – aromatics that lend depth and zest
- gochujang (Korean chili paste) – a “must” condiment; adds a deep, savory flavor with a note of fruity and slight smoky heat
- soy sauce – use a Japanese soy sauce for the right flavor and texture
- roasted sesame oil – you can’t miss out on the amazing aroma!
- toasted white sesame seeds – for extra nuttiness and texture
How To Make Yakiniku Sauce
- Combine in a jar everything except the sesame oil.
- Microwave it for 30–35 seconds until it‘s hot enough to dissolve the sugar.
- Add the sesame oil to the sauce and mix well.
It’s now ready to enjoy! I love making a batch and keeping any leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It stores well for up to 2 weeks and you can use it for many more things to come.
More Ways to Enjoy Yakiniku Sauce
While this sauce is perfect for dipping mouthwatering charred meats, tofu, mushrooms, and vegetables straight off the grill, it can do more than just that. Here are some ideas:
- dipping sauce for fresh harumaki, chicken spring rolls, and spring rolls with yakiniku
- dipping sauce for teppanyaki
- seasoning to flavor pan-fried or stir-fried dishes
- sauce to drizzle over rice bowl or noodle bowls
- sauce for taco bowls orAsian pulled pork
Other Japanese Sauces You’ll Love
- Authentic Teriyaki Sauce
- Okonomiyaki Sauce
- Homemade Tonkatsu Sauce
- Unagi Sauce (Eel Sauce)
- Ponzu Sauce
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Yakiniku (Japanese BBQ) Sauce
Ingredients
- ¼ sweet onion (75 g; grated, with juice)
- 3 cloves garlic
- ⅛ tsp ginger (grated)
- ¼ tsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- ½ Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients. If you like my previous recipe from 2014, please see the note below.
- Grate ¼ sweet onion. Make sure you collect all the juice.
- Transfer the grated onion and all of its juice to a mason jar or microwave-safe container. Mince or press 3 cloves garlic (I use a garlic press) and add to the jar.
- Grate the ginger (I use a ceramic grater) and collect ⅛ tsp ginger (grated).
- To the jar, add the grated ginger, ¼ tsp gochujang (Korean chili paste), ¼ cup soy sauce, and 2 Tbsp sugar.
- Add ½ Tbsp toasted white sesame seeds. Microwave the sauce for 30–35 seconds until it‘s hot enough to dissolve the sugar.
- Add 1 tsp toasted sesame oil and mix well. The Yakiniku Sauce is now ready to use.
To Serve
- Serve in individual dipping plates alongside a Teppanyaki meal, Fresh Spring Rolls with Yakiniku, or your favorite grilled delicacies.
To Store
- Store in the refrigerator and use it within 2 weeks.
Notes
- 2 Tbsp sake
- 2 Tbsp mirin
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp rice vinegar
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- ½ tsp miso
- ¼ tsp katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes)
- ⅛ of an apple
- 2 tsp roasted white sesame seeds
Nutrition
Editor’s Note: The post was originally published on July 1, 2014. It’s been updated with a revised recipe, more information, and new step-by-step and final images.
I am new to Japanese cooking and received a Teppan last Christmas. Cant wait to finally use it. Will make both sauces, as some guests like heat and some don’t. Thanks!
Hi, Adam! Thank you for reading Nami’s post.
We hope you enjoy Teppanyaki and handmade sauce. 🥰
Here’s the recipe for Teppanyaki: https://www.justonecookbook.com/teppanyaki/
This is a fantastic resource! Thanks for compiling this information.
Hello Monica! Thank you for reading Nami’s post and for your kind feedback.
Happy Cooking!
This is really helpful! I’ll be sure to share it with others.
Hello, there! We’re delighted to hear Nami’s recipe was helpful. Thank you for trying Nami’s recipe.🤗
What if I were to use apple juice with no added sugar? Or no sugar apple sauce? Would that work?
Hello, Naedine. Nami used grated apples in her previous recipe. The consistency of the sauce will alter if apple juice is used. So the apple sauce may give it a better result, but we haven’t tried it yet.
If you give it a try, please let us know how it goes.
Love the 2014 recipe, I thought I had gone nuts and lost my memory when I came to the website and the recipe had changed.
Hi Dee, Thank you for your feedback!
The 2014 recipe can be found at the bottom of the recipe card. We hope you continue to enjoy it. Happy Cooking! 😊
Thanks for sharing
Hi Fluke! Thank you for reading Nami’s post and trying her recipe! 🥰
Hi Nami,
I just came across this recipe and I can’t wait to taste it!
I might even try using it to make a small batch of beef jerky. The flavors sound perfect for that! If I do make the jerky I will let you know how it turns out!
Thanks again for all the wonderful recipes!
Hi Victoria! Thank you very much for reading Nami’s post and trying her recipe!
Beef jerky!!!. Yes. Please let us know how it goes!
Hi Nami,
The one month storage period is based on added apple or without apple? How long more or less the storage will be if i put the apple and sesame seeds from the start?
One more thing, if I simmer apple and seeds altogether, would that destroy the taste of the sauce? I’m thinking of doing that to improve the storage time. Thanks!
Hi Christian, Thank you very much for reading Nami’s post!
If you don’t add the apple to the sauce, you can store it in an airtight container and place it in the refrigerator for about one month.
If the sauce including the apple and sesame seeds, store for about three days in the refrigerator.
As for simmering the apple, it is a great idea to improve the storage time, but the taste would be different compared with fresh apples.
How about freeze the sauce in the freeze? It would last longer (about one month). You can place the sauce in a small individual container for each use, and don’t re-freeze them.
We hope this is helpful.
would it make a big difference if the katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) are left out? We do not like fish, I am worried it will have a fish flavor? Thank you
Hi Debbie! With other condiments, this sauce doesn’t taste like the fish flavor. But we are not sure if you will notice the fish in it.
How about adding a piece of Kombu instead of Katsuobushi? At least, it will bring some Umami flavor to the sauce. Otherwise, the taste would not be the same, but you can skip it too. We hope this helps!
Hi Nami! Can I add the apple and sesame seeds to the sauce when I make it at night for the next day to use or do you recommend adding the apples and sesame seeds right before serving the sauce?
Hi Karen! Thank you very much for trying Nami’s recipe!
Nami recommends adding the apples before serving so the sauce can last for a longer time without fresh apples in it.
We hope this helps!