Homemade Ponzu Sauce Recipe (2024)

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by Mike Hultquist · · Leave a Comment · Jump to Recipe

This ponzu sauce recipe is a citrusy, vinegary dipping sauce essential to Japanese cuisine, so much better than store bought and so easy to make!

Homemade Ponzu Sauce Recipe (1)

Ponzu Sauce Recipe

We're making homemade ponzu sauce in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen today, my friends!

Nothing spicy here today, but big flavor nonetheless! We greatly enjoy sushi and sashimi in our home, and a good ponzu sauce is important for us to keep on hand when the sushi cravings strike.

You can definitely buy it from the store, but when you make it at home, you not only get a vastly superior sauce, you can also control everything that goes into it.

Never heard of ponzu sauce?

Homemade Ponzu Sauce Recipe (2)

What is Ponzu Sauce?

Ponzu sauce is a Japanese citrus sauce made with vinegar, citrus juices, and sometimes soy sauce. It is a thin sauce flavored with kombu and bonito flakes, which makes it very umami rich.

It is often used as a simple dressing for meats and fish, or as a dip for sushi and sashimi, hot pot dishes like shabu shabu, or dumplings.

Today, most versions you'll find available at stores is made with soy sauce, though you can make it without it, instead focusing on the combination of citrus and vinegar.

We love it with soy sauce, as an alternative to soy sauce for our meals.

We enjoy it with thinly sliced sashimi, or when we pick up sushi from our corner sushi place.

I prefer making my own at home, as it's so easy to do, and tastes way better than anything you get from the store.

I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Let's talk about how to make ponzu sauce, shall we?

Homemade Ponzu Sauce Recipe (3)

Ponzu Sauce Ingredients

  • Soy Sauce.
  • Citrus. Use any combination of lemon juice, lime juice, orange juice, and/or grapefruit juice, or you can use yuzu juice (Japanese citrus juice). It is ideal with more lemon.
  • Rice Vinegar.
  • Mirin.
  • Kombu.
  • Bonito Flakes.

How to Make Ponzu Sauce - the Recipe Method

Combine the Ingredients. Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl or jar.

Homemade Ponzu Sauce Recipe (4)

Steep the Ponzu. Cover and let steep in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours to let the flavors develop. You can steep for 2 days or more.

Strain Out the Solids. Strain and serve as desired.

Homemade Ponzu Sauce Recipe (5)

Boom! Done! Your ponzu sauce is ready to serve. Easy enough to make, isn't it? How are you going to serve yours?

Recipe Tips & Notes

  • You can easily adjust the ingredient ratios to make ponzu sauce your own way. Want more soy sauce? Go for it. More Japanese citrus fruit flavor, it's your choice.
  • Spice it up a bit with a bit of sriracha sauce. This is how Patty likes it. She just swirls a bit into her ponzu sauce bowl when she enjoys her sushi.
Homemade Ponzu Sauce Recipe (6)

Ponzu Sauce Uses

Serve your ponzu sauce with any of the following for dipping or as a simple dressing:

  • Sushi and sashimi
  • Grilled meats
  • Dumplings
  • Shabu-Shabu (hot pot)
  • Cold noodles - it really livens them up!
  • Stir fry dishes - add a splash for a nice citrus blast.
Homemade Ponzu Sauce Recipe (7)

Storage

Ponzu sauce will last up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this citrus ponzu sauce recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!

Cookbook Recommendation

If you enjoy Japanese cuisine, I recommend the following cookbook, which I used to adapt this recipe. It has a lot of great recipes!

Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes

  • Homemade Chili Crisp
  • Sweet and Sour Sauce
  • Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
  • Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
  • Tonkatsu Sauce
  • Bulgogi Sauce
  • Pad Thai Sauce
  • Yakisoba Sauce
Homemade Ponzu Sauce Recipe (8)

Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.

Homemade Ponzu Sauce Recipe (9)

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Homemade Ponzu Sauce Recipe

This ponzu sauce recipe is a citrusy, vinegary dipping sauce essential to Japanese cuisine, so much better than store bought and so easy to make!

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Course: sauce

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: soy sauce

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes

Steeping: 12 hours hours

Calories: 18kcal

Author: Mike Hultquist

Servings: 20 tablespoons

Tap or hover to scale

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Ingredients

  • ½ cup soy sauce
  • ½ cup citrus juice use any combination of lemon juice, lime juice, orange juice, and/or grapefruit juice – best with part lemon – or use yuzu juice
  • ¼ cup rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons mirin
  • 1 6-inch piece kombu
  • ¼ cup bonito flakes

Instructions

  • Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl or jar.

  • Cover and let steep in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours to let the flavors develop. You can steep for 2 days or more.

  • Strain and serve as desired.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 18kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 3gFat: 0.02gSaturated Fat: 0.003gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.004gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.002gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 345mgPotassium: 44mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 0.4IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 2mgIron: 0.1mg

Homemade Ponzu Sauce Recipe (10)

Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.

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Homemade Ponzu Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is ponzu sauce made of? ›

A classic Japanese condiment, Ponzu Sauce is a citrus-based sauce with a tart-tangy flavor similar to a vinaigrette. It contains a mix of ponzu (citrus juice of sudachi, yuzu, and kabosu and vinegar), soy sauce, sugar or mirin, and dashi.

What can I use in place of ponzu sauce? ›

9 Best Japanese Ponzu Sauce Substitutes
  • Soy Sauce (or Tamari) and Citrus Juice. ...
  • Soy Sauce (or Tamari) and Vinegar. ...
  • Worcestershire Sauce. ...
  • Hoisin Sauce and Rice Vinegar. ...
  • Fish Sauce and Citrus Juice. ...
  • Teriyaki Sauce and Lemon Juice. ...
  • Tonkatsu Sauce. ...
  • Nam Prik Pla.
Jun 24, 2023

What are the ingredients in Kikkoman ponzu sauce? ›

SOY SAUCE (WATER, WHEAT, SOYBEANS, SALT), WATER, SUGAR, VINEGAR, SALT, BONITO EXTRACT (FISH), LACTIC ACID, LEMON JUICE, AUTOLYZED YEAST EXTRACT, NATURAL LEMON AND ORANGE FLAVORS WITH OTHER NATURAL FLAVORS, SUCCINIC ACID, DISODIUM INOSINATE, DISODIUM GUANYLATE, SODIUM BENZOATE: LESS THAN 1/10 OF 1% AS A PRESERVATIVE.

What is the difference between ponzu and yuzu? ›

The difference between yuzu and ponzu is that the former is a citrus fruit, while the ladder is a sauce made out of soy sauce and the juice of either yuzu, sudachi, daidai, kabosu, or lemon. It's made by simmering said juice with mirin, katsuobushi flakes, rice vinegar, and seaweed over medium heat.

Can I substitute soy sauce for ponzu? ›

Ponzu, a Japanese saucemade from soy sauce, rice vinegar, citrus, bonito flakes and mirin, is a little sweeter and tangier than soy sauce but can be used in place. How to substitute: Ponzu is not usually cooked with, it's classically used as a dip, so use in place of soy sauce for dipping foods.

Is hoisin sauce the same as ponzu sauce? ›

Sweet and savory hoisin sauce is a go-to ingredient in Chinese cuisine, particularly in the Province of Guangdong. Japanese ponzu sauce is delectably tart, made with soy sauce, vinegar and the juice of citrus fruits native to Asia, including yuzu.

What is the most popular ponzu? ›

Without further ado, here are our top picks for the 7 best ponzu sauces out there.
  • Choko Kakepon Ponzu Organic Yuzu Soy Sauce.
  • Teraoka Organic Yuzu Ponzu Sauce.
  • Suehiro Premium Citrus Ponzu Japanese Sudachi & Yuzu Ponzu.
  • Adachi Organic Yuzu Ponzu Sauce.
  • Takesan Ponzu Green Pepper Spicy Ponzu Sauce.
Nov 27, 2023

Why is ponzu sauce so good? ›

ponzu seamlessly combines all of these flavors in a perfectly balanced sauce. The magic lies in a few key ingredients. Lemon brings sweet/sour notes, rice vinegar provides sweet tanginess, and kombu and katsuobushi add a smoky touch of the sea. Soy sauce anchors all of those flavors with its salty depth.

What is the flavor of ponzu sauce? ›

Ponzu is a bright, citrus-based condiment and marinade found predominately in Japanese cuisine. Traditional ponzu is made with rice vinegar, rice wine, bonito fish flakes, seaweed and citrus (commonly yuzu or sudachi), but today's ponzu is regularly paired with soy sauce to create a dipping sauce or glaze.

Can ponzu sauce go bad? ›

Your homemade ponzu sauce will only be good for about a week if it is kept in an airtight container in the fridge.

Do I need to refrigerate ponzu sauce? ›

“Anything with vegetables or citrus (vinaigrettes with shallots, ponzu, citrus juice) must be refrigerated,” says Feingold. Nut oils (like almond oil or sesame oil) should also be put in the fridge to prevent from going rancid.

Does ponzu sauce need to be refrigerated after opening? ›

It does not stop there as the beautiful flavor of the citrus is balanced by the soy sauce & mirin. This is further elevated by the umami from the Ma Konbu dashi that Suehiro adds to this product. Use this with raw fish, veggies, mayonnaise (personal favorite), noodles, etc. Please refrigerate after opening.

Why is yuzu so expensive? ›

Fresh yuzu is banned from being imported into the U.S. in order to protect American agriculture. "However, yuzu is now grown within the U.S., but the supply is scarce and therefore expensive,” explains Hung.

What is the closest fruit to yuzu? ›

Yuzu closely resembles sudachi (Citrus sudachi, a Japanese citrus from Tokushima Prefecture, a yuzu–mandarin orange cross) in many regards, though, unlike the sudachi, yuzu eventually ripen to an orange colour and there are subtle differences between the flavors of the fruit.

Is Tamari the same as ponzu sauce? ›

Ponzu sauce is a Japanese dipping sauce made from soy sauce or tamari, citrus juice, mirin, katsuobushi (bonito flakes), kombu (kelp), and rice vinegar. It's commonly served as a condiment for sashimi, shabu shabu (hot pot), tataki (grilled meat), gyoza (dumplings), cold noodles, and tempura.

How is ponzu different from soy sauce? ›

Ponzu: A Japanese citrus-based sauce, ponzu includes a mix of citrus juice (like yuzu, lemon, and lime), rice vinegar, mirin, soy sauce, bonito flakes, and kombu seaweed. Soy Sauce: Made primarily from fermented soybeans and wheat, soy sauce (or shoyu in Japanese) offers a strong umami and salty taste.

What does ponzu sauce taste like? ›

What does Ponzu taste like? Kikkoman ponzu sauce is a blend of naturally brewed soy sauce, lemon, vinegar and sugar. It has a lovely balanced sweet, sour and salty flavour. It's suitable for vegetarians and vegans and is fat-free.

What is ponzu sauce? ›

ponzu • \PAHN-zoo\ • noun. : a tangy sauce made with citrus juice, rice wine vinegar, and soy sauce and used especially on seafood.

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