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 from? ›

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 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.

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.

What is the flavor of ponzu sauce? ›

With intense citrus like yuzu or sudachi and a base of rice vinegar and wine, ponzu can lend a bright pop of acidity and citrus highlight to a dish to elevate vegetables, seafoods and other proteins.

Which ponzu is best? ›

The Best 7 Japanese Ponzu Sauces
  • Choko Kakepon Ponzu Organic Yuzu Soy Sauce 400ml. ...
  • Teraoka Organic Yuzu Ponzu Sauce 250ml. ...
  • Suehiro Premium Citrus Ponzu Japanese Sudachi & Yuzu Ponzu 300ml. ...
  • Adachi Organic Yuzu Ponzu Sauce 360ml. ...
  • Takesan Ponzu Green Pepper Spicy Ponzu Sauce 200ml. ...
  • Kikkoman Yuzuka Yuzu Ponzu Sauce 250ml.
Nov 27, 2023

Is hoisin sauce and ponzu sauce the same? ›

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.

Can I substitute soy sauce for ponzu sauce? ›

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.

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.

Why is it called ponzu sauce? ›

The word “ponzu” is a combination of “pons”, a word borrowed by the Japanese from the Dutch word for “punch”, and “su”, the Japanese word for vinegar. This sauce is therefore literally “vinegar punch”.

Do I need to refrigerate ponzu? ›

“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.

Who makes ponzu sauce? ›

Bright and tangy, original Kikkoman® Ponzu Citrus Seasoned Dressing is a versatile sauce that can be used in any cuisine that calls for lemon flavors and a savory mouthfeel.

Can I eat 2 years expired soy sauce? ›

Can You Use Expired Soy Sauce? Technically, using expired soy sauce is possible as long as there are no evident signs of spoilage. The date on the bottle serves more as a “best by” guideline rather than a hard “discard after” directive. However, its rich flavor might have diminished over time.

What do you eat with ponzu sauce? ›

Ponzu is traditionally used as a dip for shabu-shabu and other simmered dishes, thin slices of seared meat (tataki), as part of a dip for soba or somen noodles, sashimi, or occasionally dumplings.

How do you know if homemade sauce is bad? ›

How to Tell When Pasta Sauce Has Spoiled. There are several telltale signs that tomato sauce has spoiled: It will look moldy, smell bad, or taste off.

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.

Is ponzu sauce like hoisin 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.

Is ponzu similar to soy sauce? ›

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.

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