This Yakiniku Sauce recipe will tenderize meat and flavor them with natural savory sweetness and delicious Japanese BBQ flavor. Yakiniku sauce is a perfect dipping sauce to keep at the table, use as a marinade and glaze for sunny-day BBQ skewers, and drizzle over your favorite rice bowls and dishes. Homemade Yakinuki sauce has less sugar than store-bought and delivers an elevated, lip-smacking taste! Let’s go…
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In addition to my copycat Banchan’s Japanese BBQ sauce, this yakiniku sauce recipe is a go-to for when I’m craving Asian style stir-fry, coating protein and serving over rice, or having as a dipping sauce to go with my kid’s chicken nuggets or Japanese fried chicken karaage.
I especially like yakiniku sauce because it reminds me of Korean BBQ sauce, which uses pear and fruit as a tenderizer for the meat and naturally sweetens it. It’s much better than loading the sauce with sugar! Fruit is the secret to an awesome yaki sauce.
What is Yakiniku Sauce?
Yakiniku sauce is a bold, sweet-savory Japanese BBQ sauce traditionally used as a dip for grilled meats. The word yakiniku means “grilled meat,” and this sauce is what makes Japanese barbecue so yummy!
With a base of soy sauce and balanced layers of sweetness, spice, and citrus from real fruit, it’s the secret behind juicy grilled dishes in homes and yakiniku restaurants across Japan.
Whether you’re dipping, marinating, or glazing, this sauce adds serious balanced flavor to anything it touches.
A Brief History of Yakiniku
Yakiniku as a cooking style became popular in Japan in the post-WWII era, inspired by Korean BBQ techniques. The style is small pieces of meat (delivered raw to the table), grilled on a wire grill, over charcoal, and eaten with chopsticks. Yakiniku stalls and restaurants became popular and till today, are westernized and enjoyed by people of all cultures.
Over time, the Japanese adapted the flavors and created yakiniku sauce to suit their own culinary style — using soy sauce, fruit juices, garlic, and sesame oil instead of gochujang or doenjang. The result is a more balanced, subtly sweet sauce with the perfect amount of umami and depth.
Today, you’ll find bottled versions in Japanese supermarkets, but homemade yakiniku sauce is fresher, more flavorful, and easily customizable.
What Can You Use Yakiniku Sauce For?
- As a dipping sauce for grilled beef, chicken skewers, pork, or tofu (use previously frozen tofu for “meaty” texture)
- As a marinade before grilling or pan-searing
- Drizzled over rice bowls or grilled vegetables
- Stirred into noodle dishes or fried rice
- Brushed on burgers or over mushrooms for an umami-rich glaze
Yakiniku Sauce Ingredients
Make your own bold and flavorful yakiniku sauce at home:
- Soy sauce – ½ cup (the salty, savory base)
- Water – 1/4 cup
- Sugar – 2 to 3 tablespoons (adds sweetness and balance)
- Garlic, finely minced – 2 cloves (for depth and aroma)
- Pear juice – 1½ tablespoons (adds natural sweetness and body)
- Sesame oil – 1 tablespoon (rich, nutty finish)
- Pineapple juice – 1½ tablespoons (helps tenderize and sweeten)
- Lemon juice – ½ tablespoon (adds brightness and acidity)
- Paprika – 1 teaspoon (for mild heat and color)
- Red chilis – 1 to 2, finely chopped (optional, for spice)
- Salt – a few pinches, to your taste preference (enhances all the flavors)
- Cornstarch Slurry– 1 tablespoon mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water (for thickening)
- Sesame Seeds – optional
Equipment You’ll Need
- Small saucepan
- Measuring spoons and cups
- Food Processor
- Wire Mesh Strainer
- Big Spoon
- Jar or bottle for storing
Instructions
How to Make Yakiniku Sauce is easy, especially if you have a food processor. If you don’t, you can create the sauce then strain it to smooth it.
- Combine ingredients in a food processor or bowl
Add soy sauce, sugar, salt, garlic, pear juice, pineapple juice, lemon juice, paprika, and chopped red chilis in the food processor and pulse until smooth. - Simmer
Place the mixture in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar and salt dissolve. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3–5 minutes to allow flavors to blend. - Thicken
Mix the cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl with a whisk, then stir it into the sauce. Simmer for another 2 minutes until thickened. Remove from the heat. - Strain the mixture through a wire mesh strainer, using the back of a spoon to push it through, to smooth it very well and remove bits of garlic.
- Finish with sesame oil
Stir in the sesame oil and sesame seeds for aroma and best flavor. - Cool and store
Serve or let the sauce cool completely before transferring to a clean glass jar or bottle. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Best Tips for Making Yakiniku Sauce
- Use fresh pear or pineapple juice for maximum flavor
- Adjust sugar and salt to taste — different soy sauces vary in saltiness
- Simmer gently to avoid burning the sugars
- Add more chili if you like it spicy, or skip it for a mild version
- Let it sit overnight for even better flavor the next day
Add-Ins and Variations
This recipe is highly flexible. Try these variations:
- Add grated onion for more body and flavor
- Mix in ginger for a warm kick
- Stir in honey or agave instead of sugar for a natural sweetener
How to Serve Yakiniku Sauce
Dipping Sauce
Serve warm or cold alongside grilled meats, tofu, or veggie skewers.
Marinade
Use it to marinate thinly sliced beef or chicken for 30 minutes to an hour before grilling or pan-frying.
Finishing and Glazing Sauce
Drizzle over rice bowls, stir-fried vegetables, or roasted potatoes for a flavor boost. Use it for glazing chicken or mushrooms, and basting foods in stir-fries or barbecue.
What Goes Well with Yakiniku Sauce?
- Thin-sliced grilled beef (karubi or ribeye)
- Chicken thighs or wings
- Crispy Pork belly, easy baked salmon, or pork chops
- Firm tofu or tempeh
- Vegetable stir fry or Grilled Japanese zucchini, mushrooms, onions, or eggplant
- Over salmon rice bowls or fried rice
- Noodles or lettuce wraps
Common Questions
Can I make it ahead of time?
Yes. The flavor improves after sitting for a day. It will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Is this recipe gluten-free?
Only if you use gluten-free soy sauce or tamari.
Can I make yakiniku sauce without fruit juice?
You can substitute with apple juice, but pear or pineapple juice adds authentic sweetness and helps tenderize.
Can I freeze yakiniku sauce?
Yes. Pour into an ice cube tray, freeze, and store in a sealed container. Defrost a cube as needed.
This homemade yakiniku sauce is flavorful and goes along way with uses. With ingredients you likely already have, it’s a pantry-friendly recipe you’ll want to keep on hand for transforming everyday meals.
Yakiniku Sauce Recipe
Equipment
- Small saucepan
- Measuring spoons and cups
- Big Spoon
- Jar or bottle for storing
Ingredients
- ½ cup Soy sauce
- ¼ cup Water
- 2 tbsps Sugar
- 3 Garlic Cloves finely minced
- 1½ tbsps Pear juice
- 1 tbsp Sesame oil
- 1½ tbsps Pineapple juice
- ½ tbsp Lemon juice
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 Red chili finely chopped (optional, for spice)
- Salt – a few pinches to your taste preference
- Cornstarch Slurry– 1 tablespoon mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water for thickening
- Sesame Seeds optional
Instructions
Combine ingredients in a food processor or bowl
- Add soy sauce, sugar, salt, garlic, pear juice, pineapple juice, lemon juice, paprika, and chopped red chilis in the food processor and pulse until smooth.½ cup Soy sauce, ¼ cup Water, 2 tbsps Sugar, 3 Garlic Cloves, 1½ tbsps Pear juice, 1½ tbsps Pineapple juice, ½ tbsp Lemon juice, 1 tsp Paprika, 1 Red chili, Salt – a few pinches
Simmer
- Place the mixture in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar and salt dissolve. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3–5 minutes to allow flavors to blend.
Thicken
- Mix the cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl with a whisk, then stir it into the sauce. Simmer for another 2 minutes until thickened. Remove from the heat.Cornstarch Slurry– 1 tablespoon mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water
- Strain the mixture through a wire mesh strainer, using the back of a spoon to push it through, to smooth it very well and remove bits of garlic.
- Finish with sesame oil by Stir in the sesame oil and sesame seeds for aroma and best flavor.1 tbsp Sesame oil, Sesame Seeds
Cool and store
- Serve or let the sauce cool completely before transferring to a clean glass jar or bottle. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
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