The 9 Best Substitutes for Ponzu

Anyone who loves Asian cuisine will have a stash of Ponzu somewhere in their cupboards. Ponzu is a citrus-based sauce used in Asian cooking that goes especially well with sashimi, grilled fish, steamed chicken, and vegetables.

Ponzu is a wonderful and versatile sauce, but it is not well known outside of Japan. Nowadays, most supermarkets have Ponzu, but in smaller stores, you may have a hard time finding it.

Luckily, there are plenty of great ways to substitute Ponzu sauce if you run out or just can’t get it.

So what is the best substitute for Ponzu sauce?

The best substitute for Ponzu sauce is anything that has a similar flavor and consistency. Ponzu has a tangy, citrusy flavor, so you can combine a few ingredients to mimic them. Soy sauce, Mentsuyu, and Worcestershire sauce are great ingredients to substitute for umami flavors. And, of course, citrus juice (such as lemon, lime or orange), substitutes for the floral notes of citrus.

But before we move on to our favorite Ponzu substitutes, today we’ll take a look at what exactly it is, what Ponzu is made of, and how to choose the best possible substitute.

Below, we’ll delve into the many substitutes and even how to make and use them.

What is Ponzu?

Ponzu is an incredibly flavorful Japanese citrus sauce that has become so popular that you can find it all over the world at your local grocery store or Asian grocery store.

This citrus sauce has a very thin, watery consistency and a very light brown color (almost golden, but very clear) , almost like watery soy sauce!

This sauce is usually made with a combination of citrus juice, soy sauce, sugar, and dashi. Sometimes there are other ingredients in the mix, such as mirin or vinegar.

The most common citrus used to make ponzu are yuzu, sudachi, or kabosu.

Overall, the taste is a lot like a vinaigrette: slightly tart and tart, but full of delicious citrus flavors.

The word “ponzu” originally comes from the Dutch word “pons”, which means punch. The “zu” part was added once vinegar entered the equation, eventually referring to this sauce as a fruit juice vinegar.

how to make ponzu

Actually ponzu is very easy to make and can even be done at home. Typically, rice vinegar, mirin, tuna flakes (katsuobushi flakes), and seaweed (kombu) are boiled together over medium heat.

This allows the flavors to blend perfectly without overcooking.

The mixture is then completely cooled and strained through a fine filter to remove flakes and particles.

Only then is the citrus juice added. As we have mentioned, Asian citrus varieties such as yuzu, daidai, kabosu or sudachi are normally used. You can also use lemon or lime juice.

This sauce, like most dressings, should be stored in a glass bottle to prevent anything from altering the flavor or color.

How is ponzu used in the kitchen?

Traditionally, ponzu is used as a topping for tataki. Tataki is not a dish, but a way of preparing fish and meat in Japanese cuisine.

This method consists of lightly grilling the piece of meat on the outside while keeping it raw on the inside. Once the meat is cooked, it is usually cut into slices or chunks.

Another traditional use of Ponzu is that it is used as a sauce for dishes such as shabu-shabu, a type of Japanese hot dish. Sometimes it is even used as a sauce for sashimi, which is sliced raw fish.

Today, especially in non-Asian countries, this sauce has taken on a wide range of uses and is very versatile. Most people use it as a marinade, as a sauce, or as a basting sauce.

As a marinade, the acidity of the sauce (from the citrus juice and vinegar) helps to tenderize the meat proteins and infuse flavor.

Also, accompanied by the sweet and floral notes of citrus, you get a very balanced marinade, especially when combined with fish!

As a dipping sauce, it can be used as is (like soy sauce) or used in a recipe as an ingredient. As is, it makes a fantastic dipping sauce for dumplings, sashimi, or even spring rolls.

It can also be incorporated into many recipes, but we recommend adding it only at the end of the recipe. This will allow it to develop enough flavor without overcooking the sauce.

Even just one tablespoon packs a punch and will add a totally different flavor profile to your dish.

We love adding it to stir-fries or to make a simple salad dressing.

Different Types of Ponzu

As with almost all products, different types have been developed over the years, each with its own flavor profile and even uses.

It’s not too important to know exactly what type you’re using, unless you want an exact substitute. There are 6 main types of Ponzu:

ponzu sauce

“Ponzu sauce” is the original type of Ponzu that was made. It consists only of elaborate vinegar and citrus juice: a simple sauce but packed with immense flavor!

This sauce has a very light yellow color, almost golden, because it does not contain soy sauce. The color usually comes from citrus juice. You will find that Ponzu sauces that contain soy sauce have a naturally darker color.

The original Ponzu sauce has a very mild flavor and is less intense than others. It has strong citrus notes and goes very well with pork and fish dishes.

raw ponzu sauce

This lesser known type is actually one of our favorites, but it is very hard to find. This gem of a sauce is made with the freshest ingredients possible, literally.

This raw sauce is made with freshly squeezed citrus juice and frozen within 4 hours to retain the maximum amount of flavor.

We’re not sure why or how this method came to be, but in any case, it tastes absolutely amazing. No specific ingredients are used for this type as it focuses more on the freshness of the citrus juice than anything else.

Ponzu Soy Sauce

This is arguably the most common and popular type of Ponzu sauce. This sauce has much more complex flavors and often contains vinegar, citrus juice, soy sauce, sugar, salt, and other aromatic spices. 

What makes this specific type versatile on its own is its many different flavors. It’s like an open canvas and manufacturers play a lot with spices and flavoring ingredients (like vinegar).

The trick to this type of sauce is to create an overall balanced flavor profile.

Naturally, this Ponzu sauce has a darker color because it contains soy sauce. This sauce goes incredibly well as is with grilled fish, meats and even vegetables. Using it in a recipe can be difficult because it already contains so many flavors.

Kombu Ponzu Sauce

The name says it all: Ponzu sauce containing kombu dashi! Kombu dashi is a type of Japanese broth made from seaweed (kombu) . It also has soy sauce added, giving it an extreme umami flavor profile and dark color.

Despite having complex flavors, it is still a very refreshing sauce thanks to the citrus juice. This sauce is specifically a fantastic ingredient to use in recipes, stir-fries or to make salad dressings.

Yuzu Ponzu Sauce

This Ponzu sauce has been made specifically using the yuzu citrus. It is a type of Japanese lemon with extremely complex and floral flavors. It is acidic, with notes of grapefruit and mandarin.

Depending on the manufacturer, some versions of this sauce contain kombu dashi (seaweed broth) or bonito soup (a type of fish broth).

Sesame Ponzu Sauce

The latter type of Ponzu contains sesame paste and sometimes even ground sesame. This sesame is often added to Yuzu Ponzu sauces or Ponzu soy sauce.

Toasted sesame seeds add a bit of nuttiness to the flavor profile, making great dipping sauces.

How to Substitute Ponzu

Substituting the Ponzu is pretty easy depending on what you use it for. The best substitute for Ponzu is to simply make your own, but we don’t always have time, right!

Decide exactly what function you want to replace. Do you want something with a similar flavor, a similar color, or that helps tenderize the food? Making this crucial decision first will save you a lot of time when choosing a replacement.

If you want to substitute flavor, you’ll need to look at the flavor profile of the original ponzu sauce you intended to use.

For example, if it’s a sesame ponzu sauce, naturally, you’ll need to find something similar with sesame seeds or just add some to another substitute.

If you want to substitute the color, then you can dilute a little soy sauce or use another sauce (or broth) with a similar color.

And, if you want to create a ponzu marinade, you’ll need to choose a substitute that has a high enough acidity level to do so, or adjust a recipe by adding a bit more.

The 9 Best Substitutes for Ponzu

Let’s look at the best substitutes for Ponzu sauce. Naturally, we’ve included a homemade recipe, but we’ve also got plenty of quick and easy substitutes that you’ll love.

1. Homemade Ponzu Sauce

Homemade Ponzu sauce is the closest thing to the real thing. The ingredients, however, can be hard to find depending on where you live. The good thing is that even those ingredients have substitutes.

Your best bet for these ingredients is a local Asian grocery store, or a specialty store, or even a health food store. You can also try to find them on the Internet.

Ingredients

• 45 ml (3 tablespoons) rice vinegar
• 45 ml (3 tablespoons) mirin
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon) soy sauce
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons) bonito flakes
• 1/4 cup (62.5 ml) lemon or yuzu juice

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan, combine all the ingredients except the citrus juice. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.
2. When the mixture has boiled, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool completely. 
3. Strain the mixture and whisk in the lemon juice. Place the homemade ponzu sauce in a glass jar and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

2. Soy sauce and lemon juice

A combination of soy sauce and lemon juice is actually a very quick and easy substitute, especially for soy sauce-based ponzu sauces. It has a very similar flavor profile, consistency, and color.

Plus, by specifically adding lemon juice, it gives your substitute the acidity it needs to continue to help tenderize meats.

To make this substitute, simply combine 4 parts soy sauce with 1 part freshly squeezed lemon juice. You can add more lemon juice if you want, or even lime juice.

Mix the ingredients and use the amount indicated in the recipe.

3. Soy sauce and vinegar

Chances are these two ingredients are already in your pantry, so these are a great and easy substitution. And the great thing about it is that you can play around with different types of vinegar to change up the flavor profile.

This substitution will give you the color you need, as well as the acidity. One thing to note is that it does not contain any citrus juice.

Therefore, this substitute can be used with recipes that already contain some, or you can simply add the citrus you want.

To make this substitute, use 3 parts soy sauce and 1 part vinegar, it’s that easy!

4. Soy sauce and orange juice

Although orange juice isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when you think of ponzu, in a pinch it definitely works. Although it adds the citrus flavor profile, it does not have any acidity.

So, if you want to make a marinade, you’ll need to add some acidity to the mi, however, without any, it makes a fantastic sauce to dip or add to a dressing.

For this substitute, combine 4 tablespoons (60 ml) of soy sauce (preferably a low sodium one) with 4 teaspoons (20 ml) of orange juice.

5. Mentsuyu and lemon

Mentsuyu is another very popular type of Japanese soup base. It is made with a combination of soy sauce, sugar, mirin, dashi, and salt; as you can see, practically the same ingredients with which the Ponzu is made.

The addition of lemon to the mix is simply to help add some of the tartness that the Ponzu has. This substitution will have a fantastically sweet, salty, and sour flavor profile.

You can buy Mentsuyu at your local Asian store or online. It will save you a ton of time having to make a substitution from scratch and can be used for other recipes as well.

You can use 4 parts Mentsuyu with 1 part lemon juice (or even another type of citrus juice).

6. Mentsuyu and fruit vinegar

Ok, this substitution is more for when you have or find Mentsuyu, but don’t have any citrus, or maybe you just want to experiment a bit!

There are a ton of different fruit vinegars on the market that can make your Ponzu very interesting.

We always like a good apple, apricot, grape or raspberry cider vinegar. They all have the necessary acidity, but a slightly different flavor profile.

You can also play with the proportions, but to start with, use 4 parts Mentsuyu with 1 part fruit vinegar.

7. Worcestershire sauce

If you’re specifically looking for a substitute for the Ponzu marinade, Worcestershire sauce on its own may do the trick.

Contains tamarind and anchovies that help replace the flavors of bonito flakes and citrus juice.

The biggest drawback to this substitute is that Worcestershire sauce also contains additional spices that you may not want to include in your recipe.

But, in our opinion, it’s a good time to experiment and practice your recipe-making skills.

8. Mentsuyu and vinegar

Fruit vinegar is not the only one you can use with Mentsuyu. Regular vinegar works great too, though it tends to have a spicier flavor that’s great for tenderizing meats.

Be sure to use a good quality vinegar, or add a bit of sugar if your vinegar is very acidic.

Mix 4 parts of Mentsuyu with 1 part of vinegar. To lessen the spiciness a bit, you can add a little sugar or honey, or a splash of water to slightly dilute the sauce.

9. Nam Prik Pla

Nam prik pla is an essential traditional dipping sauce in Thai cooking. It’s a perfect balance of sour, salty, sweet and spicy, much like Ponzu sauce. But yes, the heat of this sauce may be the reason you can’t use it.

However, look at the recipe in which you are going to use Ponzu. If there are chilies or wasabi included, simply remove them and use this sauce instead. It will also substitute the spiciness.

Although this is an easy sauce to find, you can also make your own at home.

Ingredients

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3 bird’s eye chiles, sliced
• 75 ml (5 tablespoons) fish sauce
• 90 ml (6 tablespoons) lemon or lime juice
• 30 ml (2 tablespoons) sugar

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients.
2. Let the sauce infuse for a day or two and strain it before using it in your recipes.

Related questions

Now that we’ve gone over the best Ponzu substitutes, let’s take a look at some related questions!

Does Ponzu sauce have to be reduced on fire?

No, Ponzu sauce can be used just like soy sauce to finish a dish or used as a dipping sauce. There is no need to heat the sauce unless you want a thicker consistency, then heat is needed to reduce the Ponzu sauce.

Is Ponzu sauce gluten free?

Ponzu sauce is nut and gluten free; however, it does contain soy, which many people are allergic to. You should always check the ingredient list on the packaging to make sure it does not contain other common allergens.

How long can Ponzu sauce be kept?

If you’re making the Ponzu sauce from scratch, we don’t recommend keeping it in the fridge for more than a week . However, if you buy it in the store, you can check the expiration date.