17 Best Sauces for Sushi (+ Easy Recipes)

These quick sauces for sushi are fantastic!

Sushi is great on its own. But when you have the right sauce, it’s more than just good food. It’s a culinary experience. 

If there is one thing I know, it’s sushi. So believe me when I say the right sauce is key.

Forget the palate-cleansing ginger and the imitation wasabi. Sauce is the accompaniment that you need. 

From mango to bang bang sauce, I’ve compiled a collection of the 17 best. 

Whether you’re all about the spicy tuna or picture-perfect rainbow roll, there’s a sushi sauce here for all your favorite sushi rolls.

1. Spicy Sriracha Mayo  

Don’t you just love the rolls drizzled with Sriracha mayo on top? I know I do!

The spicy creamy condiment adds a punch to any sushi roll. Especially those explosive dynamite rolls. 

You can whip this up in minutes with just three ingredients. Plus, it’s super versatile. 

From wraps to burgers, you’ll find plenty of use for any extra sauce.

2. Mango Dipping Sauce

Here’s a tropical delight for your veggie, salmon, shrimp tempura, and other specialty rolls. 

It’s sweet, zesty, bright, and fruity. So it has all the makings to perk any roll right up. 

I also use it as a dipping sauce for fried shrimp and fresh summer rolls. 

3. Yum Yum Sauce

This hibachi-style sauce is yummy indeed! 

It’s creamy, spicy, tangy, and sweet.

It utilizes a bunch of pantry staples. That means you can throw it together anytime you need a sauce for your sushi. 

I tend to like mine a little less sweet. So I dial back on the sugar.

You can also tailor the spice level to your needs.

4. Eel Sauce (Unagi)

Eel sauce is a classic. It’s salty, sweet, and savory with a deep flavor. 

All you need to make it is sake, mirin, soy sauce, and sugar.

While it was invented for eel, you can use it on any roll you like. 

5. Avocado and Wasabi Sauce

Creamy avocados and spicy wasabi are the perfect match. 

Wasabi can be potent. Add the avocado and the two create a complementary contrast. 

Add lemon and salt to the mix and you have this sushi sauce.

I highly recommend trying it with a California roll. It doubles the amount of avocado!

6. Japanese Citrus Sauce (Ponzu)

When in doubt, dip it in ponzu. 

Ponzu is one of my personal favorites. The way the citrus plays on the umami is sensational. 

Three types of citrus infuse this umami sauce. It also has a hint of ginger and garlic.

Trouble is, the store doesn’t always have it in stock. Luckily, you can make it at home. 

Oh, and if you need a recommendation, pair it with a seared ahi roll. It’s seriously the best!

7. Masago Sauce

Masago is a type of fish roe. Unlike caviar, these fish eggs come from capelin. 

It tastes a little briny and salty. It’s also high in protein and omega-3.

If you’re feeling wild, add it to your roll. You only need four ingredients, and the process is very simple. 

8. Chipotle Sauce

If you think everything tastes better with a little heat, this chipotle sauce is for you. 

It has that wow factor your sushi needs. 

The creamy base soaks up the warming spices and peppers for a distinct chipotle flavor.

Don’t limit yourself by just using this for sushi.

It’s a tasty dipper for grilled shrimp and begging for you to slather it on a juicy burger. 

9. Sweet Soy Sauce (Kecap Manis)

Add brown sugar and garlic to soy sauce and you have Kecap manis. 

This Indonesian condiment has a wide range of uses. It’s a fantastic marinade, great glaze, and sensational sauce.

You can store it in the fridge for a few months. So you can have it on hand for an easy sushi night.

10. Wasabi Cream Sauce

Why settle for a glob of wasabi when you can turn it into a lavish sauce?

I like the spiciness of wasabi. Yet sometimes I want a little more than just a sinus clearer. 

Enter wasabi cream sauce. This velvety smooth creation transcends wasabi. 

It balances out the pungency with sour cream, mayo, soy sauce, and rice vinegar. 

You do have to chill it for about 30 minutes, but it’s totally worth the wait.

11. Tobiko Sauce

You don’t have to be a chef to make your sushi taste like takeout.

All you need are quality ingredients and the right sauce like tobiko. 

This four-ingredient condiment features mayo, Sriracha, lime, and tobiko roe. 

Tobiko roe are those bright orange fish eggs that add a snap to your rolls. 

From cucumber rolls to rainbow rolls, it goes with just about anything.  

12. Peruvian Green Sauce (Aji Verde)

This is one of the best authentic Peruvian sauces. 

It combines spicy and fresh ingredients with a creamy base for a tantalizing flavor. 

The key is to use aji amarillo paste. The chili in this paste is essential to traditional Peruvian cuisine. 

Combined with the jalapeno peppers, it packs some heat.

Don’t worry though, the mayo and cotija keep it in check.

13. Teriyaki Sauce 

Teriyaki isn’t just for stir-fries, it’s great for sushi too. 

If you’re new to homemade teriyaki sauce, this recipe is a great place to start.

It’s super simple and takes less than 15 minutes.

Sometimes, I like to use this instead of eel sauce. I find the deep umami flavor is a great substitute.  

14. Wasabi Mayo

If you want a quicker way to doctor up wasabi, go with this sauce.

Making sauce for sushi doesn’t get any easier than this. It takes a whole 5 minutes and just two ingredients. 

Can you guess what they are? I thought so!

This goes with so many different sushi rolls. It also goes with a variety of dishes. 

Wraps, sandwiches, burgers, latkes, or crab cakes, the list goes on and on. 

15. Ginger Sauce

Do you love ginger with your sushi? Turn it into a dipping sauce. 

This copycat recipe cracked the code to a Benihana favorite. 

It’s a zippy sensation that infuses umami with tangy, sweet, and citrusy ingredients. 

If you happen to have leftovers, you could freeze the sauce. Or, you can enjoy it tomorrow with a hibachi dinner.

16. Bang Bang Sauce

This is what I call an explosion of flavor!

It’s creamy, spicy, and sweet all at the same time. 

The mayo gets spruced up with Thai sweet chili sauce and Sriracha. Add salt and pepper to taste, then it’s sushi time. 

This goes particularly well with shrimp and baked rolls. I also love it with a simple avocado roll.

17. Japanese Sesame Sauce (Goma Dare)

Goma dare is a remarkable use of sesame seeds. 

These tiny seeds make this Japanese condiment creamy without being rich like dairy.

But you don’t have to grind seeds or anything like that. You use tahini.

You also use mirin, miso, soy sauce, rice vinegar, dashi, garlic, and sugar to taste. 

Although it’s most commonly paired with hot pots, you can use it for sushi, too.

So fix up your sushi roll of choice and let the dipping commence!