A super simple recipe for homemade Takoyaki Sauce, PERFECT for drizzling over crispy golden takoyaki (Japanese octopus snacks). Sweet, tangy and oh-so-delicious, this amazing Japanese sauce works well with other Japanese dishes like Japanese savoury pancakes and yakisoba noodles too.
Why We Love This
With a sweet, fruity flavour and classic Japanese umami hit, takoyaki sauce is so delicious you’ll want to drizzle it over anything and everything. It’s super simple and easy to make, especially if you regularly enjoy Japanese cuisine at home.
This sauce is so versatile you can use it for way more than just takoyaki. Why not try it out as a marinade or basting sauce for meat!
And okay, yes you COULD buy pre made sauce at an Asian grocery or import store. But if you don’t have that option nearby or just love tinkering in the kitchen creating your own sauce blends, then this recipe is for you!
Related: Yakisoba Sauce / Okonomiyaki Sauce / Yakitori Sauce
What is Takoyaki Sauce made of?
You’ll need only four ingredients to make this quick and easy homemade takoyaki sauce: Worcestershire sauce, mentsuyu (try our homemade mentsuyu if you can’t source this locally), ketchup or tomato sauce, and sugar!
How to make Takoyaki Sauce from scratch
This simple homemade sauce couldn’t be easier:
- Simply pop all your ingredients into a small bowl and mix together.
- Taste your sauce and add more of any ingredient until you’re satisfied with the flavour.
- Enjoy!
Wandercooks Tips
- You can use store bought or homemade mentsuyu.
- European style worcestershire sauce tends to be quite tangy, while Japanese-style worcestershire sauces are often sweeter. If you know your worcestershire sauce brand is QUITE tangy, you might like to adjust the amount in your version to compensate. Ultimately it’s up to your personal flavour preference!
- Feel free to use leftover sauce for other Japanese recipes – it’s a winner for okonomiyaki and yakisoba too! Or why not try it as your next marinade or sauce for oysters kilpatrick!
FAQs
Okonomiyaki sauce and takoyaki sauce are quite similar, and you could use either as a substitute for the other in a pinch. There are subtle differences in flavour, fruitiness, colour and thickness which make each sauce the best choice for its chosen dish.
The blend of fruity, tangy worcestershire sauce and aromatic kombu/soy flavours in mentsuyu give this sauce a delicious umami kick. The sauce is also a little sweeter than other Japanese brown sauces, offsetting the saltiness of crispy golden fried takoyaki balls perfectly!
For the best flavour and quality, use up your sauce within one week. Always store any unused sauce in the refrigerator, so it stays nice and fresh.
Variations
- If you don’t feel like making mentsuyu or can’t source it locally, you can leave it out. Optionally, try adding a dash of soy and a pinch of kombu dashi powder diluted in 2 tsp water.
- For our Australian readers, ketchup can be substituted with regular tomato sauce.
Now that you’ve mastered the recipe for the sauce, it’s time to cook takoyaki! So, get your hands on our delicious takoyaki recipe here!
Love Japanese food? Here’s our most popular recipes to try next:
★ Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment and star rating below!
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp mentsuyu homemade or store-bought
- 3 tbsp worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 2 tsp tomato sauce / ketchup (tomato sauce)
- 2 tsp honey
- ½ tsp garlic minced or powder
- ½ tsp ginger minced or powder
Instructions
- Simply pop all your ingredients (mentsuyu, worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce, tomato sauce, honey, garlic and ginger) into a small bowl and mix together.4 tbsp mentsuyu, 3 tbsp worcestershire sauce, 2 tbsp oyster sauce, 2 tsp tomato sauce / ketchup, 2 tsp honey, ½ tsp garlic, ½ tsp ginger
- Taste your sauce and add more of any ingredient until you’re satisfied with the flavour. Enjoy!
Video
Recipe Notes
- You can use store bought, or make your own at home
- European style worcestershire sauce tends to be quite tangy, while Japanese-style worcestershire sauces are often sweeter. If you know your worcestershire sauce brand is QUITE tangy, you might like to adjust the amount in your version to compensate. Ultimately it’s up to your personal flavour preference!
- Feel free to use leftover takoyaki sauce for other Japanese recipes – it’s a winner for okonomiyaki and yakisoba too! Or why not try it as your next marinade or basting sauce?
- Are okonomiyaki sauce and takoyaki sauce the same? Okonomiyaki sauce and takoyaki sauce are quite similar, and you could use either as a substitute for the other in a pinch. There are subtle differences in flavour, fruitiness, colour and thickness which make each sauce the best choice for its chosen dish.
- What does takoyaki sauce taste like? The blend of fruity, tangy worcestershire sauce and aromatic kombu/soy flavours in mentsuyu give takoyaki sauce a delicious umami kick. Takoyaki sauce is a little sweeter than other Japanese brown sauces, offsetting the saltiness of crispy golden fried takoyaki balls perfectly!
- How long does takoyaki sauce last? For the best flavour and quality, use your hHomemade takoyaki sauce within one week. Always store any unused sauce in the refrigerator.
Variations & Substitutes
- If you don’t feel like making mentsuyu or can’t source it locally, you can leave it out. Optionally, try adding a dash of soy and a pinch of kombu dashi powder diluted in 2 tsp water.
- For our Australian readers, ketchup can be substituted with regular tomato sauce.
Nutrition
12 Comments
June
09/12/2022 at 8:12 amGreat recipe.
I’m from Brissy…Glad to see Aussie food bloggers here.
Always love your work!
Wandercooks
09/12/2022 at 7:12 pmOh thanks June! Hi from Adelaide. 😁
Ana F
06/11/2019 at 4:25 amOh I need this in my life! I can use this takoyaki sauce on so many things. Yum!
Wandercooks
07/11/2019 at 12:24 pmHigh five to that! If you discover some delish combos we want to hear ALL about it! 😀
Emma
05/11/2019 at 7:11 pmI love Japanese food so am super excited about stumbling across this recipe! Thanks for sharing!
Wandercooks
07/11/2019 at 12:24 pmYay welcome, hope you enjoy!
Jeannette
05/11/2019 at 6:22 pmI could INSTANTLY taste the amazing flavours when I came across your post! Thanks for sharing!
Wandercooks
07/11/2019 at 12:23 pmHaha excellent, our job is done! Enjoy the recipe and let us know what you think!
Farah
05/11/2019 at 5:03 pmI absolutely love how interesting your recipes are! You keep expanding my culinary horizons. Thanks for this versatile and easy sauce recipe!
Wandercooks
07/11/2019 at 12:23 pmAaww thanks Farah, so glad you enjoy the adventure and hope you have fun with this recipe!
Tisha
05/11/2019 at 4:09 pmThis sauce looks and sounds amazing! I haven’t tried Takoyaki but it does sound intriguing!
Wandercooks
07/11/2019 at 12:22 pmThere’s nothing else quite like it – hope you get to try it and enjoy!