Japanese BBQ sauce is a sweet, savory, and umami-rich condiment that can add delicious flavor to a variety of dishes. With its balance of soy sauce, mirin, sake, and spices, Japanese BBQ sauce is extremely versatile in the kitchen. Here are some tasty ways to use up a bottle of this Asian-inspired sauce.
Marinades and Glazes
One of the most popular uses for Japanese BBQ sauce is as a marinade or glaze for proteins. The sauce nicely coats and infuses flavor into:
- Chicken
- Pork
- Beef
- Fish like salmon and tuna
- Tofu and other vegetarian proteins
Simply combine the BBQ sauce with a bit of oil, garlic, ginger, and other aromatics in a zip-top bag. Add your protein of choice and let it marinate for 30 minutes up to overnight. Grill, broil, bake, or pan fry as usual, brushing on some of the reserved marinade during cooking to make an easy, tasty glaze.
You can also quickly sauté veggies like zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms, and bell peppers in Japanese BBQ sauce for a fast, flavor-packed side.
Savory Baked Goods
The balanced sweet-savory taste of Japanese BBQ sauce makes it an interesting ingredient for baked goods. Try adding a bit to recipes like:
- Meatloaf
- Burgers
- Meatballs
- Chicken or pork kabobs
- Stuffed peppers or mushrooms
The sauce will add a touch of sticky glaze and Asian flavor to comfort food favorites.
Rice Bowls and Grains
Drizzle, mix, or stir Japanese BBQ sauce into any grains or rice bowls. It gives a tasty boost to:
- Plain white or brown rice
- Quinoa
- Farro
- Mixed stir fry rice with veggies and protein
- Rice bowls like bibimbap or burrito bowls
The sauce adds a nice hit of flavor and sheen to otherwise plain grains.
Stir-Fry Sauce
Stir a tablespoon or two of Japanese BBQ sauce into any meat or veggie stir-fry recipe in place of other liquid stir-fry sauces. The BBQ sauce adds salty, sweet, gingery depth to basics like:
- Chicken and broccoli
- Beef and bell peppers
- Tofu and bok choy
- Shrimp and snap peas
Let the sauce coat the ingredients and create a shiny, sticky glaze as you cook everything together quickly over high heat.
Dipping Sauce
Thin out Japanese BBQ sauce with a bit of water, rice vinegar, lemon juice, or soy sauce to make it into a tangy dip for all sorts of appetizers and snacks, like:
- Dumplings
- Spring rolls
- Chicken wings or nuggets
- Fresh or fried veggies
- Wontons
- Egg rolls
Customize the dip to your tastes by adding extras like sesame oil, chili sauce, ginger, garlic, or scallions.
Salad Dressings and Marinades
Whisk together Japanese BBQ sauce, oil, vinegar or citrus juice, and spices for a fast salad dressing. Or thin it out into more of a marinade for ingredients like:
- Chicken
- Beef
- Fish
- Tofu
- Vegetables
Marinate the ingredients first to infuse flavor, then drain and add them to salads, rice bowls, wraps, and more.
Sauce for Noodles or Pasta
Toss freshly cooked Asian noodles or pasta with a drizzle of Japanese BBQ sauce. Add sautéed protein and vegetables for a quick and easy noodle bowl meal. The sauce coats noodles like ramen, udon, soba, rice noodles, or pasta nicely.
Pulled Meat
Use Japanese BBQ sauce to cook and flavor pulled pork, chicken, or jackfruit in the slow cooker or oven. Shred the tender meat and toss with the sticky sauce for easy pulled pork sandwiches, tacos, burritos, rice bowls, and more.
Pizza Sauce
Who says you have to use tomato sauce on pizza? Spread or drizzle Japanese BBQ sauce over a prepared crust. Top with cheese and favorite pizza toppings and bake as usual for a flavorful Asian-inspired pizza.
Cooking Glaze
Use Japanese BBQ sauce straight from the bottle to coat proteins during cooking for flavor and color. Brush on chicken pieces during grilling or roasting. Spread it on salmon before broiling. During the last few minutes of cooking, coat the food surface with the sauce to set into a shiny glaze.
Sauce for Cooking Ground Meat
When cooking ground meat like beef, turkey, or veggie crumbles, add a few big spoonfuls of Japanese BBQ sauce as the meat browns. Let the sauce coat the meat and absorb into the crumbles to infuse every bite with flavor. Use the meat in any recipe like tacos, pasta sauce, etc.
Sweet and Spicy Wings
Toss chicken wings in a combo of Japanese BBQ sauce, hot sauce, and honey for finger-licking sticky wings. The sweet, savory, spicy glaze makes for juicy baked or fried wings the whole family will love.
Sandwich and Burger Sauce
Slather Japanese BBQ sauce onto proteins, then assemble into sandwiches and burgers. Use it in place of traditional condiments like ketchup, mayo, or mustard. The sauce gives a sweet-savory flavor boost to favorites like:
- Burgers
- Chicken sandwiches
- Pulled pork
- Tofu banh mi
- Veggie burgers
Vegan and Vegetarian Dishes
Japanese BBQ sauce packs a flavor punch without relying on animal products, making it perfect for plant-based recipes. Use it to coat veggies before roasting or grilling. Toss it with baked tofu, tempeh, or seitan. Include it in a marinade for a vegan protein like jackfruit. Drizzle it over veggie fried rice or a grain bowl. The possibilities are endless.
Sweet and Sour Sauce
Add pineapple juice and vinegar to Japanese BBQ sauce for a quick homemade sweet and sour sauce for Thai or Chinese-style cooking. Toss with sautéed veggies and protein or drizzle over fried foods.
Baby Back Ribs or Pork Spareribs
Slather on Japanese BBQ sauce for the last 30-60 minutes when cooking ribs to set it into a finger-licking glaze. Bake, grill, or slow cook the ribs first, then coat generously with sauce toward the end of cooking. The sweet sauce balances the richness of the pork beautifully.
Grilled Shrimp Skewers
Marinate peeled shrimp in Japanese BBQ sauce, then skewer and grill or broil until cooked through. The sauce caramelizes nicely and provides lots of flavor for simple shrimp. Serve over rice or noodles.
Roast Turkey, Chicken, or Duck
During the last hour of roasting poultry, frequently brush Japanese BBQ sauce over the skin to glaze and flavor it. The sauce adds shine and Asian-inspired taste to everyday roast birds.
Pot Stickers and Dumplings
Brush or drizzle a bit of Japanese BBQ sauce onto dumplings and potstickers after cooking for a shiny glaze and extra taste. The sauce pairs especially nicely with pork or chicken stuffed dumplings.
In Conclusion
Japanese BBQ sauce is extremely versatile in cooking lots of different dishes. With its balance of savory and sweet flavors, the sauce can be used as a marinade, glaze, dressing, dip and more. From roasted meats and seafood, to stir-fries, salads, sandwiches and even pasta, Japanese BBQ sauce is a handy condiment to keep around. Next time you are cooking up chicken, steak, tofu, or veggies, give this Asian-inspired sauce a try in place of traditional American BBQ sauce or ketchup.