Elevate Your Sushi Game With Osaka Spicy Umami Sauce Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy
Make the best homemade sushi with the help of the BEST Osaka Umami Sauce Recipe ever! This spicy umami sauce is a quick no-cook sauce that’s creamy, packed with flavour, and so easy to make!
Watch How to Make The Best Umami Sauce Recipe Here:
What Is Umami Sauce?
This Umami Sauce will transform your meals! Inspired by the umami sauce used at the restaurant I worked at to make sushi, this umami sauce is so delicious and surprisingly easy to make! As I describe in my free motivational guide to explore your potential in the kitchen, Make Cooking Fun!, going out to eat can inspire you to try new creations! Before making this sauce, I had sushi for dinner, and I was so excited to make some pressed sushi the next day! This umami sauce is primarily used for pressed sushi, but you can use it for any type of sushi, making it awesome for lunch or dinner. You could also pair it with Japanese sides. I’ll give you some more serving ideas later on in this post!
The umami sauce was one of my favourite delicacies when I was working at the restaurant. Now that I don’t work there anymore, I can safely admit that I’d lick SO MUCH of it! It’s seriously THAT GOOD! If making sushi has been on your bucket list, then I encourage you to try it out along with this sauce to go with it as part of your Live to Cook one-month challenge! You can get started on your cooking journey free today by signing up to my email newsletter, plus you’ll receive all of my new recipes delivered straight to your inbox!
Check out the video to see how we make the umami sauce and how we pair it with pressed sushi! It would mean a lot if you could please subscribe to my YouTube channel if you’re not already, and don’t forget to press the bell button so you’re notified when all of my video recipes are live! Let’s get mixing!
Why You’ll Love This Umami Sauce!
Easy and quick to make: This no-cook sauce is really fast to mix everything together once you’ve prepped your teriyaki reduction (more information on how to do this later on in this post!). That’s the only step!
Creamy: Rich and luscious, this sauce is absolutely irresistible!
Flavourful: So much is going on here, making it the perfect complement to your meal!
What Does Umami Mean?
Umami is one of the tastes - including sweet, sour, salt, and bitter. Umami is a deep and savory flavour that increases saliva production, and it can last longer on the tongue compared to other tastes. In culinary uses, umami adds that extra punch that enhances the flavour of a dish. The term originated from Japanese, meaning “pleasant savory taste,” and it’s associated with foods such as Parmesan cheese, soy sauce, miso, cured meats, mushrooms, seaweed, and anchovies.
What Does Umami Sauce Taste Like?
It’s rich, savoury, and slightly sweet with controlled heat.
The mayonnaise gives it body and creaminess. The miso brings deep umami and a subtle fermented saltiness. The teriyaki reduction adds gloss and balanced sweetness while seasoning the sauce. Sriracha layers in heat while the garlic sharpens the edge. The dash of lime juice lightens the sauce and keeps it from feeling heavy.
Once torched, it develops light caramelization on top while staying creamy underneath. You get sweet, salty, creamy, spicy and smoky in one bite — built to complement the salmon, not compete with it. It’s bold yet balanced.
Dietary Information For This Umami Sauce
This Osaka umami spicy sauce is:
Tools Required for The Best Umami Sauce Recipe
Ingredients For Osaka Umami Sauce
The FULL PRINTABLE recipe card has all ingredients and their quantities, which can be found by scrolling to the bottom of this post or by pressing the “Jump to Recipe” button.You will also be able to use the recipe card to scale the ingredients based on how many portions of hot honey you’re looking to make. By default, this will make about 1 cup.
Mayonnaise: You can use store-bought mayo or if you’re very ambitious, make your own! If you’re going to use a store-bought mayo, then the best choice (if you have it already!) would be kewpie, which is Japanese mayo. I like this mayo because it’s got a bit of a lighter taste and mouthfeel. No problem at all if you don’t have it, however! As you can see in the picture, I definitely did not making the spicy umami sauce here.
Teriyaki reduction: This is thickened teriyaki sauce. We’ll go over how to do this below.
White miso paste: This is where most of the flavour will come from!
Sriracha: I recommend you add less initially and add more if desired.
Garlic clove: Use a microplane to grate it.
Lime or lemon juice: You can use freshly squeezed juice or from a bottle.
White pepper: Just a small pinch.
How to Make Spicy Umami Sauce
For the Teriyaki Reduction
Add teriyaki sauce to a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 6–10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not boil aggressively.
Reduce until thickened by about half and the sauce coats the back of a spoon. It should leave a line when dragged through and slowly settle back.
Remove from heat and cool completely. The glaze will thicken further as it cools.
For the Umami Sauce
Add all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
Place sauce into a squeeze bottle. Cover, label and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes before using.
How Can I Adjust the Flavours of This Umami Sauce?
More heat? Add sriracha in small increments. Don’t flood it — heat should support, not dominate.
Want it deeper? Increase the miso slightly. A little goes a long way.
Too salty? Add mayonnaise to rebalance instead of diluting with liquid.
Sweeter profile? Add more teriyaki reduction. Keep it controlled so it doesn’t overpower the fish.
Need more brightness? A few drops of lemon or rice vinegar will sharpen it up.
Too thick? Loosen with a small splash of water.
Too thin? Add mayonnaise, not more teriyaki.
Chill after adjusting. Cold sauce always tastes more composed.
Tips for The Best Spicy Umami Sauce
Use full-fat mayonnaise. Lower-fat versions won’t hold up as well when torched and can split.
Make sure the teriyaki reduction is fully cooled before mixing. Warm glaze will thin the sauce and affect consistency.
Whisk the miso in thoroughly so there are no lumps. Smooth sauce = even torching and better presentation.
Microplane the garlic instead of mincing. You want flavour without visible chunks.
Start lighter on the sriracha and build up. The miso and teriyaki already bring salt and depth — heat should support, not overpower.
Chill the sauce at least 20 minutes before using. Cold sauce holds its shape, torches better, and stays where you pipe it.
How to Store The Best Spicy Umami Sauce
Simply pour the umami sauce in a mason jar, an airtight container, or in a squeeze bottle and keep it in the fridge.
How to Use Spicy Umami Sauce
Spicy Umami sauce is typically used for Japanese dishes. Here are ways that I use Spicy Umami Sauce:
Other Easy Sauce Recipes
Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cooking.with.anadi. Thank you!
Osaka Umami Spicy Sauce
Make the best homemade sushi with the help of the BEST Osaka Umami Sauce Recipe ever! This spicy umami sauce is a quick no-cook sauce that’s creamy, packed with flavour, and so easy to make!
Ingredients
- 110 g teriyaki sauce (yields 50-60 g)
- 200 g mayonnaise (store-bought or homemade)
- 50 g teriyaki reduction (thickened teriyaki sauce, see below)
- 10 g white miso paste
- 1–1½ Tbsp sriracha (start with less and add more taste)
- 1 small garlic clove, grated
- ½ tsp lime or lemon juice
- tiny pinch of white pepper
Instructions
- Add teriyaki sauce to a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 6–10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not boil aggressively.
- Reduce until thickened by about half and the sauce coats the back of a spoon. It should leave a line when dragged through and slowly settle back.
- Remove from heat and cool completely. The glaze will thicken further as it cools.
- Add all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
- Place sauce into a squeeze bottle. Cover, label and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes before using.
Nutrition info is an estimate.
Follow me
Meet Anadi
Welcome to Cooking With Anadi. This platform is all about making cooking exciting and finding new ways to bring classic flavours and recipes at your service. Join me in my personal journey in the world of cooking. Hope you have a great ride!
