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    Home » Sauce » Sweet Sesame Sauce

    Sweet Sesame Sauce

    Whitney Bond Posted Apr 22, 2020 This post may contain affiliate links.

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    Image of sesame sauce in yellow bowl with text overlay
    Collage of images with sesame sauce in bowl and sliced tuna sushi bowl with text overlay
    Collage of images with sesame sauce in bowl and sliced tuna sushi bowl with text overlay
    Image of sesame sauce in yellow bowl with text overlay
    Image of sesame sauce in yellow bowl with text overlay
    Image of sesame sauce in yellow bowl with text overlay
    Image of sesame sauce in yellow bowl with text overlay
    Image of sesame sauce in yellow bowl with text overlay
    Image of sesame sauce in yellow bowl with text overlay
    Image of sesame sauce in yellow bowl with text overlay
    Image of sesame sauce in yellow bowl with text overlay
    Collage of images with sesame sauce in bowl and sliced tuna sushi bowl with text overlay

    Sweet sesame sauce is an easy 6 ingredient recipe that can be whisked together in 5 minutes! This Japanese sauce is vegan, gluten free and perfect for topping sushi bowls or poke bowls.

    It can also be tossed with steamed vegetables, used as a stir fry sauce, for marinating chicken or glazing fish.

    Sweet sesame sauce in yellow ramekin with small gold spoon

    Ingredients

    • Hoisin Sauce - which adds a thick texture and sweet flavor to the sauce.
      • Note: a lot of store-bought hoisin sauce contains wheat, so I used a gluten free hoisin sauce to make this sesame sauce gluten free. I was able to find this in the Asian section at my local grocery store, but you can always order it online, if you can't find it at your grocery store.
    • Toasted Sesame Oil - be sure to buy sesame oil that is labeled "toasted", as it will have a significantly different flavor than plain sesame seed oil in this sauce recipe.
    • Tamari - this gluten free soy sauce adds saltiness to the sweet sesame sauce. To learn more about the sauce, visit this post: What is Tamari and How is it Used in Recipes?
    • Red Pepper Flakes - are added for just a hint of spice to balance out the sweetness of the sauce. If you don't have red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon of sriracha or chili oil can be substituted in the sauce.
    • Fresh Garlic Cloves
    • Fresh Grated Ginger

    How to make Sweet Sesame Sauce

    Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together.

    Alternatively, place all of the ingredients in a mason jar, secure the lid tightly and shake the ingredients to combine. The benefit of this method is that you can transfer the mason jar of sauce right into the refrigerator after you've shaken it up, without dirtying any more dishes!

    How long will it last in the refrigerator?

    This sesame sauce will last up to one week in the refrigerator stored in an airtight container, such as a mason jar.

    Sesame sauce in small yellow bowl and sushi bowl with seared ahi tuna

    How to use it in recipes

    • Add it to a sushi bowl (pictured above)! Instead of simply serving soy sauce on the side of your homemade sushi bowl, try this sweet sesame sauce. It's perfect for pouring over tuna, salmon or yellowtail!
    • Toss diced fish with the sauce for an epic poke bowl! The original inspiration for this recipe came from Poke Chop. They toss your choice of fish, tuna, salmon, albacore, scallops or shrimp in this sweet sesame sauce before adding it to the poke bowl. It's so delicious with tuna and salmon (my go-to poke bowl seafood selections!)
    • You can also make a Vegan Poke Bowl, using this delicious recipe, which replaces the seafood with sweet potatoes, tempeh or tofu.
    • Use it as a stir fry sauce to stir fry veggies, noodles or both! Stir fry veggies in sesame oil on the stove over high heat for 3-4 minutes, then add 2 tbsp of the sauce per 2 cups of veggies and/or noodles.
    • Marinate chicken or shrimp in the sauce for 30 minutes, then grill the chicken or shrimp. Add it to a bowl with rice, edamame, avocado and any other veggies of your choice!
      • Note: Use ¼ cup sauce as marinade for every pound of chicken or shrimp.
    • Use it to make sesame chicken. Dice chicken breasts or chicken thighs into large pieces. Toss 1 pound of chicken pieces in a bowl with 1 whisked egg, then toss in a mixture of ½ cup cornstarch and 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat, toss in the coated chicken pieces and cook until the chicken is golden brown on all sides. Pour all of the prepared sauce (which = 10 tablespoons) over the chicken, reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet and simmer for 6-8 minutes.
      • Quick Tip! You can make the sesame chicken into a bowl by adding rice to the bottom of a bowl, topping it with the chicken, diced green onions, shredded carrots and steamed broccoli.
    Overhead image of sesame sauce in bowl with gold spoon of sauce coming out of the bowl

    More vegan sauces

    Looking for more vegan sauce options to top your favorite bowl? Check out these tasty recipes!

    • Harissa Tahini Sauce
    • Poblano Cashew Ranch Dressing
    • Lemon Tahini Dressing
    • Miso Vinaigrette
    • Sun Dried Tomato Sauce
    • Healthy Thai Peanut Sauce
    Overhead image of sesame sauce in bowl with small gold spoon
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    4.20 from 5 votes

    Sweet Sesame Sauce

    Sweet sesame sauce is an easy 6 ingredient recipe that can be whisked together in 5 minutes! This Japanese sauce is vegan, gluten free and perfect for topping sushi bowls or poke bowls.
    Course Sauce
    Cuisine Japanese
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Total Time 5 minutes
    Servings 10 tablespoons
    Calories 41kcal
    Author Whitney Bond

    Ingredients

    • 3 tbsp gluten free hoisin sauce
    • 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
    • 1 tbsp tamari gluten free soy sauce
    • 2 cloves garlic crushed
    • 1 tsp fresh ginger grated
    • ½ tsp red pepper flakes
    • ¼ cup water

    Instructions

    • Whisk all of the ingredients together in a small bowl.
    • Transfer to a container with a lid and place in the refrigerator for up to one week.

    Video

    Notes

    • To eliminate any spice from the sauce, the red chili flakes can be omitted.
    • Sriracha or chili oil can also be used in place of the red chili flakes.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 41kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 247mg | Potassium: 10mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 30mg | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 1mg
    Made this recipe & loved it?Mention @BowlsAreTheNewPlates or tag #BowlsNotPlates on Instagram!
    « Sesame Seared Tuna Sushi Bowls
    Miso Vinaigrette »

    Filed Under: Dairy Free, Japanese, Quick & Easy, Recipes, Sauce, Vegan, Vegetarian

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    Bowls Are The New Plates is your go-to site for healthy, gluten free bowl recipes, created by food blogger & published cookbook author Whitney Bond. Head to our about page, to find out more!

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