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15-Minute Korean Everything-Sauce (Soy & Sesame) – vegetarian recipe
Stav Kogan

15-Minute Korean Everything-Sauce (Soy & Sesame)

Meet your new favorite everything-sauce! This recipe bottles the heart of Korean cuisine—that perfect, irresistible balance of savory, sweet, and nutty. In just 15 minutes, you can create a finger-licking-good sauce that will elevate everything from grilled tofu to simple veggie
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 1 cup
Calories: 45
Ingredients Method Nutrition

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) soy sauce or tamari
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml / 1 fl oz) sake or rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml / 1 fl oz) dark sesame oil
  • 1/4 cup (35 g / 1.23 oz) toasted sesame seeds
  • 1 tablespoon (15 g / 0.53 oz) sugar
  • 2 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon (6 g / 0.21 oz) finely grated fresh ginger
  • 1/4 cup (25 g / 0.88 oz) minced scallions
  • For the Tahini Soy Variation
  • 1/4 cup (60 ml) mirin or honey
  • 1/4 cup (60 g / 2.12 oz) tahini
  • A pinch of hot red pepper flakes, optional
  • For the best flavor, toast your own sesame seeds. Simply heat them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, shaking the pan frequently, until they are fragrant and lightly golden.
  • Use a microplane grater for the garlic and ginger. This creates a fine paste that dissolves seamlessly into the sauce, ensuring you don't get any chunky, raw bites.
  • Easily adjust the flavor profile to your liking. Add a teaspoon of gochujang for a spicy kick, a bit more sugar for sweetness, or a squeeze of lime for brightness.

Method
 

  1. In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine the soy sauce, sake or rice vinegar, dark sesame oil, toasted sesame seeds, sugar, minced garlic, and grated ginger.
  2. Whisk vigorously until the sugar is completely dissolved into the liquid.
  3. Stir in the minced scallions.
  4. Use immediately as a dipping sauce or marinade, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 days for the flavors to meld even more.
  5. For the Tahini Soy Variation
  6. In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup (480 ml) soy sauce, 2 tablespoons dark sesame oil, 1 tablespoon (15 ml / 0.5 fl oz) sugar, and 2 minced garlic cloves from the main recipe.
  7. Substitute the sake with 1/4 cup (960 ml) mirin or honey and the toasted sesame seeds with 1/4 cup (960 ml) tahini. Omit the ginger and scallions.
  8. Whisk everything together until smooth and creamy. This version is fantastic with steamed eggplant.
  9. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for heat, if desired.
  10. While you can use this sauce immediately, its flavor deepens and becomes more complex if you let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 45kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 1gFat: 3g

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