Contrary to the name, eel sauce is not made from eels. Rather, it tastes delicious on eel, especially on barbecued eel. Eel sauce is a thick, sticky, salty, and sweet Japanese style brown sauce. Typically, Eel sauce is made with even amounts of soy sauce, mirin rice wine, and sugar. Different brands will also add sake, vinegar, fish stock, or fish eggs to their eel sauce. Eel Sauce is used to glaze fish before and after cooking or to lightly decorate finished sushi rolls. If you follow a gluten-free lifestyle you may be wondering, is eel sauce gluten-free?
No, Eel Sauce is not gluten-free. Eel Sauce contain soy sauce, which is made using wheat. However, there are a few Eel Sauces on the market that are gluten-free such as Otafuku Gluten Free Sushi Unagi Eel Sauce. The best gluten-free alternatives to Eel Sauce are Primal Kitchen No Soy Organic Teriyaki Sauce and Fody Teriyaki Sauce & Marinade.
In this article, we will discuss the nutritional value for traditional eel sauce and its ingredients. We will also highlight gluten-free alternatives to eel sauces. Let’s get started!
Eel Sauce by Shirakiku
There are 25 calories 18g or 1 tablespoon of Eel Sauce by Shirakiku. Although non-GMO, Eel Sauce by Shirakiku is not gluten free since it contains wheat and traditional soy sauce.
The list of ingredients for traditional not gluten free Eel Sauce by Shirakiku:
- Water
- Soy Sauce (soybean and wheat)
- Salt
- Sugar
- Tapioca Syrup
- Cooking Wine
- Glutinous Rice
- Alcohol
- Koji Malt
- Tapioca Starch
- Yeast Extract
- Lactic Acid
- Xanthan Gum
- Sodium Benzoate
Nutrition Facts (per 18g or 1 tablespoon):
- Calories 25
- Fat 0g
- Carbs 5g
- Protein 0g
- Sodium 300mg
- Sugars 4g
Gluten Free Eel Sauce
Otafuku Gluten Free Sushi Unagi Eel Sauce
There are 40 calories in 19 grams or 1 tablespoon of Otafuku Gluten Free Sushi Unagi Eel Sauce. Eel Sauce by Otafuku is a vegetarian sauce that is most like true eel sauce. Thick and silky with a hint of smoke. Made without MSG, preservatives, additives, or high fructose corn syrup. Otafuku’s sauces are processed in California, USA.
The ingredients for Otafuku Gluten Free Sushi Unagi Eel Sauce are:
- Water
- Sugar
- Dextrose
- Gluten Free Soy Sauce
- Hydrolyzed Soy Protein
- Dextrose
- Rice
- Corn Syrup
- Salt
- Modified Corn Starch
- Caramel Coloring
- Concentrated Date Juice
- White Distilled Vinegar
- Ginger Puree
Nutrition Facts (per 19g or 1 tablespoon):
- Calories 40
- Fat 0g
- Carbs 9g
- Protein 0g
- Sodium 330mg
- Sugars 9g
Eel Sauce Substitutes
Eel Sauce Substitutes that are Gluten Free:
- Bachan’s Gluten-Free Japanese Barbecue Sauce
- Primal Kitchen No Soy Organic Teriyaki Sauce & Marinade
- Fody Teriyaki Sauce & Marinade
- Traina Home Grown Sun-Dried Plum BBQ Sauce
- Tonkatsu sauce by Otafuku
- Kevin’s Natural Foods Kung Pao Sauce & Marinade
- Lee Kum Kee Gluten Free Hoisin Sauce
Bachan’s Gluten-Free Japanese Barbecue Sauce
There are 40 calories in 19 grams or 1 tablespoon of Bachan’s Gluten-Free Japanese Barbecue Sauce. This sauce is considered to be an umami and teriyaki style sauce. The bottles are cold-filled, which removes the need for adding preservatives or additives to the sauce in manufacturing. It comes in an easy squeeze bottle and has the consistency of traditional eel sauce.
Here are the ingredients for Bachan’s Gluten-Free Japanese Barbecue Sauce:
- Non-GMO Tamari Soy Sauce
- Cane Sugar
- Mirin from Koji seed
- Tomato Paste
- Organic Ginger
- Green Onion
- Organic Rice Vinegar
- Organic Garlic
- Sea Salt
- Organic Toasted Sesame Oil
Nutrition Facts (per 19g or 1 tablespoon):
- Calories 40
- Fat 0g
- Carbs 9g
- Protein 0g
- Sodium 550mg
- Sugars 8g
Primal Kitchen No Soy Organic Teriyaki Sauce & Marinade
There are 15 calories in 1 tablespoon of Primal Kitchen No Soy Organic Teriyaki Sauce & Marinade. Primal Kitchen No Soy Organic Teriyaki Sauce & Marinade contains no gluten, grains, or canola oil. Primal Kitchen’s sauces are certified USDA organic. This eel sauce sub is also keto, paleo, and whole 30 approved.
Here is the ingredient list for Primal Kitchen No Soy Organic Teriyaki Sauce & Marinade:
- Water
- Coconut Aminos
- Coconut Syrup
- Himalayan Salt
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Dates
- Orange Juice Concentrate
- Tapioca Starch
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Tamarind
- Sesame Seeds
- Distilled Vinegar
- Sesame Oil
- Yeast Extract
Nutrition Facts (per 1 tablespoon):
- Calories 15
- Fat 0g
- Carbs 3g
- Protein 0g
- Sodium 220mg
- Sugars 3g
Fody Teriyaki Sauce & Marinade
There are 15 calories in 1 tablespoon of Fody Teriyaki Sauce & Marinade. Fody Teriyaki Sauce & Marinade is a low FODMAP sauce. This gluten free teriyaki is also ketogenic, vegan, and non-GMO. Fody Teriyaki Sauce & Marinade is runnier or looser than traditional eel sauce. If wanting to use this sauce for drizzling, we suggest thickening it with more arrowroot or other starch on heat, then cooling to use.
The ingredients for Fody Teriyaki Sauce & Marinade:
- Water
- Tamari
- Soybeans
- Salt
- Alcohol
- Rice Wine Vinegar
- Organic Raw Cane Sugar
- Pineapple Concentrate
- Arrowroot Powder
- Toasted Sesame Oil
- Ginger Powder
Nutrition Facts (per 1 tablespoon):
- Calories 15
- Fat 0g
- Carbs 2g
- Protein 0g
- Sodium 240mg
- Sugars 2g
Traina Home Grown Sun-Dried Plum BBQ Sauce
There are 50 calories in 32g or 2 tablespoons of Sun-Dried Plum BBQ Sauce. Traina Home Grown Sun-Dried Plum BBQ Sauce is great for grilling, roasting, slow cooking, or as a condiment. Sun Dried Plum BBQ Sauce is tart, sweet, and savory making it a good option for subbing eel sauce. Traina Home Grown has a family farm in California. The plums for this sauce were harvested and dried from a single source.
The ingredients in Sun Dried Plum BBQ Sauce are:
- Tomato paste concentrate
- Brown sugar
- Sun dried plum puree
- Apple cider vinegar
- White distilled vinegar
- Molasses
- Salt
- Paprika
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Spices
- Sulfur Dioxide (less than 0.5%)
Nutrition Facts (per 32g or 2 tablespoons):
- Calories 50
- Fat 0g
- Carbs 12g
- Protein 1g
- Sodium 340mg
- Sugars 10g
Tonkatsu sauce by Otafuku
There are 20 calories in 18g or 1 tablespoon of Tonkatsu sauce by Otafuku. The Tonkatsu sauce by Otafuku is gluten free and vegetarian. This eel sauce alternative has no MSG or HFCS. BY using fruit purees this barbecue like sauce is sweet without a ton of sugar. Tonkatsu sauce is sweet, tangy, and thick. Great for drizzling and dipping.
The ingredients in Tonkatsu sauce by Otafuku are:
- Water
- Sugar
- Tomato Paste
- White Distilled Vinegar
- Salt
- Brown Sugar
- Apple Puree
- Gluten Free Soy Sauce
- Modified Corn Starch
- Caramel Color
- Peach Puree
- Spices
- Concentrated Date Juice
- Onion puree
- Xanthan Gum
- Yeast Extract
- Kelo Extract Powder
- Maltodextrin
- Lombu Extract
- Roasted Chinese Cabbage Extract Powder
- Corn Oil
- Mushroom Bouillon Powder
- Onion Extract
- Spices and
- Garlic Powder
- Champignon Mushroom Extract Powder
Nutrition Facts (per 18g or 1 tablespoon):
- Calories 20
- Fat 0g
- Carbs 6g
- Protein 0g
- Sodium 380mg
- Sugars 4g
Kevin’s Natural Foods Kung Pao Sauce & Marinade
There are 15 calories in 16g or 1 tablespoon of Kevin’s Natural Foods Kung Pao Sauce & Marinade. Kevin’s Natural Foods Kung Pao Sauce & Marinade is gluten free. Kevin’s Natural Foods sauces are also low in sugar, non-GMO, grain-free, soy-free, paleo, dairy-free, keto, and preservative-free. The use of smoked paprika will add that hint of smokiness often found in eel sauces. While the use of mushrooms adds the umami flavor.
The ingredients in Kevin’s Natural Foods Kung Pao Sauce & Marinade are:
- Water
- Coconut Aminos
- Coconut Nectar
- Sea Salt
- Sesame Oil
- Vinegar
- Ginger
- Tapioca Starch
- Coconut Sugar
- Yeast Extract
- Spices
- Smoked Paprika
- Dehydrated Roasted Garlic
- Shiitake Mushrooms
- Dehydrated Onion
- Xanthan Gum
- Dehydrated Garlic
Nutrition Facts (per 16g or 1 tablespoon):
- Calories 15
- Fat 1g
- Carbs 2g
- Protein 0g
- Sodium 115mg
- Sugars 1g
Lee Kum Kee Gluten Free Hoisin Sauce
There are 90 calories in 2 ounces of Lee Kum Kee Gluten Free Hoisin Sauce. Lee Kum Kee Gluten Free Hoisin Sauce is a classic Chinese sauce. Great for lettuce wraps, barbecuing, and stir-fry. The high sugar and sodium content does not make it one of our top choices. However, the tangy and umami flavors of Lee Kum Kee Gluten Free Hoisin Sauce is similar to eel sauce. The consistency of this sauce is also nice and thick, making is great for glazing and dipping.
The ingredients in Lee Kum Kee Gluten Free Hoisin Sauce are:
- Sugar
- Water
- Salt
- Distilled Vinegar
- Soy Flour
- Garlic
- Modified Corn Starch
- Caramel Color
- Sesame Oil
- Xanthan Gum
- Spices
- Citric Acid
Nutrition Facts (per 2 ounces):
- Calories 90
- Fat 0g
- Carbs 20g
- Protein 1g
- Sodium 960mg
- Sugars 18g
Conclusion
No, traditional eel sauce is not gluten free as it uses wheat soy. The only choice for traditional style eel sauce that is gluten free is Otafuku Gluten Free Sushi Unagi Eel Sauce. Otafuku replaces soy sauce with a gluten free soy variety. Keeping the flavors and method of making their eel sauce intact.
There are healthier versions and other interesting sauces that can be used in place of eel sauce. There are sauces that are lower in sugar and sodium than the Otafuku Gluten Free Sushi Unagi Eel Sauce. Our gluten free eel sauce alternative top choices are: Primal Kitchen No Soy Organic Teriyaki Sauce & Marinade and Kevin’s Natural Foods Kung Pao Sauce & Marinade. We hope this list of gluten free sauces helped you find the right umami flavor you are looking for.
Related Questions
Is Eel Sauce Vegan?
We have the answer! You can read all about it here.
What is Umami?
Umami flavor is often described as the deepness of delicious. It is the fifth taste referred to as the savory or meaty undertone in Japanese cuisine. Mushrooms and mono sodium glutamate (MSG), often fulfil umami flavor in sauces.