5 Everyday Ways to Use Japanese Soy Sauce

Soy sauce is the sauce Japanese home cooks reach for more than any other — but it's easy to use it the same one or two ways forever. Here are five simple, everyday ways to bring it into your cooking, using our low sodium soy sauce (41% less sodium than regular soy sauce).

1. Tamago Kake Gohan (Egg Over Rice)

This is one of the simplest breakfasts in Japan: crack a fresh egg over a bowl of hot steamed rice, mix well, and add soy sauce to taste. That's it. The soy sauce ties the richness of the egg and the rice together in a way that's hard to explain until you try it.

2. Simple Stir-Fry Finishing Sauce

Stir-fry your vegetables, meat, or tofu as usual, then add a splash of soy sauce in the last minute of cooking rather than at the beginning. Adding it late keeps the flavor brighter and prevents it from cooking down into something overly salty or bitter.

3. Marinade for Grilled Meat or Tofu

Mix soy sauce with a little oil, garlic, and ginger, and let chicken, steak, or firm tofu sit in it for 20–30 minutes before grilling or pan-searing. The soy sauce helps season the surface and adds color as it cooks.

4. Dipping Sauce for Sushi and Sashimi

The classic pairing. Pour a small amount into a shallow dish and dip each piece lightly — a little goes a long way, especially with a lower-sodium soy sauce that lets the fish itself stay the star of the plate.

5. Simmered Dishes (Nimono)

Japanese home cooking relies on simmered dishes — vegetables, fish, or meat gently cooked in a mix of soy sauce, dashi, and a touch of sweetness (sugar or mirin). Start with equal parts soy sauce and dashi, adjust to taste, and simmer until the ingredients are tender.

A Note on Transparency

This soy sauce contains a small amount of monosodium glutamate (MSG), which helps keep that rich umami flavor while lowering sodium. The FDA classifies added MSG as Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS). Contains soy and wheat.

Keep a Case on Hand

Since soy sauce ends up in almost everything, it's easy to run out. Our 24-bottle case of Low Sodium Soy Sauce keeps your kitchen stocked. Want to try a single bottle first? Find it on Amazon.