Amp Up The Flavor Of Soy Sauce With A Seasoning Blend

Soy sauce's well-rounded umami flavors make it the perfect pairing for a wide range of food. From succulent vegetable dumplings to savory stews, just a teaspoon of the sauce can transform any dish from basic to a true flavor bomb. Still, even classic flavors like the umami intensity in soy sauce can get too familiar after a time. So, the next time you break out a bottle of soy sauce, try to amp up the flavor with a seasoning blend. 

There are so many ways to season soy sauce, so get creative with your additions. To start, why not try your hand at turning regular soy sauce into ponzu? This luxurious Japanese sauce is full of salty, citrusy notes, making for an especially intriguing flavor combination. To make it at home simply combine soy sauce with citrus juice, such as lemon or lime, and some rice vinegar. For even more flavor and added texture, add some kelp and bonito flakes into the mix, and serve alongside a plate of gyoza or sashimi. (Actual measurements will depend on how much sauce you want in a dish, of course.)

This seasoning trick comes especially in handy when using soy sauce to finish dishes as it brings balance to some of the sauce's intense salty flavors. For some other flavorful ideas, read on.

While regular soy sauce is salty, dark soy sauce is much more velvety, rich, and even a little sweet. Mixing dark soy sauce into regular can bring further balance and decadence to a bowl. Additionally, combining soy sauce with a close cousin like fish sauce or Maggi would make for an equally lovely umami bomb. By throwing a little sugar or honey into the sauce, it makes for a great combination of flavors both savory and sweet, and would be the perfect topping for a rice bowl, tofu dish, or plate of fried fish.

Liquid additions aside, adding other ingredients like freshly chopped ginger, cilantro, or lemongrass into this sauce can help to distribute the flavor more evenly across your dish, as those additions will soak up all that umami goodness. Ginger and lemongrass would cut nicely through the saltiness of the soy, adding a nice refreshing note like that of ponzu. But, if you prefer to stick to a more intense sauce, chili flakes or siracha would also be welcome additions.

While you can always easily pop open a bottle of soy sauce and pour, it's the perfect blank canvas to infuse with additions of your own. From sesame oil to mirin to chopped green onion, there is just so much flavor potential waiting to be unlocked.