3 Classic Japanese Recipes You Can Make With Low-Calorie Sugar

Many classic Japanese recipes call for sugar: sukiyaki tare for sweet-savory depth, teriyaki sauce for caramelized glaze, sweet tamagoyaki as a bento staple. If you want to cut back on sugar, the natural question is whether a low-calorie alternative can step in without changing the dish you know. This guide walks through 3 classic Japanese recipes you can make with low-calorie sugar, with practical substitution notes for each.

Note: low-calorie sweeteners vary in sweetness intensity and heat stability. Always check the packaging of the product you are using before applying these recipes.

Recipe 1: Sukiyaki Tare with Reduced Calories

Sukiyaki tare (warishita) is a blend of soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. The sugar component is the easiest to swap because mirin already handles the gloss and much of the sweetness.

Ingredients (serves 2-3)

• Soy sauce: 3 tablespoons
• Mirin: 2 tablespoons
• Low-calorie granulated sugar: equivalent to 2 teaspoons of regular sugar (refer to the conversion chart on your product's packaging)
• Dashi stock or water: 2-3 tablespoons

Method

1. Combine soy sauce, mirin, and dashi in a small saucepan over low heat until just before boiling
2. Remove from heat, then stir in the low-calorie sugar until dissolved
3. Use as the base liquid for your sukiyaki pot

Tip: Adding the sugar substitute off the heat keeps the sweetness stable in products that are sensitive to high temperatures. Taste and adjust with small additions if needed.

Recipe 2: Teriyaki Sauce with Reduced Calories

Teriyaki sauce works on chicken, salmon, and tofu alike. The characteristic glaze of teriyaki comes from mirin caramelizing under heat, so swapping the sugar portion for a low-calorie alternative changes very little about the appearance of the finished dish.

Ingredients (sauce for 2)

• Soy sauce: 2 tablespoons
• Mirin: 2 tablespoons
• Low-calorie granulated sugar: equivalent to 1 teaspoon of regular sugar
• Sake: 1 tablespoon (optional)

Method

1. Pan-fry chicken thigh (or salmon) on both sides over medium heat until cooked through
2. Remove excess oil with kitchen paper
3. Add soy sauce, mirin, and sake to the pan, cook over medium heat until the sauce thickens slightly
4. Remove from heat and stir in the low-calorie sugar

Tip: Sugar plays a supporting role in teriyaki, mirin does the heavier lifting. This makes teriyaki one of the more forgiving Japanese recipes for a low-calorie sugar swap.

Recipe 3: Sweet Tamagoyaki with Reduced Calories

Sweet tamagoyaki is a bento essential where you taste the sweetness directly. You will notice the substitution more here than in teriyaki or sukiyaki, so start with a touch less than your usual amount and adjust to your family's preference.

Ingredients (makes 2 rolls)

• Eggs: 3
• Dashi stock: 2 tablespoons
• Low-calorie granulated sugar: equivalent to 1 to 1.5 teaspoons of regular sugar
• Salt: a pinch
• Soy sauce: a few drops (optional, for aroma)

Method

1. Whisk eggs with dashi, low-calorie sugar, salt, and soy sauce until well combined
2. Lightly oil a tamagoyaki pan over medium heat and pour in one-third of the egg mixture
3. When the egg is still slightly soft, roll it from front to back and push to one end
4. Repeat with the remaining two portions, rolling each onto the previous
5. Shape in a bamboo mat, allow to cool, then slice into pieces

Tip: Start slightly below your usual sugar amount, taste, and adjust. A well-seasoned dashi base helps balance the overall sweetness and reduces the noticeable difference of the substitution.

General Tips When Substituting Sugar in Japanese Recipes

• Follow the conversion chart on the package: Sweetness intensity varies between brands. Start at the stated ratio, then taste and adjust rather than guessing
• Add off the heat for stability: For products sensitive to high temperatures, stirring in after removing from heat keeps the sweetness consistent
• Pair with mirin: Mirin's complex sweetness helps smooth over any subtle aftertaste difference from the substitution
• Start with dishes where sugar plays a supporting role: Teriyaki and sukiyaki are better starting points than wagashi or fruit sauces where sugar is the dominant flavor

Ingredients to Pick Up on Farmi

The seasonings and ingredients used in these 3 recipes are available on the Farmi app. Order in Japanese, delivered to central HCMC in as little as one hour.

• Product ID 10493: Naka Nippon brand (Japanese food brand) low-calorie sugar granules, 1 g x 50 sachets. Convenient for both cooking and morning coffee
• Soy sauce, mirin, dashi packets: browse the Japanese seasonings category on the Farmi app [TODO: /category/seasonings URL confirm]
• Eggs, chicken, salmon: browse the fresh produce category on the Farmi app [TODO: /category/fresh URL confirm]

Wrapping Up

Sukiyaki, teriyaki, and tamagoyaki can all be made with low-calorie sugar. The keys are: follow the conversion ratio on your product, add it off the heat if it is heat-sensitive, and lean on mirin to round out the overall flavor. Start with one recipe, adjust to your family's taste, and go from there.

Open the Farmi app to browse Japanese ingredients and seasonings available in HCMC. Order in Japanese, delivered in one hour.

Note: This article and some images were created with AI assistance and reviewed by our editorial team before publication.