You may be searching for a soy sauce substitute for a variety of reasons. You might need gluten-free or low-sodium soy sauce due to dietary constraints, or you might just have run out of cupboard stock.
Now, you must be wondering, if you cannot consume soy sauce for any of these reason, then “what can I substitute for soy sauce?”
Wait, do not worry, you’re at the right spot. We’ll introduce you to some healthy substitutes for soy sauce. In this blog, we’ll walk you through a few good soy sauce substitutes that you can enjoy without a second thought.
There are various options available as a soy sauce replacement, which can be prepared at home easily and enjoyed with any of the dishes of your choice.
What is Soy Sauce?
Soy sauce is a saline, slightly sour, brownish liquid that originated in China. It is prepared with fermented soybeans, grains, and seawater and contains koji, a sort of mould.
Soy sauce’s flavor and texture vary depending on where the ingredients are sourced, and it might be light, dark, sweet, or thick. It is used for preparing a number of dishes and it is one of the flavors loved by people all over the globe. An individual whose favorite food is Chinese must be familiar with soy sauce.
Why Should You Avoid Soya Sauce?
Although soy sauce has great taste and popularity among foodies still sometimes it is advised to avoid sauce and go for the soy sauce substitute as normal soy sauce contains gluten which is not suitable for the celiac diseased person.
Moreover few varieties of soy sauce have high sodium content. It has more sodium than your daily recommended allowances of sodium which will ultimately conclude in giving raise to hypertension.
Along with the characteristics of being non gluten free and high in sodium few varieties of soy sauce has amines group like histamine and tyramine that can led to toxicity.
A soy sauce substitute is generally recommended for those suffering from celiac disease, hypertension, or an amine allergy. It is used for preparing a number of dishes and it is one of the flavors loved by people all over the globe.
Also Read: Is Yeast Gluten-free
12 Best Soy Sauce Substitute
There are various substitute for soy sauce, let’s have a quick look on few of them:-
1. Worcestershire Sauce
It is prepared through fermentation with ingredients like salt, sugar, anchovies, spices, and white vinegar. It was originally from England and has a much more sour flavor than the original soy sauce.
2. Tamari
Tamari, commonly known as shoyu, is a Japanese sauce. It’s a fermented soy product created using ingredients similar to or comparable to soy sauce. The production procedure of tamari is also nearly identical to that of the original soy sauce.
However, the ingredients do not contain wheat or an extra addition of salt, which makes it a perfect go-to option for both celiac and hypertension too. It is considered to be one of the best gluten-free soy sauce substitutes and low sodium soy sauce substitutes.
3. Miso
It has an umami flavor with added salt, which makes it unfit for people who are suffering from high blood pressure. It also contains rice extracts, which increases its protein content.
4. Coconut aminos
It is made up of fermented coconut water with a pinch of sea salt . It is sweeter and less sour than traditional soy sauce. It is considered the best vegetarian substitute for soy sauce.
5. Liquid aminos
These soy sauce substitutes are not prepared through fermentation, which makes them suitable for those who’re allergic to fermented food items. It has a huge amount of amino acids, which makes it protein rich.
Liquid aminos, like tamari and coconut aminos, are gluten-free and vegan, containing only soybeans and water. Because the flavors are so close, you can utilize liquid aminos to make a 1:1 soy sauce alternative.
6. Dried shiitake mushrooms
These mushrooms, when turned into sauce, give an umami flavor and they are least liked and consumed as a soy sauce replacement option.
7. Anchovies: – Anchovies include numerous vitamins and minerals that have significant health advantages. They are most recognized for their omega-3 fatty acid content, which promotes brain and heart health.
Anchovies also contain selenium, which may lower the risk of certain types of cancer if consumed on a regular basis. Anchovies kept with salt and oil for a long period of time give a great umami flavor and are commonly used as a soy sauce substitute.
8. Fish oil
Continue scrolling if you are a vegetarian or vegan. Everyone else should stick around since fish sauce is one of the greatest soy sauce replacements to have on hand. Fish sauce is widely used in Southeast Asian cuisine, particularly in Thailand and Vietnam, although it is also used in Korean cookery. If you’re out of soy sauce, fish sauce’s salty flavor and umami depth make it an excellent soy sauce substitute.
9. Shrimp paste: – Shrimp paste is similar to fish sauce, but instead of fish, it is created from fermented shrimp in salt. It began centuries ago in Thailand but is now popular throughout Southeast Asia, including Malaysia and the Philippines. It is a great soy sauce substitute for soy allergy sufferers.
10. Oyster sauce:– Whether you enjoy oysters eaten straight off the shell with a squeeze of lemon or you despise the flavor and texture and would rather drink champagne, oyster sauce is a condiment you should try. It is a good soy sauce substitute for non-vegans, but it should be consumed in moderation as it contains MSG and it is also high in sodium.
11. Tomato paste
Dehydrated tomato paste when fermented with salt water turned out to be a wonderful soy sauce replacement. It can be consumed with fries, cheese, soups, etc.
12. Doenjang
People who love the flavor of miso will definitely love the flavor of doenjang, as both are substitutes for soy sauce and possess similar flavors. It originated in Korea and was traditionally made with fermented soybeans and salt water.
5 Homemade Soy Sauce Substitute Recipes
Now, we will go through few options taste of home soy sauce substitute:-
1. Tomato paste
It is a fermented soy sauce substitute that is widely consumed. You can make a rice-tomato paste out of it.
Ingredients
- Rice
- Cumin seeds
- Coriander leaves,
- Tomato
- Salt
Instructions
Step 1: Using a grinder, make a tomato paste.
Step 2:-Dehydrate it under sunlight or in a microwave
Step 3: Add salt and water to it and leave it for at least 20 days to ferment.
Step 4: Boil the rice
Step 5:-Take a pan, add cumin seeds, ghee, and put boiled rice in it. Add tomato paste
Step 6:-Cook it for 10 minutes and garnish it with coriander leaves. Enjoy!
2. Teriyaki sauce
Teriyaki sauce is made with soy sauce as the base, but it is sweetened with sugar. In most cases, it also contains sake or mirin.
Ingredients
- Teriyaki chicken
- Marinated chicken
- Steamed vegetables
- Teriyaki sauce
- Sesame seeds
- Salt.
Instructions
Step 1: Take 4 pcs of marinated chicken
Step 2: Heat the pan and add the oil.
Step 3: Stir in the chicken, steamed vegetables, salt, and teriyaki sauce.
Step 4: Bake for 25 minutes.
Step 5: Add water
Step 6: Turn off the flame
Step 7: Garnish it with sesame seeds. Enjoy
3. Black bean substitute
It’s produced with fermented black beans, which give everything they touch a deep, rich flavor.
Ingredients
- Black beans
- Salt
- Sugar
- Vinegar
- Distilled water
Instructions
Step 1: Take 200gms of black beans
Step 2: Create a paste
Step 3: Add salt, sugar, vinegar, and distilled water
Step 4: Combine everything thoroughly.
Step 5: Leave it for 1 month for fermentation
4. Mushroom broth
Mushroom broth may sound like something that needs to be simmered for hours. But this meal takes only 15 minutes to prepare! All you have to do is roughly chop some vegetables, add some water, and let them simmer.
Ingredients
- Mushroom
- Carrot
- Vinegar
- Salt
- Water
Instructions
Step 1: Take 200gms of mushroom and carrot each
Step 2: Cut them into chunks
Step 3: Add salt, sugar, vinegar, and distilled water
Step 4: Combine everything thoroughly.
Step 5: Leave it for 10-15 days for fermentation
5. Shrimp paste
It is made mostly of finely crushed shrimp or krill combined with salt and fermented for many weeks. They are either sold wet or sun-dried, and are either chopped into rectangular blocks or sold in bulk. It is a necessary component in many curries, sauces, and sambhars.
Ingredients
- Shrimp
- Garlic
- Onion
- Vinegar
- Salt
- Water
Instructions
Step 1: Take 100gm of shrimp, 50gm of garlic and onion, and salt as per taste
Step 2: Cut shrimp, garlic, and onion into chunks [ you can also make garlic-onion paste instead of chunks].
Step 3: Add salt, sugar, vinegar, and distilled water
Step 4: Combine everything thoroughly.
Step 5: Leave it for 15–25 days for fermentation.
Also Read: Is Couscous Gluten-free
Conclusion
There are numerous highly effective soy sauce replacements, regardless of the intended usage or rationale for avoiding soy sauce in the first place. The closest match is most likely liquid aminos or tamari.
All of these substitutes will work, although the flavor of the finished dish may differ significantly. People with food limitations can go for soy sauce substitute liquids such as tamari, fish sauce, and others.
To discover the ideal replacement for soy sauce for your recipe, examine the sodium amount, flavor profile, and liquid consistency. Choose your soy sauce substitute wisely.
