Cooking
Substitute for Soy Sauce
Out of soy sauce? Tamari swaps 1:1 and is usually wheat-free, coconut aminos work 1:1 with added salt, and thinned miso suits soups and glazes.
- vegetarian
- vegan
- gluten free
Quick answer
Out of soy sauce? The most versatile swaps:
- 1
Tamari
1:1
- 2
Liquid aminos
1:1
- 3
Coconut aminos + salt
1 tbsp coconut aminos + a pinch of salt for 1 tbsp soy sauce
Soy sauce brings three things to a dish at once: salt, savory depth from glutamates formed during fermentation, and a brown color. Most substitutes manage two of the three, so decide which one the recipe needs. A dipping sauce depends on all three; a braise mostly needs the salt and depth.
Cooking
In stir-fries, braises and fried rice, tamari is the closest match and goes in spoon for spoon. Fish sauce is a strong second in Southeast Asian dishes, where it is often the native seasoning anyway, but dilute it, because a full tablespoon in place of soy sauce oversalts the pan. Miso dissolves well into soups, braises and glazes; whisk it with a little hot water first, or it sits in lumps.
Worcestershire sauce belongs in Western dishes that use soy sauce for depth, such as beef marinades, burgers and gravy. Its vinegar tang is welcome there and out of place in a Chinese stir-fry.
Raw dishes and dipping sauces
Sushi dipping sauce, cold noodle dressings and poke need a clear, thin, salty liquid. Tamari and liquid aminos work. Coconut aminos work if a pinch of salt is stirred in until dissolved. Thinned miso is too cloudy for dipping but good in a dressing.
Generic umami sauce
When a recipe asks for an umami sauce or seasoning without naming a brand, it wants salt plus savory depth. Soy sauce or tamari covers it. For more depth, stir a teaspoon of tomato paste or a few drops of fish sauce into each tablespoon.
When not to substitute
Where soy sauce is the main flavor, as in teriyaki, shoyu ramen broth, Chinese red-braised pork or soy-marinated eggs, swaps produce a different dish. Tamari is the only one that comes close.
For allergies, read every label: soy sauce usually contains wheat, and every soy-based swap still contains soy.
Common mistakes
- Using fish sauce at full strength. It is saltier and stronger than soy sauce, and one-to-one makes the dish harsh.
- Swapping coconut aminos without adjusting salt. The dish tastes flat and sweet; salt to taste once it is cooked.
- Using dark soy sauce as all-purpose soy sauce. It adds color, not much salt, and turns a stir-fry almost black.
- Adding miso early to a boiling soup. Long boiling dulls its aroma; stir it in near the end.
All 6 substitutes at a glance
| Substitute | Ratio | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tamari CookingRaw & finishing | 1:1 | dipping sauces, stir-fries, marinades, gluten-free cooking | Brewed mostly or entirely from soybeans, so it tastes rounder and slightly thicker than wheat-based soy sauce. Not every brand is wheat-free; check the label for a gluten-free claim. |
| Liquid aminos CookingRaw & finishing | 1:1 | dressings, rice bowls, tofu marinades | Made by breaking down soy protein rather than brewing, so it lacks the fermented, slightly winey depth. Still made from soy, so no help for a soy allergy. |
| Coconut aminos + salt CookingRaw & finishing | 1 tbsp coconut aminos + a pinch of salt for 1 tbsp soy sauce | soy-free diets, glazes, stir-fry sauces | Fermented coconut sap: sweeter and much less salty than soy sauce. Cut any sugar or honey in the recipe and salt to taste at the end. |
| Miso thinned with water Cooking | 2 tsp miso + 1 tsp hot water for 1 tbsp soy sauce | soups, glazes, braises, dressings | Supplies salt and fermented depth, but it is cloudy and thick. Red or brown miso is closer in strength; white miso is sweeter and milder, so use a little more. |
| Fish sauce + water Cooking | 1 tsp fish sauce + 2 tsp water for 1 tbsp soy sauce | Thai and Vietnamese dishes, fried rice, noodle sauces | Saltier and far more pungent than soy sauce, and pale, so the dish stays lighter in color. The fishy smell cooks off; it is not vegetarian. |
| Worcestershire sauce + salt Cooking | 2 tsp Worcestershire + ⅛ tsp salt for 1 tbsp soy sauce | beef marinades, burgers, gravy | Tangy with vinegar and tamarind and less salty than soy sauce, hence the added salt. Classic versions contain anchovies. |
Substitute calculator
How much soy sauce does your recipe call for?
- Tamari1 tbsp tamari
- Liquid aminos1 tbsp liquid aminos
- Coconut aminos + salt1 tbsp coconut aminos
- Miso thinned with water2 tsp miso + 1 tsp hot water
- Fish sauce + water1 tsp fish sauce + 2 tsp water
- Worcestershire sauce + salt2 tsp Worcestershire sauce + ⅛ tsp salt
Amounts are rounded to practical kitchen measures. Swaps without a fixed ratio, or that can't be measured in the unit you picked, show their ratio instead.
Topics: soy sauceasianumamigluten freemarinade All cooking guides
Frequently asked questions
Is tamari gluten-free?
Usually, but not always. Traditional tamari uses little or no wheat, and many brands are certified gluten-free, yet some contain wheat. For anyone with celiac disease, buy a bottle with an explicit gluten-free label and check restaurant sauces too.
What can I use instead of soy sauce for a soy allergy?
Coconut aminos are the usual choice, since they contain no soy. Tamari, liquid aminos and miso are all soy products and will not work. Fish sauce is soy-free but changes the flavor more.
What can I use if a recipe calls for umami sauce?
Recipes that say umami sauce usually mean a salty, savory seasoning sauce, and soy sauce or tamari is the safest stand-in at the same amount. Add a little sugar if the original sauce was sweet, as many bottled umami sauces are.
Can I use dark soy sauce instead of light soy sauce?
Only in small amounts. Chinese dark soy sauce is thicker, sweeter, less salty and mainly used for color. Swapping it for light soy sauce turns the dish very dark; use half and add salt.
More cooking substitutes
Substitute for Fish Sauce
No fish sauce? Use 1 tbsp soy sauce plus ¼ tsp salt per tablespoon, mashed anchovies for real fish depth, or coconut aminos with salt if avoiding soy.
ReadSubstitute for Nori
No nori? Roll sushi in soy paper or a thin egg crepe, sheet for sheet, and swap crumbled nori for the same amount of aonori flakes or furikake on rice and noodles.
ReadSubstitute for Oyster Sauce
Swap oyster sauce 1:1 with vegetarian mushroom stir-fry sauce, or mix 1½ tsp soy sauce, ½ tsp sugar and 1½ tsp water per tablespoon so it isn't too salty.
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Substitute for Anchovy Paste
Mash about 1½ anchovy fillets for each teaspoon of anchovy paste, or use ½ tsp fish sauce. For vegan Caesar, white miso with mashed capers fills the gap.
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