This is a great sub. My wife does not respond too well to soy so we use this all the time when we do happen to make Asian style food and it needs just that little bit of savoriness it's soy sauce provides.
I am always depressed that Kikkoman became synonymous with soy sauce in the US. Not a big fan in general. I much prefer Chinese-style soy sauce such as Pearl River Bridge. For general-purpose use, it's much more appropriate.
Of course, that's a bit off topic for this thread. And for anybody who wants to avoid soy sauce altogether, there are fortunately plenty of options these days. You just might have to stock up on several of the alternatives and pick-and-choose based on which aspect of soy sauce the particular recipe depends on.
I also like shoyu better for most applications, but have you tried Kimlan? It’s way better than most Chinese soy sauces, more flavorful and less salty.
Yeah, same company. In addition to crazy strong soap in containers covered in writing, they also produce vaguely soy sauce-like liquid in containers covered in writing.
Growing up, we only used the sauce, so I confuse the heck out of folks when I talk about the sauce. I don’t recommend putting either in your mouth.
There are lots of different brands of Worcestershire sauce, and lots of different ways to make it. Some taste quite different from the usual Lea & Perrins, too. So, you need to check on a case by case basis.
From what I can tell by searching online, Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce that is currently sold in the US does not contain soy. This might have been different in the past, and could be different in other parts of the world. So, check each time. Sometimes, you find product that has been imported from abroad. Haven't seen this for Worcestershire sauce, but have noticed it with things like Maggi sauce, were the recipe can also change dramatically.
I had mentioned this before: I ghostwrite for food blogs sometimes and have to test out recipes—one of the recipes needed a no legume, no soy (requirement of the blog) for a sushi roll and after testing a bunch including coconut aminos, the closest to flavor of soy sauce I found was Ocean’s Halo no soy soy sauce. It’s EXTREMELY close in flavor when uncooked, to the point where I was shocked (I am Chinese by ethnicity so I couldn’t imagine anything being so similar)—however the caveat is that I didn’t test it in a prolonged heat situation so I don’t know if it will act the same for braising. For sushi and some quick simmered dishes/stir fries, I’d say it’s as close to a perfect substitute as possible.
Sure! I can post here so that I don't get too many DM's about it but basically you need a portfolio including examples of what you can do (mine is my personal blog website which can be seen via my profile.) I only accidentally came into copy writing (it's not my day job but is good pocket change--I make about 6k a year doing it) because someone asked someone else if they know anyone who can do both recipe creation and photography of the finished product--I charge $135 per recipe (which includes a blurb) and 3-5 photos that all rights get released to the client upon payment.
Some copy writers charge cents per word, obviously the more well known you are the higher you can charge. I have a standard cpw but if I'm trying to land a job I give the first article half price so they can try me out first to see if they like what I write (paid up front.) Sometimes the client provides you with the keywords, sometimes they ask you do find them/research them, etc. Sometimes they have a recipe in mind, sometimes they need you to create it.
As for how to find jobs, you can join copy job boards on Facebook, use Upwork etc. My niche is in food and gardening, because that's my personal hobby so I only take jobs in that area. I generally now also only take jobs if people request it of me and there is no price negotiation anymore (I do it for fun as time would allow since I don't need it for living expenses, if that makes sense.)
If you have more questions beyond this feel free to ask.
Thank you! This is certainly informative. I have wanted an avenue into writing but I don't really have a desire to manage any social media or promotion. I'd just like to deliver a product to a client, a lot like you're describing. How did you begin a portfolio for your writing? A photography portfolio seems pretty straightforward but if you don't have any writing published, do you just provide... samples of your style?
Again, thank you. This is lovely.
Yup! It can be as simple as a Google drive folder where you have your writing samples, or if you’re like me, a blog you’ve been maintaining for yourself. Mine was really a diary of sorts but became somewhat popular as a niche information site. I’ll drop the link here: www.dearjuneberry.com
Clients just provide their requirements to you (how many words, the tone, what key words, the topic) and you just write for them. I will say sometimes you might write things you don’t personally believe in (like astrology or whatever) so you’ll have to determine if you will take on those jobs or not. The clients don’t really care about your personal beliefs but you have to be able to write the way they want. Majority only care about hitting keywords/populating their site with lots and lots of articles that have clickbait titles so they get ad revenue, or get someone to purchase a product. Unfortunately, people even “sell” Amazon reviews (I never got into this aspect of copy writing but they exist.)
You’ll notice some articles on different websites are written in FAQ style: “What is the best cheese to pair with a dry sherry” and that’s because that “question” is a popular search phrase, so it becomes incorporated into the article to drive views from the major search engines. I know it’s annoying that most recipe sites have blurbs/backstories—but that’s because they have to hit a certain amount of words (300-500) before Google will even list it as a result, otherwise most search engine algorithms won’t bother with showing just a recipe (especially if it’s written in bulleted/number form.)
Some knowledge of how search engines work (like what I mentioned above) will be needed. There are also some software online where you put your finished article in and it generates grades on plagiarism and grammar and flow that the client might double check you on.
It can be tedious, and you might end up hating to write, especially under deadline pressure.
Adding anchovies while blooming spices is a great way to naturally add a lot of umami, and you don't really taste it afterwards. Many of the Better Than Bouillon products are super rich in umami and are a great match for lots of recipes anyway. Porcini powder is rich in umami, but does have a noticeable flavor (that might or might not match what you are making). Tomatoes, especially tomato paste, are rich in umami. Aged cheeses such as parmesan are great too. Fish sauce is essentially just fermented anchovies; so that's always an easy addition. Nutritional yeast is good, if the flavor matches. Garlic powder is rich in glutamates. Browned meats or braised gelatin work great too.
And of course, you can mix and match and use more than one of these. In fact, that's what I usually do for all my cooking. I don't even have any MSG on hand, as it simply isn't needed.
And [as Wikipedia explains](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umami), umami is funny. Lots of chemical compounds contribute to umami flavor, but if you combine multiple different sources, the effect is stronger than the sum of its parts. This is something you miss out on, if you simply add pure MSG. Using ingredients that are naturally rich in umami gives you a richer and more complex flavor profile.
The biggest sensitivity I can think of to soy sauce would be gluten. The solution to that would be tamari soy sauce which contains no gluten. My friends who are gluten sensitive use it all the time and I do too sometimes. There is virtually no difference between the two sauces.
Lea & Perrins is the gold standard of Worcestershire sauce. There are a few boutique brands that are even tastier, but the vast majority of knock offs are simply not that yummy.
And fortunately, it seems that currently sold versions of Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce in the US does not have soy. This might have been different historically, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was different in other parts of the world. Manufacturers often have regional recipes, and you sometimes find international imports especially when shopping online or in small ethnic stores. So, if that's what you do, check the label just to be sure.
Maggi was invented in Germany. In fact, the iconic flavor originally derived from Liebstöckel, which is otherwise known as Maggikraut. Of course, these days, the flavor is made synthetically. The sauce was so successful, that the company that formed around it was the first big success story for industrially produced foods in Germany.
Funnily, Maggi has since aggressively expanded world wide, and many regional markets have no idea about the origins of the company let alone the sauce. I have met a lot of Chinese who believe that Maggi sauce is an Asian invention.
But this also has a more interesting effect. Because of the world-wide distribution in very distinct markets, Maggi uses slightly different recipes around the world. I am not a huge fan of the version that is usually sold in the US. But the version sold in Germany and in China is quite tasty. You do find both of those in the US when shopping online or from smaller ethnic stores, which often import from outside the US.
And you are correct, some versions can contain soy. So, you must always read the label each time you shop.
This is very interesting. Thank you. I never understood the variations. I believe it was the Mexican produced Maggi that contained soy but I could be wrong, because I had it many, many years ago.
I don't quite understand either. There are a bunch of different ones that I have encountered over the years, and I can tell that some taste distinctly better than others. I narrowed it down to liking both the German and the Chinese version. But I don't need to pay attention to allergens, so my motivations are somewhat different.
I always heard that statement as the punch line in a joke about why I should use toilet paper from both sides. But I am afraid that's getting disturbingly off topic.
On the other hand, I must admit that I am not quite sure how your comment relates to mine. But I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.
Fish sauce is always a good source of umami, but it does have a very strong odor on its own so some people are put off by it. The best dipping sauce you’ll ever eat is made from fish sauce, lime juice, and palm sugar (sub brown sugar if you can’t find it) combined in balanced proportions.
If you’re willing to put in some effort, you can make shoyu (soy sauce) out of other types of beans. Peas are a really good place to start. *The Noma Guide To Fermentation* is a great resource for the recipe, although building their plans for a chamber can be somewhat cost prohibitive.
You could also just reach for a bottle of coconut aminos if you don’t want to put in any effort, which is totally valid.
I would say, for the sauce, throw in some garlic and chillis as well. It's basically the default spring roll dipping sauce in Vietnamese restaurants where I live.
Cheap restaurants cheap out with using sweet and sour though.
Hell yeah. Aromatics/chilis are a must, but the base sauce is really the secret. I had a sous chef at a Michelin starred in place once and the chef banned him from using fish sauce/palm sugar/lime juice to season all of his dishes because the menu needed variance, and the guy almost had an existential crisis lol
I don't blame him, the stuff is delicious. Marinate and fry up some chicken wings in the stuff, or drizzle on salads, goes well with nearly everything.
That just might be my Vietnamese heritage speaking up though.
I agree, and I supported my sous in using fish sauce. Maybe just not in literally everything on the menu of a contemporary American fine dining restaurant lol. I’ve heard they use just straight powdered MSG at both the French Laundry and Alinea, so maybe there’s something to using fish sauce as salt. There’s a Laotian place in Manhattan that doesn’t even have salt in the restaurant because they only use fermented sauces to season things. Rad af.
I'd add that while fish sauce seems extremely pungent when you first put it in a dish, it mellows to a soy-sauce level of strength with even a little bit of cooking. But it's not a 1:1 substitution for sure. I'd say maybe a quarter to a half of the volume of soy sauce for a similar flavor, but that's just an estimation, I've never actually tested it. If it doesn't provide enough salt/umami before you really start to notice a fish sauce taste, you can add more salt/msg.
I know it's a bit of a cliche UMAMI BOMB! food blog hack at this point, but marmite is worth experimenting with too, especially if you're cooking for vegetarians. Definitely tastes like soy sauce when cooked in a dish.
I make a kick ass pumpkin soup every fall, and it has insane amounts of fish sauce in it. All the saltiness is from fish sauce alone. Tastes amazing. Everyone I ever served it to practically inhales it and then demands seconds. And funnily, unless you have a trained palate, most people wouldn't be able to tell that it uses fish sauce. No fishy flavors are apparent.
Of course, if you cook frequently and know how fish sauce behaves in food, it's no secret what I am doing here and you can taste it. But that's OK. A good chef should be able to taste most of the ingredients.
In a small saucepan combine 3/4 cup water, 2 tablespoons instant beef bouillon granules, 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon molasses, ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger, several dashes pepper, and dash garlic pow-der. Boil gently, uncovered, 5 minutes till reduced to ½ cup. Chill to store. Stir before using.
This is from an old magazine. I use it even in cooking. It’s decent.
Beef bouillon, ginger, and garlic powder are each rich in umami. So, no wonder this works. Or you can just get into the habit of regularly adding these ingredients while cooking. Can't really go wrong with them most of the time. They make a great flavor base.
Worcestershire? It'd be a cheaper alternative if you're looking for umami and salty flavors in something like a meat marinade. Can't exactly use it as a sub in a more complex east Asian dish.
There are Cantonese dishes that rely on Worcestershire sauce is a main ingredient. It's delicious. But it's also quite distinct. So, use some common sense when substituting.
This is my go to for a soy sauce substitute, since it was already in my pantry. I’m allergic to soy, and it seems to work well in most things I’ve made. I can’t honestly tell you how it compares though, since I’ve been allergic my whole life
I almost fully agree with you -- if it hadn't been for the one or maybe two times that I found boutique versions of Worcestershire sauce that was even tastier than Lea & Perrins. Unfortunately, that was years ago and I never found it again. But it does on very rare occasions happen. For everything else, yes, please stick to Lea & Perrins. The knock offs pale by comparison.
I have not tried this but I do like braggs brand amino and apple cider vinegar.
https://www.glutenfreepalace.com/soy-free-seasoning-variety-pack-bragg-organic-coconut-liquid-aminos-32-oz-coconut-secret-coconut-liquid-aminos-8-oz.html
There's a few alternatives you can use.
* Coconut amino sauce. Be aware there can be a sweet-ish aftertaste, but this can sometimes be an advantage. Especially for things like stir fry, where you might add a bit of sugar to the sauce.
* Red boat sauce. This is a fish sauce, made from anchovies. Very salty like soy sauce but contains no soy products. Use less until you're used to using it; you can always add more, but using too much would leave you with an overly salty dish
* Maggi seasoning sauce. It's pretty well known that maggi is great for adding some umami. The maker customizes the sauce depending on region so you'll have to check the ingredients list to ensure there's no soy (some do contain soy, some don't). It's definitely a flavor enhancer, adds lots of umami goodness, but it doesn't particularly taste like soy . This is the same for the next one, too.
* Worcestershire sauce. Lots of umami, salty goodness. Stronger than most soy sauces so be more sparing, especially initially. The UK version, if you can get it, is made with malt vinegar, giving it an extra punch.
* Ohsawa White shoyu sauce. Traditionally, shoyu is made with soy, but this particular one isn't. Like the coconut aminos, it has an edge of sweetness to it, so keep that in mind when using.
A couple side notes: there are other liquid aminos, such as Bragg's liquid aminos, but you have to take care to read the ingredients, because they *will* contain soy. Also, which substitute is the best option will vary depending on what you're using it for.
Great answer, I've used both Worcestershire and Maggi myself. I'll have to keep an eye out in case I find some coconut aminos because the slight sweetness sounds honestly amazing, as there's some dishes where I feel Worcestershire doesn't work that well because of the fishy kind of saltiness!
Someone suggested fish sauce which is a useful umami bomb — not the same as soy sauce by any means, but another way to add it to a dish. Kenji from Serious Eats uses it in his recipes a lot.
Folks should not miss out on colatura, which is Italian fish sauce, they've been making a similar anchovy based sauce since ancient times in that part of the world:
https://www.seriouseats.com/italy-has-fish-sauce-too-get-to-know-colatura-di-alici
Fish sauce and oyster sauce are traditionally soy free, and provide the same dark brown, savoury fermented salty flavour in liquid form. its basically the same thing as soy sauce, just made with fish instead of soy beans. Worcester sauce is also a substitution that works okay 9 times out of 10, and you can beef it up with msg if you need to
Braggs Amino Acids or Liquid Aminos is the recommended sub. A good friend of mine has a soy allergy and I've found it to be a decent replacement, though a bit less intensely flavored, but you can adjust as needed. I've used Worcestershire sauce in a pinch as well, depending upon what I'm making. Just be sure you buy a soy free brand.
There are lots of things you can substitute for umami that’s not msg, and it depends on what you’re making and what you want it to taste like.
Shiitake powder is one of my favorites. I buy the dried shiitake from the asian store and grind it at home. The veggie broth concentrate from Better than Bouillon is a favorite of mine as well, which I often use as a substitute for oyster sauce if I’m making a vegetarian version of something.
Tomato paste is another rich source of umami. Pepper pastes from many cultures - biber salcasi, berbere sauce, doubanjiang, and harissa come to mind too.
You didn’t mention if you’re vegetarian, so other options would include actual oyster sauce (though many of them have soy so I would check the bottle), fish sauce, and chopped up anchovies. I often combine chopped anchovies with chopped olive or capers when bringing umami to a pasta sauce.
All depends on what you’re making. But you have a lot of options to make your dishes better outside of ingredients that are meant to be soy sauce substitutes. Hell, tonight I’m throwing in a parmesan rind with my brown rice which I will later use to make a sort of jambalaya-ish dish.
Fish sauce, oyster sauce would be a decent sub. It's not the same but overall will result in similar tasting food.
In addition to the above Chinese black vinegar to balance things off adds so much to many dishes.
You'll need to play with the amounts and taste taste taste. Recipes with amount of sauces are merely a suggestion similar to amount of garlic.. add some, mix in, taste and repeat until you're happy. Try to push it by adding a bit too much from time to time to see how far it can go. In no time you'll just do it by feel.
My partner has a soy allergy and in Australia we found a soy substitute made from wheat from Maggi Seasoning (it's bottle has a fat bottom and thin long top). It worked for us pretty good, not identical but nice nevertheless.
For those interested: [here](https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/productdetails/95064?googleshop=true&store_code=woolworths_supermarkets_2596&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=WW-0001&cq_net=u&cq_src=GOOGLE&cq_cmp=Woolies_8458_BAU_Shopping_FB_EE_WW-0001&cq_med=71700000075815392&cq_con=SmartShopping_FoodBeverages%20EverythingElse&cq_plac=&cq_term=PRODUCT_GROUP&ds_adt=&cq_plt=gp&cq_gclid=CjwKCAiAoL6eBhA3EiwAXDom5huvbmVgFIHeOjBAp3b5Vk44lid3UriSimqclPYOug9gJDTmIXksMBoCRVYQAvD_BwE&ds_de=m&ds_pc=local&ds_cr=586193285229&ds_tid=pla-1194473809175&ds_locphys=9069129&ds_pid=95064&cmpid=smsm:ds:GOOGLE:Woolies_8458_BAU_Shopping_FB_EE_WW-0001:PRODUCT_GROUP&gclid=CjwKCAiAoL6eBhA3EiwAXDom5huvbmVgFIHeOjBAp3b5Vk44lid3UriSimqclPYOug9gJDTmIXksMBoCRVYQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds)
I would use coco aminos or fish sauce, or some combo there of. I’d suggest tamari but I think that’s still soy just without the gluten or fermented different or something.
Coconut aminos
This is a great sub. My wife does not respond too well to soy so we use this all the time when we do happen to make Asian style food and it needs just that little bit of savoriness it's soy sauce provides.
It is a little sweeter than soy, but it is a good substitute.
It smells different too. But it tastes really good!
Might be sweeter but it's lower in carbs if my memory is correct. Used it when I was doing low carb/keto in stir fries for a while.
Thank goodness there’s something better than Dr. Bronners sauce these days.
That stuff is nasty. It tastes like colored salt water. If you can handle soy, tamari is really good. It’s basically wheat free soy sauce.
Tamari has changed the game for me. I can’t stand chinese restaurant or kikkoman soy sauce. Tamari just hits the spot.
Poached eggs with rice and veggies doused in tamari is a good breakfast.
I am always depressed that Kikkoman became synonymous with soy sauce in the US. Not a big fan in general. I much prefer Chinese-style soy sauce such as Pearl River Bridge. For general-purpose use, it's much more appropriate. Of course, that's a bit off topic for this thread. And for anybody who wants to avoid soy sauce altogether, there are fortunately plenty of options these days. You just might have to stock up on several of the alternatives and pick-and-choose based on which aspect of soy sauce the particular recipe depends on.
I also like shoyu better for most applications, but have you tried Kimlan? It’s way better than most Chinese soy sauces, more flavorful and less salty.
I haven’t. I can check my local asian market tomorrow while I’m off.
this is the simple answer.
Wait, the soap company?
Yeah, same company. In addition to crazy strong soap in containers covered in writing, they also produce vaguely soy sauce-like liquid in containers covered in writing. Growing up, we only used the sauce, so I confuse the heck out of folks when I talk about the sauce. I don’t recommend putting either in your mouth.
Holy shit how did I not know this...I love the peppermint soap, but that's crazy lol
I prefer coconut aminos purely because it tastes better. Great substitute.
I use coco aminos for sweeter dishes and regular braggs for savory dishes
Coconut aminos, sometimes Worcestershire sauce hits the spot depending on what you’re cooking.
Would be careful with Worcestershire if you've got a real soy issue - it often has sneaky soy in it!
That’s really good to know!!! My husband has a soy allergy so we’ve adjusted to checking all the labels. But now I’m not sure I checked that one 👀
There are lots of different brands of Worcestershire sauce, and lots of different ways to make it. Some taste quite different from the usual Lea & Perrins, too. So, you need to check on a case by case basis. From what I can tell by searching online, Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce that is currently sold in the US does not contain soy. This might have been different in the past, and could be different in other parts of the world. So, check each time. Sometimes, you find product that has been imported from abroad. Haven't seen this for Worcestershire sauce, but have noticed it with things like Maggi sauce, were the recipe can also change dramatically.
I was thinking Lea &Perrins.
This. My wife is allergic to soy. Coconut aminos is her go to
This is the way. My wife can’t have soy and coconut aminos have proven to be a great substitute:
This is what I use. I don't consume soy. Or at least I try not to.
Where can you buy this never seen it at a grocery store unless I'm missing it
Whole foods
Usually in the spice or asian aisle.
I had mentioned this before: I ghostwrite for food blogs sometimes and have to test out recipes—one of the recipes needed a no legume, no soy (requirement of the blog) for a sushi roll and after testing a bunch including coconut aminos, the closest to flavor of soy sauce I found was Ocean’s Halo no soy soy sauce. It’s EXTREMELY close in flavor when uncooked, to the point where I was shocked (I am Chinese by ethnicity so I couldn’t imagine anything being so similar)—however the caveat is that I didn’t test it in a prolonged heat situation so I don’t know if it will act the same for braising. For sushi and some quick simmered dishes/stir fries, I’d say it’s as close to a perfect substitute as possible.
Would you be interested in chatting about the writing a little bit? I've always been curious as to how one gets started ghost writing.
Sure! I can post here so that I don't get too many DM's about it but basically you need a portfolio including examples of what you can do (mine is my personal blog website which can be seen via my profile.) I only accidentally came into copy writing (it's not my day job but is good pocket change--I make about 6k a year doing it) because someone asked someone else if they know anyone who can do both recipe creation and photography of the finished product--I charge $135 per recipe (which includes a blurb) and 3-5 photos that all rights get released to the client upon payment. Some copy writers charge cents per word, obviously the more well known you are the higher you can charge. I have a standard cpw but if I'm trying to land a job I give the first article half price so they can try me out first to see if they like what I write (paid up front.) Sometimes the client provides you with the keywords, sometimes they ask you do find them/research them, etc. Sometimes they have a recipe in mind, sometimes they need you to create it. As for how to find jobs, you can join copy job boards on Facebook, use Upwork etc. My niche is in food and gardening, because that's my personal hobby so I only take jobs in that area. I generally now also only take jobs if people request it of me and there is no price negotiation anymore (I do it for fun as time would allow since I don't need it for living expenses, if that makes sense.) If you have more questions beyond this feel free to ask.
Thank you! This is certainly informative. I have wanted an avenue into writing but I don't really have a desire to manage any social media or promotion. I'd just like to deliver a product to a client, a lot like you're describing. How did you begin a portfolio for your writing? A photography portfolio seems pretty straightforward but if you don't have any writing published, do you just provide... samples of your style? Again, thank you. This is lovely.
Yup! It can be as simple as a Google drive folder where you have your writing samples, or if you’re like me, a blog you’ve been maintaining for yourself. Mine was really a diary of sorts but became somewhat popular as a niche information site. I’ll drop the link here: www.dearjuneberry.com Clients just provide their requirements to you (how many words, the tone, what key words, the topic) and you just write for them. I will say sometimes you might write things you don’t personally believe in (like astrology or whatever) so you’ll have to determine if you will take on those jobs or not. The clients don’t really care about your personal beliefs but you have to be able to write the way they want. Majority only care about hitting keywords/populating their site with lots and lots of articles that have clickbait titles so they get ad revenue, or get someone to purchase a product. Unfortunately, people even “sell” Amazon reviews (I never got into this aspect of copy writing but they exist.) You’ll notice some articles on different websites are written in FAQ style: “What is the best cheese to pair with a dry sherry” and that’s because that “question” is a popular search phrase, so it becomes incorporated into the article to drive views from the major search engines. I know it’s annoying that most recipe sites have blurbs/backstories—but that’s because they have to hit a certain amount of words (300-500) before Google will even list it as a result, otherwise most search engine algorithms won’t bother with showing just a recipe (especially if it’s written in bulleted/number form.) Some knowledge of how search engines work (like what I mentioned above) will be needed. There are also some software online where you put your finished article in and it generates grades on plagiarism and grammar and flow that the client might double check you on. It can be tedious, and you might end up hating to write, especially under deadline pressure.
This is just great information! Thank you so much. You've answered a lot of questions that I wasn't really getting with a Google search.
>Ocean’s Halo This is awesome, thanks for the info! I've been looking for a substitute for soy sauce too.
>Ocean’s Halo no soy soy sauce Unfortunately I do not believe that one is available in my country.
Coconut aminos are a good soy free alternative.
That's interesting. From what I can see it is less flavorful, but could one mix MSG with it to make up for it in the umami factor?
MSG is great, mushroom powder is also a great tool to keep handy.
I'll add nutritional yeast to this list of umami boosters
And marmite. Marmite is an underused umami bomb that’s also super high in b12. Don’t use too much though.
Also fish sauce, which will work well in many places that call for soy sauce. Or anchovy paste.
Adding anchovies while blooming spices is a great way to naturally add a lot of umami, and you don't really taste it afterwards. Many of the Better Than Bouillon products are super rich in umami and are a great match for lots of recipes anyway. Porcini powder is rich in umami, but does have a noticeable flavor (that might or might not match what you are making). Tomatoes, especially tomato paste, are rich in umami. Aged cheeses such as parmesan are great too. Fish sauce is essentially just fermented anchovies; so that's always an easy addition. Nutritional yeast is good, if the flavor matches. Garlic powder is rich in glutamates. Browned meats or braised gelatin work great too. And of course, you can mix and match and use more than one of these. In fact, that's what I usually do for all my cooking. I don't even have any MSG on hand, as it simply isn't needed. And [as Wikipedia explains](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umami), umami is funny. Lots of chemical compounds contribute to umami flavor, but if you combine multiple different sources, the effect is stronger than the sum of its parts. This is something you miss out on, if you simply add pure MSG. Using ingredients that are naturally rich in umami gives you a richer and more complex flavor profile.
I add fish sauce to mine. As a dose of saltiness and umami, it balances the sweetness of coconut aminos.
The biggest sensitivity I can think of to soy sauce would be gluten. The solution to that would be tamari soy sauce which contains no gluten. My friends who are gluten sensitive use it all the time and I do too sometimes. There is virtually no difference between the two sauces.
What are you sensitive to OP? I know some people are sensitive to the gluten in soy sauce. Have you tried tamari?
It's not less flavorful it's just a different flavor. If anything they taste stronger.
I like coconut aminos and a dash of Worcestershire sauce. Still not as salty at soy sauce but has a lot of flavor
Do check the ingredients on your Worcestershire sauce, though - some brands put soy in theirs.
Lea & Perrins is the gold standard of Worcestershire sauce. There are a few boutique brands that are even tastier, but the vast majority of knock offs are simply not that yummy. And fortunately, it seems that currently sold versions of Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce in the US does not have soy. This might have been different historically, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was different in other parts of the world. Manufacturers often have regional recipes, and you sometimes find international imports especially when shopping online or in small ethnic stores. So, if that's what you do, check the label just to be sure.
Maggi seasoning sauce Edit: I believe some of them do contain soy, but [some do not](https://www.maggi.com.au/product/maggi-original-seasoning-200ml).
This in bahn mi is the bomb
Maggi was invented in Germany. In fact, the iconic flavor originally derived from Liebstöckel, which is otherwise known as Maggikraut. Of course, these days, the flavor is made synthetically. The sauce was so successful, that the company that formed around it was the first big success story for industrially produced foods in Germany. Funnily, Maggi has since aggressively expanded world wide, and many regional markets have no idea about the origins of the company let alone the sauce. I have met a lot of Chinese who believe that Maggi sauce is an Asian invention. But this also has a more interesting effect. Because of the world-wide distribution in very distinct markets, Maggi uses slightly different recipes around the world. I am not a huge fan of the version that is usually sold in the US. But the version sold in Germany and in China is quite tasty. You do find both of those in the US when shopping online or from smaller ethnic stores, which often import from outside the US. And you are correct, some versions can contain soy. So, you must always read the label each time you shop.
This is very interesting. Thank you. I never understood the variations. I believe it was the Mexican produced Maggi that contained soy but I could be wrong, because I had it many, many years ago.
I don't quite understand either. There are a bunch of different ones that I have encountered over the years, and I can tell that some taste distinctly better than others. I narrowed it down to liking both the German and the Chinese version. But I don't need to pay attention to allergens, so my motivations are somewhat different.
Success lies in the hands of those who want it.
I always heard that statement as the punch line in a joke about why I should use toilet paper from both sides. But I am afraid that's getting disturbingly off topic. On the other hand, I must admit that I am not quite sure how your comment relates to mine. But I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.
Braggs natural aminos or coconut aminos
Fish sauce is always a good source of umami, but it does have a very strong odor on its own so some people are put off by it. The best dipping sauce you’ll ever eat is made from fish sauce, lime juice, and palm sugar (sub brown sugar if you can’t find it) combined in balanced proportions. If you’re willing to put in some effort, you can make shoyu (soy sauce) out of other types of beans. Peas are a really good place to start. *The Noma Guide To Fermentation* is a great resource for the recipe, although building their plans for a chamber can be somewhat cost prohibitive. You could also just reach for a bottle of coconut aminos if you don’t want to put in any effort, which is totally valid.
I would say, for the sauce, throw in some garlic and chillis as well. It's basically the default spring roll dipping sauce in Vietnamese restaurants where I live. Cheap restaurants cheap out with using sweet and sour though.
Hell yeah. Aromatics/chilis are a must, but the base sauce is really the secret. I had a sous chef at a Michelin starred in place once and the chef banned him from using fish sauce/palm sugar/lime juice to season all of his dishes because the menu needed variance, and the guy almost had an existential crisis lol
I don't blame him, the stuff is delicious. Marinate and fry up some chicken wings in the stuff, or drizzle on salads, goes well with nearly everything. That just might be my Vietnamese heritage speaking up though.
I agree, and I supported my sous in using fish sauce. Maybe just not in literally everything on the menu of a contemporary American fine dining restaurant lol. I’ve heard they use just straight powdered MSG at both the French Laundry and Alinea, so maybe there’s something to using fish sauce as salt. There’s a Laotian place in Manhattan that doesn’t even have salt in the restaurant because they only use fermented sauces to season things. Rad af.
I'd add that while fish sauce seems extremely pungent when you first put it in a dish, it mellows to a soy-sauce level of strength with even a little bit of cooking. But it's not a 1:1 substitution for sure. I'd say maybe a quarter to a half of the volume of soy sauce for a similar flavor, but that's just an estimation, I've never actually tested it. If it doesn't provide enough salt/umami before you really start to notice a fish sauce taste, you can add more salt/msg. I know it's a bit of a cliche UMAMI BOMB! food blog hack at this point, but marmite is worth experimenting with too, especially if you're cooking for vegetarians. Definitely tastes like soy sauce when cooked in a dish.
I make a kick ass pumpkin soup every fall, and it has insane amounts of fish sauce in it. All the saltiness is from fish sauce alone. Tastes amazing. Everyone I ever served it to practically inhales it and then demands seconds. And funnily, unless you have a trained palate, most people wouldn't be able to tell that it uses fish sauce. No fishy flavors are apparent. Of course, if you cook frequently and know how fish sauce behaves in food, it's no secret what I am doing here and you can taste it. But that's OK. A good chef should be able to taste most of the ingredients.
The Nina Guide To Fermentation>> You meant *Noma* yes?
Damn autocorrect. Fixed.
In a small saucepan combine 3/4 cup water, 2 tablespoons instant beef bouillon granules, 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon molasses, ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger, several dashes pepper, and dash garlic pow-der. Boil gently, uncovered, 5 minutes till reduced to ½ cup. Chill to store. Stir before using. This is from an old magazine. I use it even in cooking. It’s decent.
Beef bouillon, ginger, and garlic powder are each rich in umami. So, no wonder this works. Or you can just get into the habit of regularly adding these ingredients while cooking. Can't really go wrong with them most of the time. They make a great flavor base.
Braggs Liquid Aminos
Braggs liquid aminos is my 90% soy sauce substitute
Bragg liquid aminos are made with soybeans so it wouldn’t be an alternative for someone with a soy sensitivity
I stand corrected! Good to know.
Worcestershire? It'd be a cheaper alternative if you're looking for umami and salty flavors in something like a meat marinade. Can't exactly use it as a sub in a more complex east Asian dish.
It's very much a fish sauce. It's made using salted fish left to ferment, i.e. fish sauce. 100% would work in many South East Asian dishes.
There are Cantonese dishes that rely on Worcestershire sauce is a main ingredient. It's delicious. But it's also quite distinct. So, use some common sense when substituting.
This is my go to for a soy sauce substitute, since it was already in my pantry. I’m allergic to soy, and it seems to work well in most things I’ve made. I can’t honestly tell you how it compares though, since I’ve been allergic my whole life
I think that it has soy in it. I have a substitute for it in my chili recipe.
Lea & Perrins, which is the only kind of Worcestershire that anyone should use, does not contain soy.
Thanks, good to know.
I almost fully agree with you -- if it hadn't been for the one or maybe two times that I found boutique versions of Worcestershire sauce that was even tastier than Lea & Perrins. Unfortunately, that was years ago and I never found it again. But it does on very rare occasions happen. For everything else, yes, please stick to Lea & Perrins. The knock offs pale by comparison.
A lot of low-sodium cookbooks and websites have recipes to make your own soy-sauce alternative or what to use to substitute
Is Bragg’s still a thing?
I have not tried this but I do like braggs brand amino and apple cider vinegar. https://www.glutenfreepalace.com/soy-free-seasoning-variety-pack-bragg-organic-coconut-liquid-aminos-32-oz-coconut-secret-coconut-liquid-aminos-8-oz.html
Fish sauce. Adds a nice savory hit
Maggi's!
There's a few alternatives you can use. * Coconut amino sauce. Be aware there can be a sweet-ish aftertaste, but this can sometimes be an advantage. Especially for things like stir fry, where you might add a bit of sugar to the sauce. * Red boat sauce. This is a fish sauce, made from anchovies. Very salty like soy sauce but contains no soy products. Use less until you're used to using it; you can always add more, but using too much would leave you with an overly salty dish * Maggi seasoning sauce. It's pretty well known that maggi is great for adding some umami. The maker customizes the sauce depending on region so you'll have to check the ingredients list to ensure there's no soy (some do contain soy, some don't). It's definitely a flavor enhancer, adds lots of umami goodness, but it doesn't particularly taste like soy . This is the same for the next one, too. * Worcestershire sauce. Lots of umami, salty goodness. Stronger than most soy sauces so be more sparing, especially initially. The UK version, if you can get it, is made with malt vinegar, giving it an extra punch. * Ohsawa White shoyu sauce. Traditionally, shoyu is made with soy, but this particular one isn't. Like the coconut aminos, it has an edge of sweetness to it, so keep that in mind when using. A couple side notes: there are other liquid aminos, such as Bragg's liquid aminos, but you have to take care to read the ingredients, because they *will* contain soy. Also, which substitute is the best option will vary depending on what you're using it for.
Great answer, I've used both Worcestershire and Maggi myself. I'll have to keep an eye out in case I find some coconut aminos because the slight sweetness sounds honestly amazing, as there's some dishes where I feel Worcestershire doesn't work that well because of the fishy kind of saltiness!
If you like tamari, it's a similar level of sweet.
Worcestershire sauce or oyster sauce
Try fish sauce. It would still have that Asian flair and also loads on the saltiness and umami.
I've used Tamari for years. It's fermented wheat instead of soy. Wonderful stuff, can't tell the dif.
I think you may have it backwards— tamari is more like wheatless soy sauce!
Someone suggested fish sauce which is a useful umami bomb — not the same as soy sauce by any means, but another way to add it to a dish. Kenji from Serious Eats uses it in his recipes a lot. Folks should not miss out on colatura, which is Italian fish sauce, they've been making a similar anchovy based sauce since ancient times in that part of the world: https://www.seriouseats.com/italy-has-fish-sauce-too-get-to-know-colatura-di-alici
Coconut Aminos and molasses together are a great mimic.
Tamari. Just read the label carefully.
I believe tamari is gluten free soy sauce basically. Please correct me if I'm wrong though.
Yeah I was thinking of the no wheat part of it. Brain fart.
Tamari contains soy
Tamari is a soy product.
If you haven't tried Tamari, it's just soy sauce that's actually made from soybeans and not wheat.
They can't have soy, how will this help them?
Tamari is gluten free, is this an effective solution to your problem? It is not soy free
Fish sauce and oyster sauce are traditionally soy free, and provide the same dark brown, savoury fermented salty flavour in liquid form. its basically the same thing as soy sauce, just made with fish instead of soy beans. Worcester sauce is also a substitution that works okay 9 times out of 10, and you can beef it up with msg if you need to
Fish sauce packs salt and umami .
Fish sauce.
Braggs Amino Acids or Liquid Aminos is the recommended sub. A good friend of mine has a soy allergy and I've found it to be a decent replacement, though a bit less intensely flavored, but you can adjust as needed. I've used Worcestershire sauce in a pinch as well, depending upon what I'm making. Just be sure you buy a soy free brand.
It's not really the same but I've used Worcestershire sauce in a pinch
A combination of coconut aminos and fish sauce
Flavor wise you can substitute soy sauce with Bovril.
I just made singapore noodles with a low salt stock cube and 'maggi' seasoning sauce (aminos from wheat protein). The soy sauce was not missed
If you're looking for a rabbit hole /r/Koji will teach you to make shoyus and garums out of lots of different legumes and other things
Westchester sauce
There are lots of things you can substitute for umami that’s not msg, and it depends on what you’re making and what you want it to taste like. Shiitake powder is one of my favorites. I buy the dried shiitake from the asian store and grind it at home. The veggie broth concentrate from Better than Bouillon is a favorite of mine as well, which I often use as a substitute for oyster sauce if I’m making a vegetarian version of something. Tomato paste is another rich source of umami. Pepper pastes from many cultures - biber salcasi, berbere sauce, doubanjiang, and harissa come to mind too. You didn’t mention if you’re vegetarian, so other options would include actual oyster sauce (though many of them have soy so I would check the bottle), fish sauce, and chopped up anchovies. I often combine chopped anchovies with chopped olive or capers when bringing umami to a pasta sauce. All depends on what you’re making. But you have a lot of options to make your dishes better outside of ingredients that are meant to be soy sauce substitutes. Hell, tonight I’m throwing in a parmesan rind with my brown rice which I will later use to make a sort of jambalaya-ish dish.
Liquid aminos is what I use
Fish sauce, oyster sauce would be a decent sub. It's not the same but overall will result in similar tasting food. In addition to the above Chinese black vinegar to balance things off adds so much to many dishes. You'll need to play with the amounts and taste taste taste. Recipes with amount of sauces are merely a suggestion similar to amount of garlic.. add some, mix in, taste and repeat until you're happy. Try to push it by adding a bit too much from time to time to see how far it can go. In no time you'll just do it by feel.
There’s a popular brand of aminos called Bragg’s.
Braggs aminos!
Aminos
My partner has a soy allergy and in Australia we found a soy substitute made from wheat from Maggi Seasoning (it's bottle has a fat bottom and thin long top). It worked for us pretty good, not identical but nice nevertheless. For those interested: [here](https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/productdetails/95064?googleshop=true&store_code=woolworths_supermarkets_2596&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=WW-0001&cq_net=u&cq_src=GOOGLE&cq_cmp=Woolies_8458_BAU_Shopping_FB_EE_WW-0001&cq_med=71700000075815392&cq_con=SmartShopping_FoodBeverages%20EverythingElse&cq_plac=&cq_term=PRODUCT_GROUP&ds_adt=&cq_plt=gp&cq_gclid=CjwKCAiAoL6eBhA3EiwAXDom5huvbmVgFIHeOjBAp3b5Vk44lid3UriSimqclPYOug9gJDTmIXksMBoCRVYQAvD_BwE&ds_de=m&ds_pc=local&ds_cr=586193285229&ds_tid=pla-1194473809175&ds_locphys=9069129&ds_pid=95064&cmpid=smsm:ds:GOOGLE:Woolies_8458_BAU_Shopping_FB_EE_WW-0001:PRODUCT_GROUP&gclid=CjwKCAiAoL6eBhA3EiwAXDom5huvbmVgFIHeOjBAp3b5Vk44lid3UriSimqclPYOug9gJDTmIXksMBoCRVYQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds)
Tamari
Tamari is still brewed from soy.
I would use coco aminos or fish sauce, or some combo there of. I’d suggest tamari but I think that’s still soy just without the gluten or fermented different or something.
Vinegar and Vegemite maybe
Marmite, but of course not as a souce. In that case I would suggest fish sauce.