Savor the Flavor With These Fish Sauce Substitutes

With its paradoxical nature of off-putting aroma yet transformative flavor, fish sauce sits at the heart of many delicious savory dishes. If you’re out of this mainstay Asian condiment, don’t fret — there are plenty of excellent fish sauce substitutes to consider. They’ll keep your dishes tasting true to their original flavors and ensure your meals produce the umami, earthy flavor they were meant to have.

Three bowls with sauce and chopsticks on a white surface. — Photo Credit: Two City Vegans

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What Is Fish Sauce?

Fish sauce is made from salted, fermented fish — most often anchovies — and has been cherished for thousands of years for its ability to impart a rich, savory, and umami depth to various dishes. Its production involves a meticulous process of fermenting fish in barrels for up to two years, resulting in different grades of sauce suited for specific culinary applications:

First pressing: This grade is prized for its concentrated flavor and is used as a finishing sauce.
Second pressing: This is best for blending into dipping sauces with other ingredients.
Third pressing: Renowned for its intense aroma and versatility, it is ideal for cooking.

A bowl of asian sauce on a table. — Photo Credit: Two City Vegans

A woman is pouring olive oil on a salad. — Photo Credit: Two City Vegans

Fish sauce enriches everything from pad thai and pho to stir-fries and salads. Despite its intense smell — a hallmark of its fermentation process — fish sauce is celebrated for its complex flavor profile, enhancing dishes with just a dash.

The Best Fish Sauce Substitutes

If you don’t have fish sauce on hand, don’t enjoy its taste or follow a vegan diet, there are luckily plenty of fish sauce substitutes that can be used in its place.

Soy Sauce

This is one of the most common and similar-tasting condiments to fish sauce. However, while soy sauce has that savory, umami, and salty flavor nailed perfectly, it’s missing that little edge of sourness that makes fish sauce unique. That’s why there are a couple of ways to make soy sauce an even better fish sauce substitute:

Three bowls of asian sauce on a table. — Photo Credit: Two City Vegans

Two bottles on a counter top. — Photo Credit: Two City Vegans

Soy sauce and lime juice: A small squeeze of fresh lime juice adds just the right amount of sour flavor to the salty soy sauce. For one tablespoon of soy sauce, add half a teaspoon of lime juice.
Soy sauce and vinegar: This option accomplishes the same thing as lime juice but offers another choice if you don’t have fresh limes on hand. Rice vinegar is the best choice. These two ingredients can be mixed in equal parts to substitute fish sauce.

Tamari

Like soy sauce but made without wheat, tamari is the go-to choice for many gluten-free eaters. Tamari has a richer, more robust, and less salty umami flavor than soy sauce. You can replace fish sauce with tamari at a 1-to-1 ratio or start with a little less, adding more to taste.

A woman pouring a sauce on a salad. — Photo Credit: Two City Vegans

“I love fish sauce for adding umami to dishes like curry or stir fries and it’s my secret ingredient in Caesar salad dressing. Miso paste or soy sauce are good substitutes, too.”

— Robin Donovan, All Ways Delicious

Coconut Aminos

This is a savory, salty sauce made from the fermented sap of coconut palm and sea salt. Coconut aminos have gained popularity as a healthier alternative to soy sauce and an excellent substitute for fish sauce, especially for those following a vegan or vegetarian diet or individuals with allergies to soy or gluten. Liquid aminos can be used in the same proportions as fish sauce, but you may want to add salt due to its lower sodium content. Try it in this wonderful tofu marinade to see its flavor shine.

A woman is preparing a salad in the kitchen. — Photo Credit: Two City Vegans

Bouillon

Whether derived from mushrooms, or vegetables, bouillon is rich in glutamic acids, offering a depth of flavor akin to fish sauce. While some bouillons are high in sodium, low-sodium options exist. It can be used to season soups, sauces, and even raw salads like this bok choy salad.

Seaweed

Also rich in amino acid glutamate, seaweed offers a natural umami flavor, making it an excellent substitute for fish sauce. Varieties like nori and kombu are exceptionally high in glutamate, enhancing broths, soups, and other dishes with their savory depth. For a milder umami taste, wakame is a preferable option. Seaweed is available in fresh and dried forms. It can be easily incorporated into various recipes, from salads and broths to sauces for those seeking a plant-based alternative to fish sauce.

A woman squeezing a bowl of soup with sprigs of dill. — Photo Credit: Two City Vegans

The Bottom Line

Finding a suitable substitute for fish sauce is easily achievable with various pantry staples and natural ingredients. Whether you opt for coconut aminos, Worcestershire sauce, bouillon, or seaweed, each alternative offers a unique flavor profile that can mimic the umami depth fish sauce brings to dishes.

This article originally appeared on Food Drink Life.