Top 12 😍 Best Substitute for Fish Sauce in a Recipe

Fish Sauce is used in many recipes to enhance the flavor. Sometimes, it is not necessary to cook a Fish Sauce based recipe. You can use this sauce in any recipe accordingly. If you are missing this crucial ingredient in your recipe or you don’t have it right now, we have a list of Fish Sauce substitutes so that your recipe/dish won’t be ruined.

Before going ahead to know about its substitute you have to know about What is Fish Sauce actually? Once you get to know about it, you wouldn’t miss choosing the perfect substitute for Fish Sauce. We recommend using Soy Sauce in place of Fish Sauce which is easily available at everyone’s home.

What is Fish Sauce?

As you can expect from its name. Fish Sauce derives most of its flavor from fish. It looks similar to soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce. This sauce can be used in Chinese cuisine, soups, curry, stews, etc. Fish that have been coated with salt and fermented for up to two years. It gives the savory umami flavor to the recipe/dish. This umami flavor is extracted from its glutamate content.

Nutrient Profile of Fish Sauce:

Health Benefits of Fish Sauce:

• Fish Sauce provides a healthy source Of amino acids.
• Supplement your diet with natural vitamins.
• Fish Sauce adds a supplement to your diet with iron.
• It also provides a powerful source of omega 3.
• The delicious fish sauce helps to eliminate fishy odors.

What can I Substitute for Fish Sauce?

Have you been stuck in between your cooking process due to not having the main ingredient in your pantry? Hope! you are not going to ruin your whole recipe because of this reason. We are here with some best Substitutes for Fish Sauce. You just need to check what ingredient you have in your kitchen or pantry right and use this. Before going ahead please get to know the detailed information about Fish Sauce substitutes we have shared right here so that your recipe wouldn’t be ruined.

1. Hoisin Sauce:

Hoisin Sauce is made from fermented soybean along with rice vinegar, sesame seeds, salt, garlic, and other ingredients. This can be a great Fish Sauce alternative. The amount you should take is the same as the Fish Sauce, but you may find a difference in the taste due to the sesame seeds. You can use it for salad dressing, stews, soups, and stir-fries in the same quantity as you to make them delicious.

2. Soy Sauce:

Soy Sauce is popular in many Chinese cuisines. It is made by fermenting soybeans, salt, water, and wheat. Soy Sauce has a rich umami flavor with a hint of sweetness due to the amino acids in soybean. Soy sauce works perfectly with pad thai, fried rice, kimchi, and even ramen or pho. You can use Soy sauce as a Fish Sauce replacement in the same ratio of 1:1. For some dishes/recipes, Soy sauce might be too salty so reduce the extra amount of salt from your recipe.

To give an extra flavor, you can add minced anchovies [for 1 tablespoon (15 mL) Soy sauce], rice vinegar, or lemon juice [1 tablespoon (15 mL)].

3. Sweet Soy Sauce:

The Sweet Soy Sauce is different in color than the regular one. It looks dark in color and has a viscous consistency. Sweet Soy Sauce tastes like molasses because of palm sugar. It gives an umami flavor to the recipe similar to the Fish Sauce. Sweet Soy Sauce is made from a fermented paste of black beans, roasted grain, salt, water, Aspergillus Wentii, and Palm Sugar. It is also seasoned with spices such as star anise, cinnamon, black pepper, coriander, and cloves. We know that it’s not much similar to Fish Sauce still, mimics a decent flavor of Fish Sauce.

4. Teriyaki Sauce:

Teriyaki is a Japanese term for meat that has been marinated in Teriyaki Sauce. This sauce is made from 4 main components such as soy sauce, sake, sugar, and ginger. You can marinate meat, vegetables, fish, or tofu for half an hour before cooking. This mixture will get thicker, glossy, and sticky if you reduce the mixture. You can use Teriyaki in the same ratio of 1:1.

5. Oyster Sauce:

Oyster sauce is slightly thicker and not a good substitute for recipes that requires a thin consistency of Fish Sauce. You can add a little bit of water to Oyster sauce to get the thin consistency. It can easily replace Fish Sauce in most stir-fries recipes as it has a similar savory flavor. You can use Oyster sauce in the same ratio of 1:1 as long as you adore the thicker consistency of Oyster sauce.

6. Vegan Fish Sauce:

If you are a vegan or following a vegan diet or allergic to seafood, you can use Vegan Fish Sauce in place of regular Fish Sauce. The Vegan Fish Sauce is made from shiitake mushrooms, liquid aminos, and soy sauce. Liquid aminos are free acids extracted from fermented coconut sap or hydrolyzed soybean that is mixed with water and salt. The shiitake mushrooms are responsible for the rich umami flavor in the Vegan Fish Sauce. You may find other Fish Sauce substitutes in the market and their taste and color are almost similar to the regular ones.

7. Worcestershire Sauce:

Worcestershire Sauce is popular in the United Kingdom and other surrounding countries too because of its savory flavor. It is made of anchovies, molasses, tamarind, vinegar, cloves, onion, and other seasonings. It holds its own umami flavor. We suggest you use less amount of Worcestershire Sauce otherwise it can be bad for your health. You can use Worcestershire Sauce as a Fish Sauce alternative in the same ratio of 1:1.

8. Seaweed:

Seaweeds are low in calories but contain nutrients and antioxidants. It is a great source of umami flavor due to its glutamate content. This is the reason Kombu seaweeds are often used to add depth to broths and sauces in Japanese Cuisine. Seaweed works well with salads and sauces. It doesn’t matter which one you choose fresh or dried, both seaweed can be used to enhance the flavor of food instead of Fish Sauce. You should follow your personal taste when you use Seaweed in your recipe to replace fish sauce.

9. Coconut Aminos:

Coconut Aminos is derived from fermented coconut sap. It is dark in color but has a sweeter taste than the Soy Sauce and Fish Sauce. It can easily replace Fish Sauce, but might not be easy to find. You may add some more salt to Coconut Aminos because it’s not as salty as Fish Sauce. Coconut Aminos are gluten-free and soy-free as well as low in sodium.

10. Tamari:

Tamari is a different Soy sauce. In some places, it is considered a type of Soy sauce. The ingredients are similar to Soy sauce but contain water, salt, and miso paste containing soybean that gives a strong taste. It may also include brine known as moromi. If you don’t like the intense flavor of miso paste, you can take half a cup of tamari + half a cup of water in place of 1 cup of Fish Sauce to get the texture you want for your food.

11. Mushroom & Soy Sauce Broth:

If you are looking to replace fish sauce in soups or broths, it would be better to make a mushroom and soy sauce broth. You just need to add the following ingredients to a medium-sized pot.

• 3–4 cups (710–940 mL) of water
• 1/4–1/2 ounce (7–14 grams) of dried, sliced shiitake mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons (45 mL) of regular or reduced-sodium soy sauce

keep it on a simmer flame for 15 mins so that the broth quantity is reduced by half, let it sit for another 10 mins, then strain the broth into a bowl. Now, you can use it in 2:1 of Fish Sauce. You can store the remaining broth in a sealed container in the refrigerator for a week or in the freezer for a month.

12. Anchovies:

This is the last substitute for Fish Sauce. If you use Anchovies in a recipe it would give the savory saltiness you’re looking for. Anchovies are very powerful for some people so use them sparingly.

FAQ:-

Now, you know the best Fish Sauce Substitute. You can choose according to what you have in the kitchen or you can also buy from amazon. Please! comment down below your questions, and let us know how much informative is this article for you. 🙂