Soy sauce has a way of turning up everywhere. It’s used in everything from stir fries, marinades and dumpling dipping sauces to salad dressings and packaged snacks. So when you’re avoiding soy, it can feel like one of the trickiest ingredients to work around. The good news is there are some genuinely delicious soy sauce substitutes out there. Some of them are so close to the real thing that you won’t feel like you’re missing out. Here’s what you need to know about soy sauce and soy allergy, plus our favourite soy-free swaps.
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What is soy sauce and how is it made?
Traditional soy sauce is a fermented condiment made from soybeans, salt, water and usually roasted wheat, brewed with a mould culture (koji) over weeks or even months. That slow fermentation is what gives soy sauce its deep, savoury, umami flavour.
Allergens in soy sauce
Of course soy is the obvious allergen in soy sauce. Soy beans are the main ingredient in virtually all soy sauces, including “naturally brewed”, organic and gluten-free varieties. Tamari is often marketed as the “wheat-free” soy sauce, and many varieties are, but tamari is not soy-free.
Wheat is the other allergen to watch for. Many traditional soy sauces, particularly Japanese-style shoyu, contain a significant amount of wheat alongside the soybeans. That means soy sauce is often a problem for people with wheat allergies or people needing to avoid gluten.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Some commercial brands of soy sauce also may contain sulfites, or have ‘may contain’ warnings for other allergens like peanuts or sesame. Always check the label carefully if you are avoiding soy or any other allergen.
Different types of soy sauce
Soy sauce isn’t one-size-fits-all. Different cuisines have their own styles of soy-sauce, which is worth knowing because it also explains why you might want more than one substitute in your pantry. Some common soy sauce varieties you may have come across include:
- Japanese: shoyu (the everyday soy sauce) and tamari (often wheat-free, brewed mostly or entirely from soybeans)
- Chinese: light soy sauce (thinner, saltier, used for everyday seasoning) and dark soy sauce (thicker, sweeter, used more for colour and depth)
- Indonesian: kecap manis, a thick, sweet, syrupy soy sauce flavoured with palm sugar
- Korean: ganjang, used both in everyday cooking and in soups and stews
Because these varieties differ so much in saltiness, sweetness and thickness, it’s worth keeping that in mind as you choose a substitute for a particular dish.
Best soy sauce substitutes for a soy allergy
Here are 3 of our favourites ways to substitute soy sauce in soy-free cooking. Of course if you have other food allergies in addition to soy, you’ll need to read the ingredients of these soy substitutes carefully to make sure they are suitable for you.
Coconut aminos
We like using coconut aminos for a quick and easy store-bought substitute, especially for sauces and marinades. Popular brands include Braggs Organic Coconut Aminos and Niulife Organic Cocominos Naked Aminos.
Flavour profile
Coconut aminos are made from fermented coconut palm sap. They have a mild, slightly sweet flavour with a gentler umami note than soy sauce.
How it compares
Coconut aminos are noticeably sweeter and less salty than soy sauce, and the flavour is thinner and less intense overall. It’s a lovely product, but if you’re after that deep, savoury punch of traditional soy sauce, you may find it a little mild on its own. Some people add a pinch of extra salt to bring it closer to a light Chinese soy sauce.
Best suited to
Stir fries, dipping sauces, marinades and salad dressings, especially in dishes where a touch of natural sweetness is welcome in the dish. It also works well drizzled over rice or vegetables as a finishing sauce.
Chickpea and pea-based soy-free soy sauces
Soy sauce substitutes made from chickpeas are one of our favourite new discoveries. We love the Kikkoman Chickpea Sauce which is very close to the taste of Kikkoman soy sauce. It’s got much more depth to it than coconut aminos. If you’re in the US, Ocean’s Halo No Soy Soy-Free Sauce is a great option. It get’s it’s delicious unami flavour from kelp.
Some people with soy allergy are allergic to other legumes, including chickpeas, but if you are fine with chick peas then this substitute for soy sauce is definitely worth a try.
Flavour profile
Made using fermented chickpeas in place of soybeans, chickpea-based “soy sauce” alternatives tend to have a rich, savoury, umami-forward flavour that’s much closer to the real thing than coconut aminos.
How it compares
This is generally the closest like-for-like swap for soy sauce, both in flavour and in how it behaves in cooking. It’s saltier and more savoury than coconut aminos, without the sweetness, so it holds its own in dishes where soy sauce plays a starring role.
Best suited to
Dishes where you want an authentic soy-sauce flavour to come through strongly, including fried rice, dumplings, glazes and any recipe where soy sauce is doing a lot of the flavour work.
A very similar alternative, but made with peas instead of chickpeas, is San-J No Soy Tamari. Again, be aware that if you are allergic to legumes other than soy that this product contains peas and pea protein.
Homemade soy-free soy sauce
If you’d like full control over the ingredients (and peace of mind about cross-contact), making your own soy-free soy sauce at home is a great option. Our friend Sharon at Nut Free Wok has put together a fantastic recipe for homemade soy-free soy sauce that we highly recommend if you’re keen to give it a go. It’s free from common allergens and a great alternative if you have more than just soy to avoid.
As well as being able to control the ingredients and the allergens, you can also adjust a homemade recipe to be more suitable for the type of soy sauce you are substituting in your recipe. It’s easy to make the sauce sweeter, saltier or even thicker by reducing it more. We replace the beef bouillon/stock with a “beef-style” vegan stock to keep the recipe meat free when needed.
You can find Sharon’s recipe here: Nut Free Wok – Soy-Free Soy Sauce Recipe. Or for the more adventurous, Sharon also has a soy fee soy sauce recipe made using beef tongue for even more flavour.
Tips for using soy sauce substitutes
As always, please read the labels of any commercially bought soy-free soy sauce carefully and check for your allergens. Coconut aminos and chickpea based sauces may contain other ingredients you need to avoid, or the recipe formulation can change.
Substitutes for soy sauce aren’t always going to be a perfect 1:1 swap. The level of saltiness or sweetness could differ from what you’d expect. I always start with a little less than the recipe says and adjust to taste.
I personally think it’s worth keeping more than one soy sauce substitute on hand, as coconut aminos and chick-pea based sauces do have slightly different flavour profiles and suit slightly different dishes. For more precise control over the flavour, definitely consider using a homemade recipe and crafting your own soy sauce alternative.
More about cooking with allergies
Soy can be tricky to avoid in pre-made and processed foods. If you are allergic to soy, check out the recipes on our allergy-friendly recipe page that are soy-free or easily adaptable to be if required.
If you also need to avoid nuts in your recipes, make sure to check our our list of easy nut substitutes for all your favourite sweet and savoury recipes.
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Disclaimer: Allergy Spot does not provide medical advice. You should always consult a suitably qualified medical practitioner in respect of your own medical conditions, symptoms or concerns. See our Website Terms for more details.
