Fish sauce is one of those ingredients that sounds disgusting, smells pretty gross but makes food taste amazing. It’s fine if you don’t have any of this traditional Thai or Vietnamese ingredient on hand, though. Just reach for these fish sauce substitutes.
Fish sauce, known as nuoc mam in Vietnam or nam pla in Thailand is a popular ingredient in many Asian dishes. This intensely flavored amber-colored liquid adds a savory umami depth to soups, noodle dishes, marinades, dipping sauces, and more.
But what if you want to cook an Asian recipe and don’t have any fish sauce on hand? Thankfully there are several easy substitutions you can use instead.
Soy Sauce
Soy sauce, which is made from fermented soybeans, water, salt, and wheat, is an excellent alternative to fish sauce. It provides that same rich, savory flavor that fish sauce imparts. For 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, substitute 1 tablespoon of regular soy sauce or 2 teaspoons of thick, Asian-style soy sauce.
When using soy sauce instead of fish sauce, you may also need to add a bit more salt, sugar, or seasoning to balance out the flavors. Soy sauce has a stronger, sharper taste than fish sauce.
One thing to note is that soy sauce has a darker color. So if you want to maintain the light amber hue of a dish, dilute the soy sauce first with a bit of water or broth before adding it.
Tamari
Tamari is a type of soy sauce that is made without wheat. It has a smooth, mellow flavor that is fairly close to fish sauce. Tamari is a bit lighter in color too. Replace fish sauce with an equal amount of tamari in recipes.
Oyster Sauce
Oyster sauce is made from oyster extracts and brine, which provides plenty of savory umami flavor. Use about 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce in place of 1 tablespoon fish sauce.
Oyster sauce does have a subtle flavor of mollusks, so it may not be the ideal substitute in dishes that should be vegetarian/vegan. But it works excellently in stir fries, noodle dishes, and dipping sauces.
Vegan Fish Sauce
For vegetarian or vegan cooking, you can purchase specialty vegan fish sauce substitutes. These are usually made from mushrooms, seaweed, rice, or soy. The flavor won’t be exactly the same as real fish sauce, but it will provide that sweet-umami, salty flavor.
Follow the usage recommendations on the bottle. Some brands can be used measure for measure in place of fish sauce while others may need adjustments.
Seaweed
Rehydrated seaweed sheets can also mimic the flavor of fish sauce quite well. Soak kombu sheets or kelp strips in hot water or broth for 10-15 minutes until softened. Then remove the seaweed and use the resulting liquid as you would use fish sauce in recipes.
Dried seaweed flakes, often called dulse flakes, can also infuse dishes with a subtle briny flavor reminiscent of fish sauce.
Coconut Aminos
Coconut aminos are made by fermenting the sap from coconut trees. The liquid is then aged to develop a complex, slightly sweet and salty flavor. Coconut aminos can substitute for soy sauce or fish sauce in recipes.
Use an equal amount of coconut aminos in place of fish sauce. You may need to adjust other seasonings since it has a sweeter, milder taste.
Worcestershire Sauce
Worcestershire sauce makes a good emergency substitute for fish sauce, even though it contains anchovies rather than fish. It has that savory, umami flavor that fish sauce is prized for.
Swap in an equal amount of Worcestershire sauce for fish sauce. The color and flavor won’t be exactly the same, but it will work nicely.
Mushroom and Soy Sauce Broth
For a homemade substitute, cook dried shiitake mushrooms in 1 cup soy sauce and 1 cup water. Simmer for 15-20 minutes until the liquid develops an earthy, savory flavor. Strain out mushrooms and use the resulting mushroom soy broth in place of fish sauce in recipes.
You may need to season this homemade broth with extra salt, sugar, or spices to approximate the right balance of flavors for your dish. But the soy and mushrooms provide a similar umami richness.
How to Use Fish Sauce Substitutes
When using one of these fish sauce swap-ins, begin by substituting a 1:1 ratio in recipes. However, you may need to adjust the amounts or add other seasonings to achieve the perfect flavor balance.
Taste the dish as you cook and tweak any seasonings as needed. An extra pinch of salt, dash of vinegar, or spoonful of broth can help compensate for differences.
The color and consistency will also be slightly different depending on the substitute. Thin it with water if too thick or dark.
While these alternatives can mimic the savory flavor of fish sauce, the specific taste won’t be identical. But they can still excel in Asian recipes when you don’t have fish sauce in your pantry.
With a few tweaks, you can create delicious dishes like pad Thai, pho, or stir fries using handy ingredients you likely have on hand. No need to omit the fish sauce element of a recipe when soy sauce, Worcestershire, and other flavorful liquids make tasty substitutes.
What is Fish Sauce?
It’s a pungent condiment used in Thai and Vietnamese cooking. It adds salty umami flavours and makes things taste amazing.
Fish sauce is made by fermenting fish. And if you’ve ever been to a fish sauce factory (as I have) you won’t forget the smell. It’s intense!.
The ingredients include anchovy, salt and sugar. I’m happy to eat it because the from the nutritional information, it’s only 3% sugar.
It’s a great paleo / low-lectin alternative to soy sauce.
The Best Fish Sauce Substitutes
If I run out of fish sauce, my go-to substitute is soy sauce. The flavour of soy sauce is darker and more caramel than the bright sour saltiness from fish sauce. But they both make food taste more delicious.
Start with less soy sauce than fish sauce. And add more as needed.
To get an even better match, use half soy sauce and half rice vinegar (or another vinegar) instead of the fish sauce. This will give you the salty sour freshness.
Another option to give you the salty sour freshness.
Small pieces of anchovies can be added to a curry or stir fry to make it taste salty and savory. But it wouldn’t be my first option.