Don’t have fish sauce, or want to keep your recipe vegan or vegetarian? Here’s the best fish sauce substitute to use in recipes.
Making a recipe that calls for fish sauce and don’t have it? Or, want to find a vegetarian or vegan fish sauce alternative? Fish sauce is a condiment made from fermented fish that’s used often in Southeast Asian cuisine, like the cooking of Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam.
Fish sauce is used to bring umami (savory flavor) to recipes. It’s got a funky, tangy and salty flavor that’s hard to replace. Don’t have time to shop for it? Here are some substitute ideas.
Best Fish Sauce Substitute
1. Soy sauce + rice vinegar (or lime)
The best substitute for fish sauce? A combination of soy sauce and rice vinegar. This helps to mimic the savory umami and tangy flavor of fish sauce. Use equal parts soy sauce and rice vinegar. If you happen to have miso on hand, you could stir in a little to mimic that funky flavor.
- For 1 teaspoon fish sauce, use ½ teaspoon soy sauce and ½ teaspoon rice vinegar or lime juice.
- If you have it, stir in ½ teaspoon miso paste until it dissolves.
2. Tamari
Use tamari in the same way as soy sauce for a vegan and gluten-free variation. Tamari is a Japanese variety of soy sauce that’s made as the bi-product of making miso paste. For the best fish sauce substitute, use tamari in combination with equal parts rice vinegar and miso paste.
3. Coconut aminos
Coconut aminos is a common substitute for soy sauce that is vegan, gluten-free, and soy free! It’s made from the sap of the coconut palm. Coconut aminos tastes less salty than soy sauce, so you may want to add a few pinches of salt. For the best fish sauce substitute, use coconut aminos in combination with equal parts rice vinegar and miso paste.
4. Worcestershire sauce
Worcestershire sauce is a fermented condiment of English origin that’s intensely savory and complex. It add a similar umami flavor to recipes as fish sauce. However, Worcestershire sauce tastes sweeter and has more notes of onion and garlic than fish sauce. Keep in mind Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies, so it is not a vegan option.
5. Vegan fish sauce
The next best substitute for fish sauce? Vegan fish sauce! If you’re substituting fish sauce for a vegan or vegetarian diet, you can easily make your own. Here’s a vegan fish sauce recipe using dried mushrooms, seaweed and soy sauce to mimic the umami of fish sauce.
6. Anchovy paste
If you happen to have it for making Caesar dressing, this works really well. Fish sauce is basically fermented anchovies, so the flavor is spot on. Use ½ teaspoon anchovy paste plus ½ teaspoon water for 1 tablespoon fish sauce.
7. Oyster sauce
If you happen to have it on hand, it’s a little thicker and sweeter but it works in a pinch. Use Use ½ tablespoon per tablespoon of fish sauce.
8. Omit it entirely
Fish sauce is often a supporting ingredient that adds a funky intrigue to the flavor in a dish. Typically it’s used in small quantities, so you can often omit it.
I use it in my Coconut Shrimp Curry and Best Fried Rice to add a back-end umami, but list it as optional. It’s an ingredient that really amps up the flavor, but is not needed if you don’t have it or your diet doesn’t allow.
