Substitute for soy sauce?

[jkath]

I can't eat soy of any kind anymore, but I love the way soy sauce tastes. (PS - also can't do much salt either)
I want to continue cooking some asian foods, but without soy, it's nearly impossible.
Does anyone know of a product that I could use to kind-of get that flavor back?
Ironchef - hope you're reading this!

 

[Katie H]

Man, jkath. You have a dilemma. I have no clue but, you're right, I hope ironchef chimes in. Good luck with your "quest."

 

[Uncle Bob]

Hydrolyzed vegetable protein....Made from wheat...Maybe?

 

[Uncle Bob]

Maybe try this........


Low Sodium Soy Sauce Substitute Recipe

 

[LadyCook61]

Gluten Free Soy Sauce Substitute CD Veg ACC 5mins You can try this recipe for soy substitute.

 

[jkath]

Wow - 2 totally different ideas - thank you -
I think I may try Bob's first, except I'll change out my beef broth for bouillon (since most bouillons seem to include soy, by one of it's many names)
The other sounds like it may be tasty for basting on chicken during the last minutes of grilling

 

[Michael in FtW]

And, a 3rd option (although like soy it is a bit salty) is fish sauce - "nuoc mam" in Vietnamese and "nam pla" in Thai. It's used in Southeast Asian cooking like soy sauce is used in Chinese cooking.

It smells bad, and taste just as bad, right out of the bottle - but when used in cooking (especially a stir fry) it mellows out and loses the bad smell and taste. I started using it about 20 years ago in place of soy in most cases ... think it was because of an episode of the Frugal Gourmet ... and our Korean/Vietnamese market carries it.

If you can find them - both "Squid" and "Shrimp" brands are premium quality and have less salt and smell less fishy than some others I've tried - I prefer the Shrimp brand.

Some fish sauces have added other stuff - sugar, hydrolyzed wheat protein, molasses, MSG ... etc. Read the ingredients on the label.

 

[ironchef]

Here's one recipe that you might want to try:

Soy Sauce Substitute - Allrecipes

Off hand though, I don't know of any soy sauce substitutes. If we have a guest who has soy allergies, we just omit it or inform them of which choices are available to them.

 

[Caine]

I'd try oyster sauce. It's low sodium, there's no soy in it, and it has a less, shall we say pungent, flavor than fish sauce.

 

[jkath]

hmmm...good info - one question though - am I correct in my assumption that the shrimp, squid and oyster sauces still taste like (duh) fish? hmm.

PS - thanks IC!

 

[GB]

In my opinion, oyster and fish sauce are not good substitutes for soy sauce. None of them taste anything like each other. They are all dark in color and have a salty component, but that is where the similarities end. I do not know of anything that can really be subbed for soy sauce.

When cooked into a dish, oyster and fish sauce do not taste anything like fish.

 

[ironchef]

In my opinion, oyster and fish sauce are not good substitutes for soy sauce. None of them taste anything like each other. They are all dark in color and have a salty component, but that is where the similarities end. I do not know of anything that can really be subbed for soy sauce.

When cooked into a dish, oyster and fish sauce do not taste anything like fish.

Exactly. Even different types of soy sauces (i.e. Chinese vs. Japanese) will make a difference in the flavor towards a finished dish. Fish and oyster sauces will give you another flavor component, but in no shape or form will it ever be a substitute for the flavor of soy sauce.

 

[VeraBlue]

How about some vinegar and molasses in an apple juice vehicle? Maybe some other spices tossed in, like chinese five spice??

 

[Michael in FtW]

"Squid" and "Shrimp" are brands of fish sauce. "Oyster" is a type of sauce which is available under several brand names.

But, like in most cases of "substitutions" - GB and IC are right - nothing will taste the same.

 

[Finmar001]

I find Balsamic Vinegar a good substuite for soy sauce

 

[jennyema]

Fish sauce can be a decent sub in asian recipes. Oyster sauce is thick and pretty sweet and not a great sub, IMO.

To add umami without soy Maggi Sauce works.

 

[ironchef]

I find Balsamic Vinegar a good substuite for soy sauce

Other than for the color and viscocity, this is worse than fish or oyster sauce.

 

[Uncle Bob]

Fish sauce can be a decent sub in asian recipes. Oyster sauce is thick and pretty sweet and not a great sub, IMO.

To add umami without soy Maggi Sauce works.

Yep this stuff is good...and made from wheat..it is a Hydrolyzed vegetable protein product like suggested earlier! I use it often when stir frying etc....

 

[loser007]

Oyster sauce?

 

[Callisto in NC]

Wow - 2 totally different ideas - thank you -
I think I may try Bob's first, except I'll change out my beef broth for bouillon (since most bouillons seem to include soy, by one of it's many names)
The other sounds like it may be tasty for basting on chicken during the last minutes of grilling

As I read it, you need the dry bouillon and the vinegar and low the amount of water is the wet ingredient that activates the bouillon. Using broth would yield a different result.