9 Substitutes for Fish Sauce + 3 Tips

Diana Barkley (Senior Editor)

Did you know that fish sauce dates back as far as the Ancient Greeks? Nowadays, it’s mostly used in East Asian and Southeast Asian cuisines, It adds saltiness and savory, umami flavors to your cooking.

All of fish sauce’s praises set aside, what do you do if you’ve just run out? Or perhaps you can’t get fish sauce at your local grocery store or you’re seeking a vegan alternative?

In this article we’ll explore what fish sauce is, what it’s used for, its effects on your health and wellbeing, and, of course, the very best substitutes. We’ll also share our top tips for substituting this popular ingredient, so your cooking can be the best ever.

Facts about Fish Sauce

Facts about Fish Sauce

While it’s often called a condiment, fish sauce is actually a kind of seasoning. It’s added to food to give it salty, delicious, umami flavors. Some consider it soy sauce, just one that’s made with fish instead.

In Ancient times, fish sauce was called ‘garos’ (Ancient Greece) or ‘garum’ (Ancient Rome.) It was made similarly to modern day fish sauces. In some cultures it was said to be so valuable that people used fish sauce in trade or as currency.

Fish sauce is considered an ‘umami powerhouse’, and packs lots of delicious umami flavors thanks to the presence of glutamate found in fermented fish. Other glutamate-rich foods include cheese, tomatoes, mushrooms, oyster sauce, and soy sauce.

Despite being a distinctly Asian ingredient, fish sauce is actually popular in global cuisine. It’s known to add a certain depth and complexity to a huge variety of dishes, and can frequently be found in marinades, soups, dressings, and sometimes even as a (very salty) dipping sauce.

There are regional variations to fish sauce. For example, Thailand has its ‘nam pla’, Vietnam has ‘nuoc mam’, Philippines ‘patis’, and so on. Each one has its own slightly different flavors and different production methods.

Some people do have environmental concerns when it comes to fish sauce. Sustainable fish sauce production has become more prominent in recent years. Producers are now focusing more on eco-friendly fishing practices and try to avoid over-fishing small fish species to make their sauces.

Here’s a valuable fact when it comes to buying fish sauce: the biggest indicators for quality are frequently that your fish sauce has just two ingredients (fish and salt), and that it has a clear, amber color. A good fish sauce will have a rich, savory aroma without smelling overly fishy.

What Fish Sauce Is

Fish sauce is traditionally made by fermenting fish in large barrels filled with salt. Anchovies are commonly used, and they’re kept in the barrels for several months to years. This process breaks down the fish and slowly develops the sauce’s rich, complex umami flavors.

What Fish Sauce Is Good For in Baking and Cooking

Fish sauce is used for a range of dishes, mostly in Asian cuisines. As mentioned above, it’s used mainly to add salty, umami flavors. The key is that a little bit of fish sauce will go a long way, and you’ll want to omit any extra salt when using it, since it’s salty enough on its own.

Is Fish Sauce Healthy?

Yes and no. Fish sauce does contain amino acids and vitamins, including vitamin B12, also known as riboflavin. However, fish sauce is also made using quite a vast amount of salt, so the salt content likely overrides any potential health benefits.

Fish sauce contains around 1190-1500 mg of sodium per tablespoon. For comparison, soy sauce contains ‘only’ 920-1100 mg of sodium per tablespoon. Adult Americans are generally advised to limit their intake of sodium to less than 2,300 mg per day, so as you can see that’s a lot of sodium in quite a little bit of sauce.

Best Substitutes for Fish Sauce

Best Substitutes for Fish Sauce

Fish sauce has a distinct umami, savory flavor that adds richness and complexity to many dishes, particularly in Asian cuisines. Here are a few of our favorite substitutes that also add salty, umami flavoring but are made with different base ingredients.

Soy Sauce

Fish sauce and soy sauce are both made using fermented produce. Where fish sauce is made by fermenting small oily fish over long periods of time, soy sauce is made by fermenting soy sauce. It’s perhaps for that reason that the two are so readily interchangeable.

Soy sauce is likely the most perfect fish sauce alternative, as it contains a little less sodium, is vegan-friendly, and still adds a lot of the same umami, savory richness fish sauce would.

With that said there is a slight ‘fish’ flavor that’s obviously distinctly fish sauce, which soy sauce cannot replicate. If this is important to you, try adding a little bit of minced anchovy alongside your soy sauce.

Oyster Sauce

Oyster sauce is obviously made using seafood, so it’s very similar to fish sauce in that regard. Fish sauce is best described as being intensely salty and savory, while oyster sauce has a slightly sweet undertone that accompanies its saltiness.

We still think oyster sauce makes a good alternative, because it adds a similar complexity to your dishes. Just be mindful of any additional sweetness, so if your dish calls for fish sauce and a bit of sugar, omit or reduce the amount of sugar you’re putting in.

Hoisin Sauce

Hoisin sauce is another substitute that’s, in some ways, similar to oyster sauce. This is because hoisin sauce is subtly sweet as well as intensely salty and savory. Hoisin sauce is made from fermented soybean paste with added ingredients such as starches, sugar, vinegar, garlic, salt, and chili.

The umami flavors pack a punch, making it an excellent alternative to fish sauce. With that said, if your recipe calls for fish sauce and added sugar or honey, you should reduce the latter or omit these, to make up for the extra sweetness in hoisin sauce.

Healthiest Substitutes for Fish Sauce

Healthiest Substitutes for Fish Sauce

As you may have noticed by now, fish sauce isn’t the healthiest ingredient when it comes to its salt content. Most fermented sauces will contain some amount of salt, though some have less than others. Here are a few ‘healthier’ alternatives to fish sauce if you’re watching your salt intake.

Coconut Aminos

Coconut aminos is an alternative to soy sauce that’s made from aged coconut sap. Coconut aminos contain just around a quarter to half of the sodium content soy sauce regularly has. This makes coconut aminos a great, healthier alternative to fish sauce and even soy sauce.

The only downside is that coconut aminos don’t add the same level of flavor complexity to your foods, but you could add extra minced anchovy to make up for that.

Mushroom Broth

Mushroom broth is an excellent healthy alternative to fish sauce. Be mindful that, while mushrooms will add many of the same savory, umami flavors (mushrooms are full of glutamate, especially varieties such as shiitake), it won’t have the same level of saltiness unless you add salt.

Mushroom broth is said to contain prebiotics that are good for your gut, so it’s certainly a healthful substitute.

Chicken Stock

This may be a slightly strange alternative, but we think it’s a good one. Chicken stock adds a good amount of savory flavoring to your food.

Chicken stock, particularly when it’s homemade bone broth, is also an especially good health food as it contains amino acids and helpful minerals such as magnesium, calcium, and potassium.

It does taste different from fish sauce, obviously, and depending on the stock it will not be nearly as salty, but it’s a good substitute to consider for health.

Vegan Substitutes for Fish Sauce

Vegan Substitutes for Fish Sauce

One of the key reasons why people frequently prefer to substitute fish sauce in their cooking is that it is made from seafood. This means it obviously doesn’t work for vegetarian or vegan diets. Here are a few great alternatives for fish sauce if you’re vegetarian or vegan or are cooking for guests who are.

Tamari Soy Sauce

Tamari is described as tasting ‘darker’ than fish sauce with a more ‘caramel’-type flavor profile. It’s a good alternative, as it’s made from fermented soy beans. These add similar fermented, rich umami flavors.

Tamari is usually gluten free, unlike many regular soya sauces, so it’s a good option for those who are celiac or following a gluten free diet. Its rich, deep savory flavors make tamari an ideal vegan substitute for fish sauce in your cooking.

Vegan Fish Sauce

Vegan fish sauce is of course an excellent alternative to regular fish sauce if you are following a vegetarian or vegan diet. Vegan fish sauce is generally made from seaweed, which gives it a similar flavor of the sea without the addition of seafood-based ingredients.

Apparently some people also like to DIY make this at home by boiling down dried seaweed, dried shiitake mushrooms, coconut aminos, salt, and water. This is a great option to go for if you’re wanting to watch your salt intake as well, as you can control just how much you’re adding.

Seaweed

Fresh and dried seaweed are popular vegan alternatives to fish sauce. They offer a similar taste of the sea without the use of seafood. Fresh seaweed is particularly popular when added to broths, sauces, and even salads, while dried seaweed can be added to just about anything.

Dried seaweed can also be used to make your own vegan fish sauce, see our point on vegan fish sauce above.

Tips for Substituting Fish Sauce

Tips for Substituting Fish Sauce

As you can see, there are plenty of delicious alternatives for fish sauce to choose from. Here are a couple of tips so you can pick the one that suits your dish best.

Remember, the most important point is that your cooking tastes good to you and those you’re serving it to, so above all else, go by what you like best. Secondary to that, choose what’s easiest to get and is, ideally, locally produced.

Compare the Nutritional Profiles and Ingredients of Any Substitutes

As we’ve already mentioned, fish sauce is incredibly salty. Some alternatives such as soy sauce also contain quite a lot of sodium, so if this is a concern you may wish to opt for a lower sodium substitute instead. If you or someone you’re cooking for is allergic to shellfish, you’d also want to avoid oyster sauce, of course.

Besides these, check nutritional profiles for any additional concerns you may have. Some substitutes may contain sugar, while others could include minerals or vitamins that actually add some health benefits (consider homemade chicken stock.) Checking any labels before you use your ingredients is always a good idea.

Consider What Works Best in Your Chosen Recipe

If you’re cooking an Asian recipe that calls for fish sauce, you may wish to opt for another Asian alternative such as soy sauce or oyster sauce. If, however, you’re re-creating a fusion or Western recipe that requires fish sauce purely for the addition of umami, salty flavors, you have other options.

Always consider what works best in your chosen recipe, and think about how important regional authenticity is to you. Then choose the substitute that adds the flavors you need.

Choose What’s Available to You

If an ingredient is particularly hard to find in your local grocery store, consider opting for an alternative that’s more readily available. Cooking should be fun as well as produce well-tasting food, and spending hours trying to find an obscure ingredient isn’t enjoyable.

If this is how you feel, pick something that’s easy to get locally and will offer similar savory flavors. Feeling less rushed and more relaxed in the kitchen will make your dish infinitely better than having the exact ‘right’ ingredient.

Reasons for Substituting Fish Sauce

Reasons for Substituting Fish Sauce

As with any ingredient, there are many reasons you may wish to substitute fish sauce for something else. Interestingly, fish sauce is in some ways divisive as there are some particularly clear reasons why you might wish to opt for an alternative ingredient.

At the end of the day, however, you may just not like fish sauce, and that’s a perfectly good reason to use something else, too. Nevertheless, here are some of the most common reasons people substitute fish sauce.

Concern Over the Salt Content of Fish Sauce

Fish sauce contains a vast amount of sodium — 1190-1500 mg per tablespoon. That’s more than half your daily recommended intake in just a spoon of sauce. Too much salt is said to increase your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke.

Many people therefore prefer to substitute fish sauce with an alternative that contains less salt.

Dietary Preferences

Fish sauce is made with fish, and is therefore neither vegetarian nor vegan. If you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, a non animal-based alternative is important.

Thankfully, there are plenty of fish sauce substitutes available which will add the same or similar savory, umami flavors to your food, without the use of seafood as a base ingredient.

Concerns for Sustainability

There is some concern that over-fishing small fish such as anchovies in very large quantities can cause harm to marine ecosystems. Some fish sauce producers now allegedly use more sustainable practices for this reason, but it’s still worth looking into the products you buy if you’re concerned.

Non-fish-based alternatives will perhaps have other concerns connected to them, but obviously not over-fishing.