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Unfortunately, like oyster sauce, fish sauce’s flavor derives from the process of fermenting fish for anywhere from a couple of months to a few years.
Usually, manufacturers use small fish like anchovies and coat them in salt inside large barrels, where the natural bacterias start to break down the fish, producing a briny liquid called fish sauce.
Needless to say, fish sauce is not suitable for vegans, therefore, I’ve researched a few sauces that can provide you with a similar taste and consistency to fish sauce and act as a decent replacement.
5 Vegan Fish Sauce Substitutes
Fish sauce is commonly used in Southeast Asian cooking, and it provides dishes like papaya salad or pho with a savory umami flavor.
Umami is known as the fifth taste, and it’s basically a Japanese term that translates to “pleasant savory taste”, which is derived from three umami substances that can be found in plants and animals, and fish sauce contains these substances.
As vegans we can’t have fish sauce, so we need to find sauces that have ingredients packed with umami substances. I’ve managed to find five of them.
Vegan Fish Sauce
Vegan fish sauce exists, and you can easily find it online.
Amazon, in particular, has three vegan fish sauces, including Ocean’s Halo No Fish Sauce, 24 Vegan Fish Sauce, and Tofuna Fysh’s Vegan Fysh Sauce.
They have different ingredients, but one ingredient that you will find in common is seaweed, which is a great source of umami due to its high glutamate content.
Oftentimes, you’ll see kombu seaweeds being used to add depth to broths and sauces in Japanese cuisine.
Tofuna Fysh’s Vegan Fysh Sauce contains organic tamari, rice vinegar, pineapple juice concentrate, organic seaweed blend, and wasabi, giving it a spicy kick.
Any of the vegan fish sauces are a great alternative, but you’ll probably have to order them online.
Mushroom Sauce or Vegan Oyster Sauce
Mushroom sauce is a vegan version of oyster sauce, however, it can also be used to replace fish sauce given its deep, umami taste.
Two great options are the Wan Ja Shan and Kikkoman vegetarian oyster sauces made from shitake or oyster mushrooms, which are rich in umami.
Mushroom sauces are typically made with mushrooms, water, soybeans, wheat, sugar, and salt, and most manufacturers also add seasonings and preservatives.
The sauce itself has a similar color to fish sauce but a thicker consistency, which isn’t much of a deal breaker.
Soy Sauce
Soy sauce, recognized for its distinct dark color and liquid consistency, is a versatile condiment used extensively in cooking.
Made from the fermentation of soybeans and wheat, it imparts food with a unique flavor profile marked by a strong savory, or umami quality, as well as saltiness.
While soy sauce does not perfectly replicate the specific taste of fish sauce, it can act as a decent substitute in some recipes.
Yes, it lacks the marine undertones of fish sauce, but its own rich depth of flavor can add complexity to a wide range of dishes.
Plus, since it’s considered a pretty common sauce, I’m sure you can find it easily in any large store you venture into.
Vegan Worcestershire Sauce
The traditional Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies and fish sauce, which makes it unsuitable for vegans, and most vegetarians as well.
However, you can now find vegan Worcestershire sauce in regular supermarkets (like Kroger), which you can also use to add a lovely, savory flavor to dishes.
There is also Annie’s Worcestershire sauce which is organic, and also free from animal ingredients, and this one you can find on Amazon.
Vegan Worcestershire sauce will typically contain ingredients such as apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, onions, chili peppers, and a few other plant-based ingredients.
Like the regular Worcestershire sauce, it also has a powerful umami flavor, which is vital for a vegan fish sauce substitute.
Hoisin Sauce
Hoisin sauce is a brown sauce with a very similar consistency to fish sauce, however, I don’t think the taste is that similar, even though you can use it as a decent substitute.
Hoisin sauce is often used in Cantonese cuisine as a glaze for meat or as a dipping sauce.
The recipe for each hoisin sauce varies based on the brand or location where it’s produced, but it usually includes soybeans, fennel, red chili peppers, and garlic.
Some manufacturers might also include vinegar, different spices, and sometimes cane sugar.
This sauce is easy to find in most grocery stores and it’s a decent substitute for fish sauce if you want to add a deep, savory flavor to dishes.
I’ve yet to come across a hoisin sauce that contains animal ingredients, but let me know if you have found one so that I can at least make other people aware of it.
Making Homemade Vegan Fish Sauce
If you can’t find any of the options above, or you simply want to opt for less processed and healthier alternatives, then the best option is to make your vegan fish sauce at home.
The Minimalist Baker has created a recipe that is easy to replicate, and it only requires five ingredients, including dulse (a seaweed), dried shiitake mushrooms, tamari, chickpea miso, water, and sea salt.
The result looks amazing and has a very resembling taste.
Conclusion
Even though the fish sauce is not vegan, today you’re able to find pretty good alternatives, namely vegan fish sauce, which is usually made with seaweeds that are packed with umami flavor due to their high glutamate content.
Other alternatives that you can use are mushroom sauce, vegan oyster sauce, soy sauce, vegan Worcestershire sauce, and hoisin sauce.
However, the closest alternatives you will get to the original fish sauce are the vegan fish sauce and the vegan oyster sauce.
If you can’t find any of these alternatives online or in a store near you, the next best option is to make your own homemade vegan fish sauce.
