What Is a Substitute for Soy Sauce?

What's the best soy sauce substitute?

Tamari is the closest 1-to-1 substitute for regular soy sauce, with one key difference: it's gluten-free. Use 1 tablespoon of tamari for 1 tablespoon of soy sauce. The flavor is nearly identical, with slightly more depth and less salt than typical soy sauce.

For most cooking, the difference between soy sauce and tamari is unnoticeable. For people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, tamari is the right choice because most commercial soy sauces contain wheat. Verify the tamari brand is certified gluten-free (some still contain trace wheat).

Can you use coconut aminos instead?

Yes. Coconut aminos substitute 1-to-1 for soy sauce and are both soy-free and gluten-free. The flavor is sweeter and less salty than soy sauce, with about 65 percent less sodium per tablespoon.

For recipes where the sweetness fits (stir-fries, marinades, dressings), coconut aminos work well. For sushi dipping or salty seasoning applications, the result tastes notably milder; you may want to add a small pinch of salt to compensate. For paleo and Whole30 diets specifically, coconut aminos are often the chosen soy sauce substitute.

What about Worcestershire sauce or Maggi seasoning?

Worcestershire sauce works as a 1-to-1 substitute for soy sauce in cooked applications. The flavor adds anchovy, vinegar, and spice notes that aren't in soy sauce, which works in beef stews, meatloaf, and marinades but doesn't fit Asian dishes well.

Maggi liquid seasoning is closer in flavor to soy sauce but more concentrated. Use 1/2 the amount: 1/2 tablespoon of Maggi for 1 tablespoon of soy sauce. Maggi is popular in Asian cooking (especially Filipino and Chinese-Vietnamese) and works as a direct substitute when soy sauce isn't available. Liquid aminos (Bragg's brand) also work as a 1-to-1 substitute, with a flavor between soy sauce and coconut aminos.

When does the soy sauce substitute fail?

For Japanese cooking where soy sauce is foundational (teriyaki, miso soup base, sushi), the substitute matters most. Tamari is the closest match; coconut aminos produces sweeter dishes; Worcestershire shifts the flavor toward Western. For authentic Japanese cooking, sourcing real soy sauce (especially Japanese-style like Kikkoman) makes a noticeable difference.

For Chinese dishes where dark soy sauce (different from regular soy sauce) is specified, regular soy sauce can substitute but the color and depth will be different. Dark soy sauce is more concentrated and has added molasses for color. For dishes that need this specifically (Chinese braised meats, fried rice with the typical dark color), real dark soy sauce is hard to fully replace.