The Best Substitutes For Dark Soy Sauce You Probably Already Have In Your Kitchen

A common ingredient in many Asian dishes, dark soy sauce gives food a rich umami taste, a deep color, and a tiny sweetness. But what if you’re cooking your favorite Chinese, Thai, or Japanese recipe and have run out? Don’t worry – with a few simple ingredient swaps, and you can mimic that savory flavor and avoid a trip to the store.

Light Soy Sauce

The most straightforward swap is to use regular light soy sauce. It has a similar saltiness to dark soy sauce, though it lacks sweetness and is lighter in color.
To use:

1. Replace dark soy sauce 1:1 with light soy sauce. So for one tablespoon of dark soy sauce, use one tablespoon of light soy sauce.
2. Then, to make up for the missing sweetness, add 1/2 teaspoon of brown sugar or molasses for every tablespoon of light soy sauce. This will give you the best approximation of dark soy sauce’s flavor profile.

Oyster Sauce

This thick, intensely flavored sauce adds the umami punch of dark soy sauce to any dish. Made from oyster extracts, sugar, and brine, it has a dense texture and deep brown color like dark soy sauce.
To use:

1. Replace dark soy sauce 1:1 with oyster sauce. However, start with just half the oyster sauce at first. Since it’s sweeter than dark soy sauce, you can always add more to taste.
2. Stir fries, noodle dishes, marinades, and dipping sauces all benefit from oyster sauce’s rich flavor. Just be aware that it might impart a faint oyster flavor.

Hoisin Sauce

With its consistency like molasses, hoisin sauce mimics the glossy sheen of dark soy sauce. Its blend of fermented soybean paste, sugar, vinegar, garlic, and chili peppers packs a sweet and salty punch.
To use:

1. Replace one teaspoon of dark soy sauce with 1/2 teaspoon hoisin sauce. Hoisin can quickly overpower other flavors because of its spicy-sweet taste, so use a light hand at first.
2. It excels when marinating meat or as a condiment for Peking duck. For best results, look for hoisin without extra thickeners like cornstarch added.

Teriyaki Sauce

A classic Japanese sauce, teriyaki sauce gets its addictive flavor from a mixture of soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, and ginger. It perfectly mimics dark soy’s salty-sweet taste.
To use:

1. Swap teriyaki sauce 1:1 for any dark soy sauce a recipe calls for. Its consistency is also quite close to the thick texture of dark soy sauce.
2. Remember that teriyaki’s additions like garlic and ginger may subtly change the end flavor. But it still makes an excellent all-purpose substitute in stir-fries, marinades, meat glazes, and more.

Molasses

You likely have a jar of molasses hiding somewhere in your pantry. This thick, brown syrup will replicate dark soy sauce’s color, but the flavor isn’t exactly matched.
To use:

1. Replace dark soy sauce 1:1 with molasses. Since molasses lacks saltiness, you may also want to add a pinch or two of salt to better balance the flavor.
2. Molasses works best in recipes where dark soy sauce is more for color than its signature taste. Add it at the end of cooking since its sugars can burn quickly on high heat.

Mushroom Soy Sauce

As the name hints, mushroom soy sauce adds a deep, earthy flavor to any dish. Blended with regular soy sauce, it perfectly mimics dark soy’s rich color.
To use:

1. Substitute mushroom soy sauce 1:1 for dark soy sauce. The umami taste of mushrooms gives it more body than plain soy sauce.
2. Beyond Asian recipes, try mushroom soy sauce in hearty dishes like stews, roasted meats or as a base for pan sauces. Its woodsy flavor pairs well with beef and lamb.

Worcestershire Sauce

Worcestershire sauce’s unique blend of vinegar, molasses, anchovies, garlic, and spices makes it a versatile savory flavor booster. Though it lacks sweetness, it adds great umami.
To use:

1. Replace one teaspoon of dark soy sauce with 1/2 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce. To make up for the missing sweetness, also add 1/4 teaspoon of honey or sugar.
2. A little Worcestershire sauce goes a long way. Start with small amounts, tasting as you go before adjusting. Beyond the Asian food, it’s fantastic with beef, salad dressings, or sprinkled on pizza.

Coconut Aminos

For a soy-free, gluten-free dark soy sauce substitute, try coconut aminos. Despite its name, it doesn’t taste strongly of coconut. Instead, the fermented coconut palm sap has a subtly salty-sweet soy sauce-like flavor.
To use:

1. Swap coconut aminos 1:1 for dark soy sauce. Depending on the brand, you may need to add a bit of sweetener, like sugar, to match dark soy’s profile.
2. Coconut aminos work well in stir-fries, sushi, salad dressings, and other applications where you want sauce with savory depth.

Homemade Dark Soy Sauce

You can substitute dark soy sauce with basic pantry ingredients in a pinch. You’ll need:

• 2 cups dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup regular soy sauce

To make:

1. In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar and water—heat over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until boiling.
2. Once the sugar fully dissolves, reduce heat to medium-low. Allow the mixture to simmer undisturbed until it darkens significantly, with a molasses-like appearance.
3. After carefully incorporating the soy sauce, turn the heat off in the pan. The mixture will thicken to a gloopy texture.
4. Let it cool completely before moving it to an airtight container. Store leftover homemade dark soy sauce in the fridge.

The result mimics the same thick consistency, deep brown color, and balanced sweet-salty flavor of dark soy sauce. Use just like you would the store-bought version.

Tips for Cooking Without Dark Soy Sauce

While these substitutes help you replicate dark soy sauce’s signature qualities, here are some other tips for cooking without it:

• Skip adding dark soy sauce just for color. Focus instead on overall flavor balance. Many dishes will still taste delicious.
• If you have light soy sauce, double the amount to intensify its saltiness closer to dark soy sauce.
• For sweetness, use sugar, honey, agave, or maple syrup to taste. Initially, use 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon per tablespoon of light soy sauce.
• In stir-fries, brothy Asian noodle dishes, and sauces, the flavor of dark soy sauce often melds into the background. Leaving it out likely will make a small difference.
• In marinades and dishes where dark soy sauce features prominently, like teriyaki chicken, opt for a sauce substitute with a similar flavor.
• Need to get these handy substitutes? Taste the dish before deciding whether dark soy sauce is essential or omit it entirely.

So the next time a recipe calls for hard-to-find dark soy sauce, don’t let it stop you from enjoying your favorite Asian dishes. With smart ingredient swaps, you can still achieve delicious results. Experiment with these substitutes to find your perfect match and bring that savory umami flavor to the table.

Frequently Asked Questions