What Can You Use Instead of Fish Sauce?

Fish sauce is a type of savory fermented fish sauce commonly used in Southeast Asian, Vietnamese, and Thai cuisines. The term “fish sauce” refers to a liquid fermentate made from the paste of salted, fermented fish.

It’s most commonly made from anchovies with salt, and is sometimes referred to as peppercornfish sauce or Hawaii-style fish sauce.

Fish sauces can be found in varying degrees of strength; not all carry the same amount of flavor. Some are lighter than others and some are even sweetened.

But what can you use instead? There are plenty of other types of sauces that you could use instead, such as soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, or hoisin sauce.

What is Fish Sauce?

Fish sauces are a type of savory fermented fish sauce commonly used in Southeast Asian, Vietnamese, and Thai cuisines.

It’s most commonly made from anchovies with salt, but can also be made from other types of fish. Fish sauces can be found in varying degrees of strength; not all carry the same amount of flavor. Some are lighter than others and some are even sweetened.

But what can you use instead? There are plenty of other types of sauces that you could use instead, such as soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, or hoisin sauce.

3 Alternatives to Fish Sauce

1. Hoisin Sauce: Hoisin sauce is a sweet and savory chili sauce that originated from China. It’s an ideal substitute for fish sauce, as it has a similar taste and texture.

2. Worcestershire Sauce: Worcestershire sauce is made of anchovies, onions, molasses, vinegar, salt and spices. This condiment has a complex flavor with a mild sweetness that’s perfect for many dishes in your kitchen.

3. Soy Sauce: Soy sauce is made by fermenting soybeans with salt, water and enzymes. The fermented mixture is then boiled to form soy sauce crystals that give the liquid a salty and umami taste.

Soy sauce can be used in stir-fries or other recipes that call for fish sauce or any other type of thickened sauces like hoisin or siracha sauces.