The 20 Best Substitutes For Oyster Sauce

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Oyster sauce is a condiment that adds its own unique spin to stir-frys and other Asian dishes. A little sweet, a little spicy, and really not too fishy despite the fact that yes, it is made from actual oysters. Oyster sauce may also be one of the many foods created by accident, right up there alongside toasted ravioli, Slurpees, and even beer, as legend (and Bon Appetit) has it that the sauce resulted from a pot of oyster soup left to simmer too long until it turned into a surprisingly flavorful sludge perfect for adding an extra hit of umami and a soupçon of je ne sais quoi.

As home cooks increasingly turn to international cuisine for inspiration, oyster sauce shouldn't be too hard to find in most well-stocked grocery stores. And of course, it's readily available at Asian markets. What if you find yourself in a food desert, however? Or it's the middle of winter and you just don't feel like making a grocery run for one ingredient? Depending on what you've got on hand in your pantry, there are various options you can try using as oyster sauce substitutes.

The Kitchen Community also notes that you might want to doctor up that soy sauce a bit in order to more closely replicate the flavor of oyster sauce. They suggest adding a small amount of sugar, as oyster sauce tends to have a hint of sweetness that soy sauce is lacking. Another addition they recommend is a couple drops of Worcestershire sauce. How does this favorite British condiment make soy sauce taste more oyster sauce-like? Simply this: Worcestershire sauce is made from fermented fish, so it adds just a bit of that briny seafood tang that soybeans alone cannot supply.

In place of 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce, you can use 1 tablespoon of soy sauce plus ½ teaspoon of sugar and a few drops of Worcestershire sauce.

Oyster sauce is made out of oysters and fish sauce is made out of fish –- typically anchovies, according to The Washington Post. While anchovies and oysters are very different, they are both types of seafood, so the one thing fish sauce can supply that soy cannot is that elusive ocean flavor. Healthline says that fish sauce can be used as an oyster sauce substitute in a pinch, but notes its flavor is not at sweet and is both saltier and thinner in consistency than oyster sauce. As with soy sauce, less is more, so start with a small amount and add more fish sauce to taste. Healthline adds that fish sauce may be best as an oyster sauce replacement only in used in very strong-tasting dishes or ones that already have a fishy flavor.

In a recipe, use only half as much fish sauce as you would oyster sauce. In fact, you may want to start with just ¼ the amount and work your way up.

Yet another readily-available Asian condiment that can be used in place of oyster sauce is hoisin sauce. Unlike oyster sauce –- and fish sauce and soy sauce, for that matter -– the name "hoisin" doesn't really provide us a clue as to its ingredients. In fact, even if you speak Cantonese, it's actually somewhat of a misnomer. "Hoisin," according to SPICEography, translates to "seafood," and this is one ingredient the sauce does not contain. Instead, it is made from fermented soy paste and flavored with garlic, chiles, vinegar, sesame oil, and some type of sweetener. It is thick, fairly salty, and a little bit sweet, all qualities that make it a pretty good substitute for oyster sauce.

As hoisin sauce is less salty than soy sauce, and in fact isn't really much saltier than oyster sauce itself, you can swap one for the other on a 1:1 basis.

Perhaps you are looking for an oyster sauce substitute not because you ran out of the real deal, but because it's not the kind of thing you'd have in the house to begin with. You may well be among the many people dealing with a shellfish allergy, or you may avoid seafood for religious or ethical reasons or because you just plain don't like eating anything that used to swim in the ocean. Not that oysters actually swim, but you get where we're going with this. At any rate, if your main objection to oyster sauce is the main ingredient, you may be glad to know that there are several commercially-available vegetarian "oyster" sauces. Kikkoman makes one that is basically a thickened, sweetened soy sauce, while a number of brands available on sites like Amazon use mushrooms to supply the umami flavor.

Vegetarian oyster sauce may be used in place of oyster sauce on a 1:1 basis.

If you're a dedicated DIY-er, and/or you find yourself in the enviable position of being inundated with fresh oysters, you can actually concoct a homemade oyster sauce. All you will need to make the sauce, according to TasteEssence, is half a pound of oysters and their liquid, along with a little salt and both light and dark varieties of soy sauce. Sure, making your own oyster sauce is going to be far more labor intensive than making a run to the grocery store, especially if you opt to do your own shucking, but think of the satisfaction you'll feel when you transform raw materials into your own homemade oyster sauce! Once you're able to start creating your own homemade condiments, you'll know you've got some next-level cooking skills.

The homemade oyster sauce, assuming you've had the patience to simmer it down to the proper thickness, should have the same flavor and consistency as the oyster sauce you can buy in the store. For this reason, you can use the same amount of your DIY version as is called for in any recipe featuring oyster sauce.

As its name suggests, mushroom broth isn't the same consistency as oyster sauce. It is, however, perfect if you happen to have some mushroom broth on hand and are prepared to doctor it up to make it into something more substantial. We suggest mixing a teaspoon of cornstarch with cold water and adding it to your mushroom broth, along with a sprinkle of sugar until it's the thickness you prefer. Then you can easily swap it into your recipes like stir fries and soups.

The great thing about mushroom broth is that it's easy to whip up a batch in your very own kitchen. Modern Farmer's recipe is super simple and calls for various types of mushrooms, onion, celery, carrots, and a few other optional herbs and spices. The rich and savory qualities of mushrooms are unmatched. Mushroom broth is comforting and hearty while being surprisingly light and healthy. Mushroom broth also has some surprising health benefits like keeping the gut balanced and helping the immune system stay strong. If you've thickened your mushroom broth with corn starch and a bit of sugar, you can stick to a one-to-one substitution.

Tamari is a popular condiment that's found in many gluten-free kitchens. This sauce is made from soybeans that are fermented without wheat, explains The Woks of Life. If you think it sounds similar to soy sauce, you're right. The flavor profiles are pretty close. And with tamari's rich umami notes and lovely salty profile, it also makes it a great replacement for oyster sauce.

Substitute Cooking lists oyster sauce as a suitable substitute for tamari and there's no reason why it wouldn't work in reverse. The differences are pretty subtle — tamari has a thinner texture and isn't as sweet as oyster sauce. For vegans looking for a nice umami kick in their next meal, tamari is a great option for providing a nice richness to meals without the use of animal products. And for vegans who just so happen to be gluten-free? Well, there aren't many condiments that will liven up your dish like tamari.

We know that miso is one of the most umami-rich foods. It's hard to classify its flavor, but it embodies those irresistibly savory and salty notes. The Washington Post explains that miso is originally from China, although today we most commonly associate it with Japanese cooking. And while it does indeed have a flavor, it's a condiment that also enhances the flavor of what's around it. So it's a bit of a chameleon in the kitchen. It's commonly made from fermented soybeans, but you might also spot miso made of rice, garbanzo beans, or barley.

One thing never changes — miso packs undeniable umami flavor and if you're making a quick dish and don't have oyster sauce, you can certainly use miso. We suggest using half the amount of miso sauce to replace the oyster sauce in your recipe and adjusting to taste. Miso does have some nice brininess but none of the fishiness of oyster sauce, so it's a great option for those who are averse to seafood flavor or just looking for vegan options.

Umami sauce is a general name for any sauce that has a deep and richly savory flavor. It can lean on the tomato-rich side or have more of a soy base. The recipe from Wander Cooks is certainly more similar to oyster sauce than some recipes and is made with many ingredients you might have at home — soy sauce, mirin or sugar, cornstarch, garlic, miso, Worcestershire or tomato sauce, and some oil. The kicker in this recipe though is the addition of bonito flakes, which give it lovely umami notes from seafood. 

If you follow that recipe, you'll come out with a recipe that mimics oyster sauce's consistency. You can use this in the same quantity as you would oyster sauce. It's also a sauce that you can make in bulk and keep refrigerated to use throughout the week in soups, stews, stir-fry meals, or as a dipping sauce for proteins.

Liquid aminos are amino acids that are derived from soybeans. Along with coconut aminos, they've become a popular condiment in recent years because they're gluten-free but still have an incredibly rich flavor. You can use liquid aminos much in the same way you would use soy sauce. But because liquid aminos are less salty, you can use them the same way you'd use oyster sauce to get that same umami kick.

Nutritious Life suggests using it as a marinade for roasted veggies, dipping sauce for sushi, in salad dressings, and in dips, so you really can use liquid aminos in all of your favorite oyster sauce recipes. Whether you've got liquid aminos in your pantry because they're gluten-free and vegan or you just like the flavor, you'll be happy to know that this is an easy oyster sauce replacement. Here's hoping it saves you a trip to the store.