Soy Sauce Substitute

**** For people with SOY ALLERGIES; Most bullion has MSG and balsamic vinegar has naturally occuring msg same as soy!... I get migraines and have done research. You may still be sensitive to this recipe. ****

Perfect! I substitute beef broth for water and omitted the bouillon- alot of organic bouillon still has allergens. I also used red wine vinegar instead of balsamic since that is what I had in the cupboard. It smells atrocious when cooking but works well as a soy sauce AND Worcheshire sauce substitute.

This was extrememly helpful when making dinner for my mom who is not to eat soy due to medication. The bullion that I used was Herb Ox Chicken bullion which was sodium free and contained no MSG. I found a lot of bulluion out there that did actually have soy or (soy derivatives) in it.

My son has a soy allergy. I use this recipe weekly, and am so grateful to have found it. I have modified it to make it easier, and no one has complained. I modify the serving size until the water in the ingredients matches the amount of soy sauce I need in a recipe. I skip the beef bouillon, use brown sugar for molasses (b/c I never have molasses on hand), add salt (same amount as pepper) and add the ingredients directly to my recipe, without heating. It works for us.

This was great! We have used it several times and it is great in a stir-fry. After the first time, I made a few changes: I halved the molasses and added a teaspoon or two of salt. Perfect! I haven't eaten soy sauce for about eight years because of my allergies to soy and I was soooo glad when I found this. Thanks!

Organic bouillon usually doesn't contain MSG.

I will never buy soy sauce ever again. This definitely is worth trying if you want a good soy sauce that doesn't just taste like vinegar and salt.

Thanks for the great recipe. I didnt have Soy Sauce as I was in the middle of a recipe and this tasted just like it!

My husband and I love eating chinese food, but when we discovered our infant son was soy protein intolerant we thought that he would never be able to share our love. Now we can not only share our love, but we can do it in a healthier way.

I substituted brown sugar for the molasses and beef stock for the beef bullion because I didn't have either on hand. I used about a 1/4 cup of water. Brought all ingredients to a gentle boil. It was a nice simple sauce to accompany stir fry veggies and mahi mahi. Yummy!!!

This was the closest I could get to regular soy sauce (my wife is allergic to soy, so this was a god-send). I eliminated the bouillon and water, used home made chicken stock instead, and added salt to compensate. Next time I make it, though, I'll probably let it reduce down more to concentrate the flavors.

This was just right for an emergency substitution. We were very pleased with how similar the flavor of this sauce was to actual soy sauce. My son just kept saying "Wow! Wow! It tastes just like it"! I followed the recipe exactly and don't feel it needs any tweaking for our taste. I love the idea that I can make a sodium free version as well using Herb Ox's sodium free bouillon. Since most recipes call for small amounts, I froze the unused portion in ice cube trays for later use. I am adding this to my ever growing list of products I no longer need to purchase ready made!

As I am allergic to wheat, and my daughter is allergic to both soy AND ginger, we simply used paprika instead of ginger in this, and then chix bullion instead of beef (our beef cubes had SOY in them!), and it really turned out beautifully! Thank you so much--I made up extra & jarred it in the fridge for future use.

Lookig for a recipe without MSG which is in all bouillon that I have run across.

I am intolerant to soy and this recipe is awesome!! Now I can cook a lot of things I wasn't able to since I discovered my intolerance. I followed the recipe except I used veggie bouillon instead to make it vegetarian. It is a little thicker and sweeter than soy sauce but it works great and is tasty. Very salty, but that's to be expected.

So many great reviews, but this did not work for us at all. It tastes nothing like soy sauce. If you need a large amount of soy sauce for a marinade or something like that (where you won't taste the final product), this may work very well for you. (That's what I ended up doing with the half-batch that I made, exactly as recipe instructed.) If you're intending to fill an empty bottle and use this as a condiment, you will be disappointed. We will not be making this again.

Great soy sauce substitute!

Just a comment here about the MSG. Kitchen Basics brand (comes in a box, not a can)doesn't have MSG & is gluten free; there is also a salt free version of this, but it's becoming difficult to find. Swansaon (again, comes in a box) doesn't use MSG. Herb Ox & Wylers also are MSG free & these may be more practical to use, as one doesn't have to open up a big box. One reviewer says that she freezes the leftovers in an ice cube tray. If you can't find any of these at your grocers, ask the manager to order it for you. Most grocers are willing to accomodate you.

I needed soy sauce for a marinade for a pork roast & I couldn't find any in my fridge. I figured I would try this. Then I realized I had no molasses. So I substituted Eden's Organic Barley Malt. It was perfect. Tasted so much like soy sauce I bottled the rest of it for future use. Thanks, Rongway.

Herb Ox and Wylers make sodium free bouillon. I use it all the time.

Thank you sooo much for posting this recipe. Store bought soy sauce has way too much sodium in it; even the reduced sodium. I use Herb Ox Sodium Free Beef Bouillon. I follow the rest of the recipe as written and am happy I can lower some of the sodium in my cooking!

JUST A WARNING: I would love to try this recipe. Unfortunately, every beef bouillon I saw at my local supermarket had soy protein as one of the top three ingredients. Goes to show that you can never stop reading & re-reading those labels. :-|

I can't thank you enough for publishing this recipe. I have a soy sensitivity and have been avoiding any recipes with soy sauce.

I was in the middle of a recipe when I noticed I didn't have enough soy sauce and this recipe saved the day. I did substitute the beef bullion for veggie stock just because I'm vegetarian, but it turned out great!

Thank you! I am allergic to soy and love Asian dishes, especially sushi. This is delicious and I think even tastes better than regular soy sauce.

This would be a great option if I could not eat soy sauce(Thankfully I do not have any food allergies). I did not have enough soy sauce for my recipe this worked great for what I needed. This is a great base for marinades. Thanks!

I love balsamic vinegar but it's cured in grape barrels and it says "grape must" on all bottles of the stuff and, long story short, is a severe allergen to me. I'm wondering if there's a balsamic vinegar substitute out there that would go well with this recipe.

Herb ox is Gluten Free and no MSG. Make 1 1/2 cups of beef Herb ox broth as substitute for beef bouillon and water as mentioned before. Excellent!!! Thanks, Rongway!!

Haven't actually tried this recipe yet but I'm going to this week. I was just wondering if it can be made ahead, stored in the refrigerator then reheated.

Gaaaaack!!!! I have tremendous respect for the chef who created this, because he/she went much farther than I ever could have. No doubt. I could not have done this. However, this tastes nothing like soy sauce. I'm sorry.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for this recipe!!! My son is allergic to soy so we have given up so many Thai, Teriyaki and Chinese meals - but no more!!! I used this to make a Thai noodle dish and it was superb!

A very good choice to replace soy sauce. I expect to use this frequently and, with a few modifications, I could use it in many non-oriental foods! Thank you for this recipe and the inspirations it brings!

During a time when I could not have regular soy sauce this recipe was a fantastic find! It allowed me to enjoy Asian flavored food without all the sodium, soy, and wheat. Thank you!

Seemed to work out just perfect! Thanks

Very easy substitute that really works. I do only use this when I don't have real soy sauce, but if I discover I'm out of soy sauce, I don't panic. This does fine in a pinch.

A solid option for soy sauce. I used it in a pinch when I needed it for a recipe RIGHT NOW. This is way less salty than the store bought stuff.

Excellent recipe! I was making pepper steak and was out of soy sauce. Followed recipe for this and it actually taste better than store bought!!

This worked very well for a soy-allergic person like myself. But folks are right: This stinks when you're making it. My 6-year-old, normally a very easy-going little guy, made a point to hold his noise and run away to the basement because he said it smelled so awful. :)

I was making stir fry and realized I did NOT have ANY soy sauce. Since my mouth was already set on it....I decided to see if there was a recipe and WALA! :) So happy that I found this recipe, I did make some modifications to it though. I used 1.5 Tbsp of beef bouillon concentrate and then to conquer the "beef" taste, I had to add 1 tsp of ginger. I probably added a bit more, I just kept adding until it tasted like soy sauce to me! :) Thanks so much! Kim

I'm in the middle of making dinner and just realized that I ran out of soy sauce and don't have time to run to the supermarket. Surprised at how close this tastes to store bought. Will make sure that I have some reduced sodium beef bouillon for when I make it next time. Thanks very much for sharing. :)

Very good replacement for that SALTY ol soy sauce we used to use great recipe...

Thanks bunches! You saved the day when I couldn't find any soy sauce and needed it to be GF! This was the bomb. Couldn't tell the difference. At the dinner table, I added brown sugar and reduced it and it made a delicious sauce to pour over rice and veggies. Yum!

I reduced it WAY too much, but this was amazing stuff. I don't think I'll ever buy soy sauce again. Super easy.

It was ok but didn't taste anything like soy sauce! Don't think I'll make it again.

Realized I was out of soy sauce in the middle of a recipe. Searched AR for a quick soy sauce recipe and came across this. PERFECT!!! Way less salty than soy sauce in a bottle too! I didn't have molasses so I used plain syrup. Thanks for sharing :)

So happy this was posted! Great Substitute! I have a nephew who is allergic to wheat and soy...works perfect for marinades! :)

Loved this, it tastes just like Soy Sauce but since I am allergic it makes cooking hard. We will be able to have so many great dishes that I haven't been able to cook in a while.

Good flavor for being a substitute of soy sauce. I followed the recipe as stated for the original serving size, but to cut back on the sodium, I used beef broth (no sodium, no msg) and added 1 tsp of salt instead of the water plus bouillon. For my taste preference, this was a little stronger on the vinegar taste. I will cut the amount of vinegar used in half next time. I may use this recipe instead of purchasing soy sauce, tweaking to my taste preferences. If you prefer a sweeter soy sauce add more molasses or brown sugar (I'm not sure if adding more molasses would also increase the thickness of the sauce and soy sauce is supposed to be a thin liquid). ***Edit: Made this again (ran out of soy sauce), but didn't have any beef broth. So, I used water and beef bouillon--yea yea I know the recipe says to use it, but 4 tbsp is a lot of sodium. I significantly cut the amount of beef bouillon...1 tsp for 1.5 cups. I'm considering my adjustment to be an attempt at low-sodium soy sauce substitute. I also reduced the balsamic to 2 tsp. and honestly it still had too much of a vinegar taste for my liking. I added about 1/4 c. extra water and 1/2 tsp sugar and it worked out fine for me as a substitute. For those with negative reviews, adjust the amounts to your liking. It's a substitute and for those with allergies--this is probably excellent for marinades or for adding a substitute of soy sauce to asian dishes.

Wow! This was amazing!!! I was short for a different recipe and needed this in a pinch! It was exactly what I was looking for. I actually prefer it to the store bought I was trying to matching it to (less ginger and a lil added salt and it was a perfect match!) I really think I will be replacing store bought with this! It is most definitely holy delicious!!!!! Thank you so much for sharing xoxoxoxo

You saved dinner. I needed soy sauce for my husband's favorite dinner tonight, but had none. I just returned home from the grocery store & soy sauce was on my receipt, but somehow not in my grocery bags or car. Thanks so much for the recipe!

I don't know what those bad reviewers are complaining about. This is a great substitute! Perfect for when you're in the middle of a recipe and can't go to the store.

I made this tonight and I didn't have soy sauce so I just used 2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar instead and it came out excellent. I will definitely be making this again it tastes amazing! I used Udon and Soba noodles and added chicken, broccoli, onions and mushrooms.

Made this when I ran out of soy sauce and needed it for another recipe. It was so close to the taste of real soy sauce but not quite all there (which is why I give it 4 stars). Don't get me wrong though this will do the trick and wont disappoint. I am going to make it for my mom, who is on a special diet with no soy. I need to find bouillon with no msg though.

Finding this was a dream come true since me and my toddler are sensative to Soy. Finally we can eat our normal favorite asian foods!

This works ok as a sub for soy sauce but it honestly doesn't taste very much like it. It tastes too much like beef broth...

This saved our dinner when I realized I was out of soy sauce. I just eye-balled the ingredients, and I didn't even boil it. I just put it straight into my stir-fry after mixing in a bowl. Thanks for sharing the recipe!

I will never buy soy sauce again!! This is absolutely amazing. Like soy sauce but a ton more flavour. I use it as a marinade too. Super yummy on pork chops then bbq them. What a find this recipe is!

This didn't pass my family's taste test... I wonder if it's the bouillon I used... I may try again... I was so excited after the rave reviews.

Thank you SO much!! We've known for about a year that my son has allergies to wheat, dairy, egg, beef, and pork. We finally were feeling like we had a good amount of safe recipes, and then we found out yesterday he's also allergic to rice, soy, oats, anc chicken. Ugh. I felt like I could adjust fairly easily, until I thought about soy sauce. This recipe was just what I needed! I replaced the beef boullion with vegetable boullion due to beef allergy, otherwise followed the recipe and it's amazing!!

I am allergic to Soy; and this worked great in other recipes that needed soy sauce. My family didn't even realize it was a replacement! Thanks.

WAY better than soy sauce!

I was a little skeptical but once I made it I LOVED it!!!! So pleased to finally find a good recipe!

Thank you so much for this awesome recipe! I've had to be gluten free for over a year, and soy free for 8 months, so far, and I miss Chinese food soooo bad. This substitute tasted just like the real deal for me and my husband. I did have to change it a little: I used 1 1/2 cups of organic beef broth instead of bullion because I couldn't find a gluten and soy free version locally; raw apple cider vinegar instead of balsamic, which can be hit or miss for my body; some salt, because my beef broth had barely any; and extra garlic powder. Even with changing it up it tasted PERFECT and made an excellent stir fry! This is much cheaper than buying (that is if you can find) gluten and soy free soy sauce, as well, so it's win-win!

Didn't have beef bouillon so I substituted vegetable bouillon and added rice vinegar. Worked very well.

I've become sensitive to soy in the last couple of years and that's kept me from making a lot of the Asian recipes that I used to love! Made this tonight and it was delicious! Am going to make a big stir fry tomorrow and am really looking forward to it. THANK YOU!

My rating is reflective of my opinion of the sauce and in no way indicates my level of appreciation for the author, which is quite high. What a great idea to make soy sauce at home! I saw all of the high marks and really, really wanted this to be great, however it simply did not work for me. In my mind, it wasn't even remotely reminiscent of soy sauce nor was it acceptable as an alternative. :(

Thank you for this recipe...it saved me in a pinch. I made a chicken marinade that called for 1/2 cup soy sauce and this was excellent. I won't buy soy sauce again!

This is perfect, I didn't change a thing!! My 9 year-old is allergic to soy - I can now make anything calling for soy sauce again! Thanks for the recipe :-)

My boyfriend has a minor soy allergy, so I made this for him. I used vegetarian bouillon instead, tastes amazing!

Blecch. John, you have many delicious recipes, and this is in no way a knock to your cooking! This just did not resemble soy sauce to me and was very sweet. I edited this to two stars because it worked fairly well in my marinade. My skirt steak was delicious, but this would never work on its own.

OK, but a beef-based soy sauce substitute just doesn't cut it for a lot of people, especially if needed for vegan/vegetarian dishes. For those who are worried about soy or MSG consider that most bouillon contains hydrolyzed vegetable protein, which is very often soy-based (unless the package specifies soy-free) & that ingredient is loaded with naturally occurring glutamates (which is not a problem for me, because that is where that deep Umami flavor comes from after all). I suggest substituting good quality vegetarian bouillon made with sea salt or if you can find it use some marmite or another kind of yeast extract (or try using both). Ciao.

I needed some soy sauce for a recipe and did not want to go get it! I amazingly had all of the ingredients. It is good. Definitely like it!

Ran out of soy sauce for a marinade and was in a panic! I tried this not having very high hopes but was very pleasantly surprised! It absolutely MADE the marinade. Next time I am ditching the marinade and just using this.

perfection

doesn't really taste like soy sauce, but seems to work

I did not care for this recipe.

Fantastic substitute!

I am sensitive to anything soy and MSG. The only Soy type sauce I have found I can use with no issues is the coconut amino‘s If you’re not allergic making your own homemade is a great idea and this appears to be a very good recipe.

Fantastic. I had to use Italian Dressing instead of Balsamic and it still turned out great! I will never buy soy sauce again!

It's great to have an easy to make substitute on hand & I'm sure this is much healthier than soya sauce as it would have a lot less sodium. I definitely prefer the flavour of the real thing, but this will do the trick. Thank you for sharing!

Thank you for the recipe! Brings an entire set of recipes back into my sons life! Careful of Herb Ox Bouillon as many of them have Soy Protein. Used Organic Better Than Bouillon Roasted Beef Base, the other Better Than Beef have soy protein also.

Will try again, but if I can use the real stuff I will. Maybe more salt next time.

I made this using Better Than Boullion vs boullion cubes. I've made other soy sauce subs before but this is the BOMB! Son is allergic to soy so for years I've steered clear of recipes with soy or soy-related ingredients, now this recipe is my go-to for a return to great recipes. Thanks so much for the post! edited 1/10/17: I made a teriyaki sauce using this "soy" sauce and it was fantastic! Family didn't even know it didn't have real soy in it, and they all loved it.

I used it for a marinade for Haddock fish , I used 12 cup water and 1 tsp beef base and reduced it some. beest marinade i have used. I may never use soy sauce again.

This is a wonderful soy substitution recipe. No one ever knows the difference. I do add salt to it, but that is it. I totally recommend you try it.

Wow - this is amazing! I recently discovered No Soy Soy-Free Sauce by Ocean's Halo and was thrilled to finally have a passable soy sauce substitute. But, I haven't been able to find it in stores again locally. I saw this recipe and thought I'd give it a try. It's even better than Ocean's Halo. I added more molasses to cut some of the twang of the vinegar, used chicken bouillon cubes (that's what I had on hand) and added Worcestershire Sauce for a bit more flavor and kick.

Ran out of soy sauce, no time to run to the market. Couldn’t believe how close to the real thing this is! Worked great in my recipe!

Amazing

This is the best one that I have tried!

I was very pleased with this recipe, easy and tasted great.

Can i use maple sugar instead of molasses? I cant have molasses, am intolerant to it. and can i substitute white distilled vinegar for balsamic? Its the ONLY vinegar i can consume?

I am allergic to soy ( the whole beans, oil and sauses I can't consume soy safely). I really like Asian dishes and am a very great cheff, but most Asian dishes contain soy, so finding alternative is great, I did however ommited the water using beef marrow broth instead ( it has a lot of nutritional benifits). And substituted Apple Cider Vinegar instead of balsamic vinegar (just because I don't like balsamic vinegar and I always have Apple Cider Vinegar).

It really did smell like soy sauce, and look like it.

Amazing

So happy! I can eat sushi again! My son is allergic to soy and breastfeeding so I've been deprived of a lot. This makes great stir fry and soy sauce alternative! If using for stir fry cut down the beef bouillon a bit and thicken with corn starch. Sooooooo good!

I made this last night and loved it but I don't know if I used the beef bouillon correctly. I dissolved a cube in hot water and used that for water called for in the recipe. Is it supposed to be 4 tbs of granulated bouillon?

My husband gets really bad migraines from eating certain foods - I was so glad when I found this recipe- he loves it and no more migraines. Thank u very much

I was very happy to find this recipe since I can't have soy. I used bone broth instead of the bouillon and water as I am soy and gluten free. I also used maple syrup for the molasses as I didn't have any. Taste great!

I used this when I realized I was out of soy sauce while in the midst of making a stir fry sauce. Pretty good!