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I use a lot of Chinese soy sauce in my cooking. I also use it as a condiment as much as I use salt. After all, it’s important to season food! I use both dark and light and the difference between light and dark soy sauce is important for me as a vegan.
One is vegan and one (usually) is not.
What is Chinese soy sauce?
Chinese soy sauce is a sauce usually made via fermentation of soybeans, wheat, water and salt. It is not gluten-free. Soy sauce was also originally used as an inexpensive way to stretch salt as salt was hella expensive back in the day. Can you imagine? Plain ol’ salt being a high priced commodity? Well, it was.
There are two main types of Chinese soy sauce that I use in my cooking and they are simply “light soy sauce” and “dark soy sauce”. The color is not the only difference.
What is light soy sauce?
Light soy sauce – This is the “regular” soy sauce you get at a Chinese restaurant. When you ask for soy sauce, this is what will be given to you. Light soy sauce is normally sold as “soy sauce” but it can also be explicitly labeled as “light soy sauce“. Light soy sauce does not necessarily mean low sodium.
Light soy sauce is saltier than dark soy sauce and pretty much is a substitute for salt as a flavor enhancer. Light soy sauce is plant-based and because it’s made with wheat it is not gluten-free. My soy sauce-based vegan Filipino adobo recipe (the adobong itim one) uses light soy sauce. My version of the more pre-Chinese trading, indigenous recipe for vegan Filipino adobo without soy sauce uses salt instead of the light soy sauce.
While light soy sauce is vegan, it is not gluten-free.
What are some gluten-free alternatives to light soy sauce?
Salt, coconut aminos or Bragg Liquid Soy Seasoning.
When substituting salt for light soy sauce, you would just salt to taste as you wouldn’t substitute it at a 1:1 ratio. I generally salt to taste for my dishes so I will leave that part to you.
If you would prefer an actual liquid, you can use coconut aminos. It’s a sauce that tastes similar but is instead made of coconut sap. It also happens to be soy-free if anyone has an intolerance to soy. Just remember to look into the ethics of the company you are purchasing from since not all coconuts are sourced ethically.
What is dark soy sauce?
Dark soy sauce is sweeter, darker and thicker. It much sweeter and a tad bit thicker than light soy sauce and can contain sugar and/or molasses as a sweetener. While it’s sweeter than light soy sauce, it has a higher sodium content. Dark soy sauce is more of a cooking ingredient rather than a condiment. It is generally used for braising and to achieve a thick, rich sauce. Non-organic Chinese dark soy sauce tends to not be vegan due to most of it using conventional sugar (which is filtered with animal bone char).
As a vegan with my specific boundaries that are right for me (no “accidentally vegan” products), I am unable to use the conventional dark soy sauce. Unfortunately, I cannot find organic Chinese dark soy sauce at the store or even online.
So what is a good vegan alternative to Chinese dark soy sauce?
One alternative is to make your own using light soy sauce (or liquid aminos or coconut aminos for gluten-free) sweetened with organic cane or light brown sugar. I personally would season to taste as everyone’s sweetness level is different.
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