The Best Fish Sauce Substitutes (and When to Use Each)

Fish sauce is difficult to substitute precisely because it does several things at once: it salts, it adds umami, and it adds a faint oceanic quality that is the backbone of Southeast Asian cooking. No single substitute replicates all three, but for most cooking contexts, you need only two of those three - and there is a substitute that covers them.

The Five Main Substitutes

1. Soy Sauce

The closest general-purpose substitute. Soy sauce delivers umami (from fermented soybeans rather than fish) and salinity in roughly similar quantities to fish sauce. It lacks the oceanic quality and is slightly less complex, but in most cooked dishes - stir-fries, marinades, braises - the difference is minor.

• Ratio: 1:1 replacement
• Macros per tbsp: ~10 kcal, 1g protein, 0g fat, ~900mg sodium
• Best for: Marinades, stir-fries, noodle dishes, fried rice
• Not ideal for: Dishes where fish sauce is a finishing condiment (dipping sauces, nam jim)

2. Coconut Aminos

Made from fermented coconut palm sap, coconut aminos are sweeter and lower in sodium than soy sauce or fish sauce. They work well for people avoiding soy, and their sweetness can be an advantage in dressings and marinades. The umami depth is noticeably lower.

• Ratio: 1.5:1 (use 50% more to compensate for lower intensity)
• Macros per tbsp: ~15 kcal, 0g protein, 0g fat, ~270mg sodium
• Best for: Soy-free and lower-sodium cooking; sweet-savoury marinades
• Not ideal for: Any dish where saltiness is load-bearing

3. Miso Paste

Miso is a paste rather than a liquid, so it requires dilution or integration into a sauce. But it is arguably the most flavour-complex substitute for fish sauce in slow-cooked dishes, because aged miso carries a similar depth of fermented protein breakdown. White miso is mildest; red miso is closest in intensity to fish sauce.

• Ratio: 1/2 tsp miso paste dissolved in 1 tbsp water per 1 tbsp fish sauce
• Macros per 2 tbsp miso: ~35 kcal, 2g protein, 1g fat, ~630mg sodium
• Best for: Soups, braises, dressings, marinades
• Not ideal for: Dishes requiring a thin liquid; Southeast Asian dipping sauces

4. Worcestershire Sauce

Worcestershire contains fermented anchovies, tamarind, and vinegar - it is actually a fermented umami sauce in its own right. The flavour profile is more complex and more acidic than fish sauce, with a slightly sweet note from the tamarind. Works well in Western cooking where fish sauce appears in adapted recipes.

• Ratio: 1:1 for cooking; use half the amount as a finishing sauce (stronger flavour)
• Macros per tbsp: ~15 kcal, 0g protein, 0g fat, ~170mg sodium (lower sodium than fish sauce)
• Best for: Meat dishes, pasta sauces, gravies, Western-style marinades
• Not ideal for: Thai or Vietnamese dishes where the tamarind note would feel out of place

5. Homemade Garum

If you have made your own fish garum (see the garum from scratch guide), it is the most direct fish sauce substitute because it is essentially the same product. The flavour is typically more complex and less salty than commercial fish sauce, so start with slightly more than the recipe calls for and taste as you go.

• Ratio: 1.2:1 (homemade garum is usually less salty than commercial fish sauce)
• Macros: Similar to fish sauce - ~5 kcal per tbsp
• Best for: Everything fish sauce is good for

Vegan Fish Sauce Substitutes

For a completely plant-based substitute that approximates the oceanic umami of fish sauce:

• 2 tbsp soy sauce + 1/2 tsp nori powder (blended dried seaweed) + squeeze of lime. The nori provides the marine quality; the soy provides the umami and salt.
• Ready-made vegan fish sauce (made from seaweed and mushroom extract) is also increasingly available in Asian supermarkets. Megachef and Ocean's Halo make reliable versions.

Quick Reference Table

• Standard cooking substitute: Soy sauce 1:1
• Soy-free / lower sodium: Coconut aminos 1.5:1
• Slow-cooked dishes: Miso paste (1/2 tsp + water per tbsp)
• Western meat dishes: Worcestershire 1:1
• Best overall flavour: Homemade garum 1.2:1
• Vegan: Soy + nori powder, or commercial vegan fish sauce

For more on the broader world of fermented umami condiments and how they compare, see the Complete Guide to Garum and Fermented Umami Sauces.