This homemade Vegan Fish Sauce is a savory, salty, umami-rich substitute for traditional fish sauce. Easy to make and perfect for Thai and Vietnamese recipes!
Fish sauce is the secret ingredient behind so many Thai and Vietnamese dishes, adding that unmistakable salty, savory depth of flavor. Over the years, many of you have asked for a good plant-based alternative, so I created this easy Vegan Fish Sauce-a deeply savory, umami-rich substitute you can use in most recipes that call for traditional fish sauce.
And yes, developing this recipe involved sampling sips of straight fish sauce (this tells you how much I love you!), comparing batches until I landed on a version with just the right balance of saltiness and umami. It’s completely plant-based, simple to make, and keeps beautifully in the refrigerator.
Use it anywhere you want that extra layer of savory depth-Pad Thai, curries, stir-fries, noodle bowls, soups, marinades, and dipping sauces. You can substitute it 1:1 for regular fish sauce, making it an easy staple to keep on hand for your favorite Southeast Asian recipes.
Wow! WOW! Made this and it's amazing! Steeping overnight is essential, as it tasted very different after the steep than after it cooled from being taken off the stove. WOW! Used kombu to make a Pad Thai sauce. As a vegetarian, don't know what a "real" fish sauce tastes like, but…yeah, you guessed it - WOW! Thank you!!!
Table of Contents
Why You Will Love This Vegan Fish Sauce!
- Plant-based alternative: Vegan fish sauce is a great substitute for traditional fish sauce, making it suitable for those following a vegan diet or vegetarian lifestyle.
- Depth of flavor: Despite not containing fish or shellfish, vegan fish sauce still manages to pack a punch when it comes to flavor. It has a deep umami taste that adds richness and complexity to your dishes, similar to traditional fish sauce.
- Gluten-free adaptable: For individuals with gluten sensitivities or dietary restrictions, vegan fish sauce can be easily made gluten-free.
- Versatility: Vegan fish sauce works well as a substitute in most recipes that call for fish sauce. Whether you’re making Thai curries, stir-fries, or dipping sauces, this plant-based alternative will provide the same depth of flavor and umami kick.
- Long shelf life: Once you’ve made your batch of vegan fish sauce, you can store it in a sealed glass bottle or jar in the refrigerator for 3-6 months. The flavors will continue to develop over time, making the sauce even more flavorful.
Vegan Fish Sauce Recipe Ingredients
- Soy sauce: You can use shoyu, tamari, coconut aminos, or Bragg’s liquid amino acids as a base for your vegan fish sauce. Choose the one that suits your taste preference and dietary needs.
- Dried mushrooms: Shiitake mushrooms are the recommended choice for this recipe, as they add a rich and savory flavor. Feel free to play around with other dried mushroom varieties!
- Seaweed: Dried kombu, nori, or wakame seaweed can be added to your vegan fish sauce to provide a subtle hint of the sea and enhance the “fishiness” without using actual fish or shellfish.
- Garlic cloves: Fresh garlic cloves or garlic powder can be used to add a savory and aromatic element to your vegan fish sauce.
- Optional additions: For additional flavor complexity, you can consider adding ingredients like sliced shallots, grilled (charred) onions, roasted garlic, black garlic, a small splash of rice wine, sherry, or rice vinegar. If you can find smoked shoyu, it can be a great option to enhance the smoky flavor of the sauce.
Feel free to experiment and adjust the quantities of these ingredients according to your taste preferences. Remember, the goal is to create a flavorful, umami-rich sauce to use as a substitute for fish sauce in your Asian-inspired dishes.
*See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to Make Vegan Fish Sauce
In a nutshell, you’ll make a very concentrated broth of dried mushrooms, kombu seaweed, soy sauce (or use GF Braggs or Shoyu), and garlic, simmering it down until the flavors intensify and the liquid reduces.
1. Simmer. Add all the ingredients to a medium saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered until the liquid has reduced by half. You should have about 2 cups of liquid.
2. Steep. For the deepest flavor, cover and let the mixture steep for several hours or up to 24 hours. If you’re short on time, you can strain it right away.
3. Strain. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing lightly to extract the flavorful liquid. If you have less than 2 cups, add enough water to bring the total back to 2 cups-this ensures the proper saltiness.
4. Store. Pour into a clean glass jar or bottle and refrigerate. Use your homemade vegan fish sauce 1:1 anywhere you would use regular fish sauce.
Let this steep, preferably 24 hours (or longer), then strain out the solids.
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Storing Homemade Fish Sauce
Store homemade vegan fish sauce in a clean, airtight glass jar or bottle in the refrigerator. For best quality, use it within 3-4 months.
The flavors will continue to deepen as it sits. Always use a clean utensil when measuring, and discard it if you notice any mold, unusual bubbling, or an off smell.
Freezing: For longer storage, freeze the vegan fish sauce in an ice cube tray, then transfer the frozen cubes to a freezer-safe container. This makes it easy to grab just a tablespoon or two whenever a recipe calls for fish sauce.
Ways to Use Vegan Fish Sauce
Use this vegan fish sauce 1:1 anywhere you would normally use traditional fish sauce. It adds that savory, salty, umami depth that’s especially delicious in Southeast Asian-inspired recipes.
Stir it into Thai curries, Vietnamese noodle bowls, stir-fries, fried rice, soups, and dipping sauces, or use it to season marinades and salad dressings. It’s also perfect for making vegan Nuoc Cham, Pad Thai, Som Tam (Thai Papaya Salad), or adding a splash to brothy soups when they need a little extra depth.
Chef’s Tip: Start with a small amount and taste as you go. A little can transform a dish without making it taste overly salty.
Love this recipe? Please let us know in the comments and leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below the recipe card. xoxo Sylvia
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Vegan Fish Sauce Recipe
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 2 cups 1x
- Category: condiments, cooking basics, sauces
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This homemade Vegan Fish Sauce is a savory, salty, umami-rich substitute for traditional fish sauce. Easy to make and perfect for Thai and Vietnamese recipes!
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 1/4 cup soy sauce- shoyu, tamari, or Braggs liquid amino acids
- 1/2 cup dried mushrooms (like dried shiitakes)
- 1 4 x 8 inch sheet of dried kombu (seaweed) or wakame seaweed
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced
- 2 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
- optional additions- 1 fat shallot sliced, grilled (charred) onion, roasted garlic, black garlic, small splash rice wine, sherry, or rice vinegar. Smoked Shoyu if you can find it, is a great option for the soy sauce.
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, bring all ingredients to a low boil, then turn down to a simmer over medium heat, uncovered. Simmer gently on low until reduced by half.
- Reduce until you have 2 cups of liquid.
- If you have time, let this steep overnight, or up to 24 hours, covered on the counter. Then strain into a bowl and pour into a clean glass bottle or jar using a funnel.
- Tip: ***If the liquid is less than 2 cups, add water to make it 2 cups. This will ensure the right amount of saltiness.
- Store in the fridge and use as you would fish sauce, one-to-one.
Notes
Storage. The Vegan Fish Sauce will keep for up to 3-4 months in the fridge. Probably longer. I’ve had mine for a year. 🙂
Optional additions. Smoked Shoyu adds even more complexity if you can track it down. Grilled or roasted onions, black garlic, or roasted garlic add even more depth. You can get pretty crafty when you start thinking about creating depth and umami, so please, feel free to experiment and play around.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 teaspoon
- Calories: 1
- Sugar: 0.1 g
- Sodium: 206.2 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 0.2 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 0.1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Vegan Fish Sauce FAQs
It’s basically a very condensed broth infused with soy sauce -shoyu, tamari, or gluten-free Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, dried mushrooms, seaweed, and a few garlic cloves. The broth is simmered and reduced, and flavors become very concentrated. What remains is a very intense salty briny liquid with a deep umami flavor, that to me, comes pretty close to fish sauce. The seaweed really hints of the sea and gives it the “fishiness” it needs without the fish!
Dried shiitake mushrooms are the best for this recipe. You can also try using other types of dried mushrooms like cremini. However, keep in mind that different mushrooms will add different flavors to the sauce, so the taste may vary slightly.
You can store the vegan fish sauce in a sealed glass bottle or jar with a tight-fitting lid in the refrigerator for several months. In fact, the flavors will continue to develop and the sauce will become even more flavorful over time. Some people have successfully kept their vegan fish sauce for over a year!
Absolutely! You can use gluten-free soy sauce, tamari, or even Bragg’s Liquid Aminos as a substitute for regular soy sauce. This will make the recipe gluten-free and suitable for individuals with dietary restrictions.
I’m on a low sodium diet and was wondering if this would still taste good if I leave out the salt and use low sodium soy sauce? I would really love to use it in your pad Thai recipe!
I think that should work Sandra. Let us know how it goes!
I made this fish sauce and it turned out wonderful. I decided to turn the remaining leftover strained ingredients into a broth! Transfered everything to a blender (I used Nori so left that in) with some miso, fresh ginger, veggie broth and water. Blended it up and simmered for a bit. Poured over vegan ramen bowl and it was incredible!!
I love that Ronda- sounds amazing!
Oh wow, I stumbled in from a Pinterest search and found my happy place, lol! I cannot wait to try this recipe. Also, SMOKED SHOYU??? YES, PLEEEEAASE!
Great Jeanette, happy you are here. 🙂
I’m excited to try this! If you’re using garlic powder in place of garlic cloves, how much would you recommend?
I would start with 1/2 teaspoon and add more to taste.
Yay, thank you!
Wow! WOW! Made this and it’s amazing! Steeping overnight is essential imo as it tasted very different after the steep vs. after it cooled from taking it off the stove. WOW! Used kombu, made a pad Thai sauce. WOW! As a vegetarian, don’t know what a “real” fish sauce tastes like, but…yeah, you guessed it – WOW! Thank you!!!
Yay Rose! Glad you gave it a try.:)
I loved this recipe! I used it in the pad thai recipe since my husband can’t do fish sauce. This did the trick and the pad thai turned out great!
Great to hear Lynn!
Can you re-use the kombu afterwards, for multiple boils?
It seems like such a waste to throw it…
Yes, Linda, if you dry it out completely, you can reuse it for several boils. 🙂
I make this with mine and it’s fantastic! Kombu is high in iodine,
So be careful if you have thyroid issues.
Can’t wait to try this. My husband can’t eat onions or garlic so I need something to add umami. This just might be the ticket.
Did you use whole or sliced mushrooms to measure 1/2 cup? I can get whole dried shiitakes or sliced, but there would be a volume difference. Would you happen to know how the weight in ounces? That would help.
I used sliced! It doesn’t have to be exact. 🙂