This easy Vegan Oyster Sauce recipe is bursting with umami flavor and is free of additives and preservatives. A perfect replacement for store-bought oyster sauce. Gluten-free.
This delicious Vegan Oyster Sauce is easy to make at home! Dried shiitake mushrooms are a key ingredient here giving a rich umami flavor and substance.
What is Oyster Sauce?
Oyster sauce has a distinctive taste that combines briny, sweet, and tangy flavors, contributing a rich umami depth to various dishes like stir-fries, noodle dishes, and soups. It’s a common ingredient in Asian cuisine, characterized by its rich caramel color. However, most store-bought varieties contain high fructose corn syrup or are very high in sugar and sodium, often with unnatural preservatives.
Why You’ll Love This!
- Fast and Easy. Only 15 minutes of hands-on time!
- Vegan & gluten-free. A plant-based replacement for oyster sauce in stir-fries, noodles, and soups.
- Simple, Wholesome Ingredients! Made with real, whole-food ingredients that you’ll easily recognize!
- Rich Flavor. Briny, sweet, and tangy with lovely umami depth.
Ingredients
- Shiitake mushrooms: Use dried mushrooms. Or use shiitake mushroom powder.
- Brown sugar: Or coconut sugar.
- Soy sauce: Use a gluten-free soy sauce or tamari if needed.
- Spices: Salt, garlic powder, ginger powder, and 5 spice powder.
- Cornstarch: Essential for thickening the sauce and binding it.
- White miso paste: Adding this at the end of cooking helps preserve the probiotics.
See recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to Make Vegan Oyster Sauce (instructions)
Place dried shiitake mushrooms (or mushroom powder) to the boiling water and let sit, covered, for 30 minutes.
Cut out the woody stems off (you can leave those that seem tender enough to blend smooth). Add all of the soaking water and shiitakes to the blender along with brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic powder, ginger powder, and 5 spice powder. Blend together until ultra smooth.
Pour the mixture into a saucepan and stir while bringing to a boil. Mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water. Whisk into the bubbling mixture for a minute until the color is glossy and thick. Whisk in miso (to preserve the probiotic properties of miso, which may be destroyed by high heat, it is added at the end of the cooking process).
Ways to Use Vegan Oyster Sauce
Oyster sauce is a common ingredient used in Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, Malay, and Khmer cuisine.
- Stir fry sauce: Use in Chinese stir-fries, rice, or Thai noodle dishes as a vegan or vegetarian stir-fry sauce.
- Use as a marinade: For roasted vegetables or fried tofu or tempeh.
- Add to soups: For rich umami flavor and depth.
FAQs
Briny, sweet, tangy with subtle sweetness and saltiness, and rich umami depth.
Regular oyster sauce is made with oyster juice, whereas vegan oyster sauce uses mushrooms instead to achieve a similar umami flavor and texture.
Not only is it ideal if you have dietary restrictions, but it is lower in sugar and sodium and free of any undesirable ingredients.
We do not recommend fresh shiitakes. Dried shiitake mushrooms have a stronger richer flavor than fresh. When dried, the complex proteins of the mushroom are broken down into simple amino acids drawing out more of the umami flavor.
Health Benefits of Shiitake Mushrooms
Shiitake mushrooms not only add a delicious flavor to your culinary creations but also offer several health benefits. Here are some of the potential health benefits of consuming shiitake mushrooms:
- Boosts the immune system: Shiitake mushrooms contain a compound called lentinan, which has been shown to enhance the immune system’s response. It may help increase the production of immune cells and improve their ability to fight off infections.
- Rich in nutrients: Shiitake mushrooms are a good source of vitamins and minerals. They are especially rich in copper, selenium, and B vitamins, such as B6 and pantothenic acid. These nutrients play important roles in various bodily functions, including energy production and immune health.
- Supports heart health: Shiitake mushrooms contain compounds like eritadenine and beta-glucans, which have been associated with improving cardiovascular health. They may help lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease.
- Potential anti-cancer properties: Some studies suggest that compounds found in shiitake mushrooms, such as lentinan and polysaccharides, could have anti-cancer properties. These compounds may help inhibit the growth of cancer cells and stimulate the immune system’s response against them. However, more research is needed in this area.
- Anti-inflammatory effects: Certain compounds in shiitake mushrooms, such as ergothioneine and polyphenols, have been found to possess anti-inflammatory properties. Consuming shiitake mushrooms may help reduce inflammation in the body and potentially lower the risk of chronic diseases associated with inflammation.
- Supports gut health: Shiitake mushrooms are a good source of dietary fiber, which is beneficial for digestion and gut health. The fiber content can help support the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut.
- May have antiviral properties: Some research suggests that shiitake mushrooms’ compounds, including lentinan and beta-glucans, may have antiviral properties. They may help inhibit the replication of certain viruses and enhance the immune system’s ability to fight viral infections.
I can’t wait to hear what you think of this Vegan Oyster Sauce recipe! Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments!
Ways to Use Vegan Oyster Sauce!
Vegan Oyster Sauce
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes (including 30 minutes soaking time)
- Yield: 1 1/2 cups 1x
- Category: Condiment
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Asian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
An easy recipe for Vegan Oyster Sauce bursting with umami flavor, free of additives and preservatives. A perfect replacement for traditional oyster sauce. Gluten-free.
Ingredients
- 1 cup boiling water
- 10 dried shiitake mushrooms, about 1 ounce (or use 2 tablespoons shiitake mushroom powder)
- 1/3 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1/8 teaspoon 5 spice powder
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 2 teaspoons white miso paste
Instructions
- Add dried shiitake mushrooms (or mushroom powder) to the boiling water and let sit, covered, for 30 minutes.
- Cut out the woody stems off (you can leave those that seem tender enough to blend smooth). Add all of the soaking water and shiitakes to the blender along with brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic powder, ginger powder, and 5 spice powder. Blend together until ultra smooth.
- Pour the mixture into a saucepan and stir while bringing to a boil. Mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water. Whisk into the bubbling mixture for a minute until the color is glossy and thick. Whisk in miso (to preserve the probiotic properties of miso, which may be destroyed by high heat, it is added at the end of the cooking process).
Notes
Storage: Once cooled, store in a sealed container in the fridge for 2 weeks. Can also store in the freezer. Freeze in ice cube trays for easy portion use.
Dried shiitake mushrooms have a stronger richer flavor than fresh. When dried, the complex proteins of the mushroom are broken down into simple amino acids drawing out more of the umami flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 teaspoons
- Calories: 14
- Sugar: 2.1 g
- Sodium: 115.7 mg
- Fat: 0.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Fiber: 0.2 g
- Protein: 0.4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Would arrowroot work well here instead of cornstarch? Thank you!
Arrowroot can work just don’t cook too lang after adding it, it loses its thickness. Tapioca starch is another one that will work.
Loved this! Used a mix of dried mushrooms given that’s what I had. Made it for your longevity noodle dish – was wonderful and added a lot of depth. Can’t wait to add to other dishes
Great Murphy! So glad to hear you gave it a try!
I’m curious to know if I could use fresh mushrooms, since it seems they are reconstituted before blending?
It is best with dried shiitake mushrooms. They have a stronger richer flavor then fresh. When dried, the complex proteins of the mushroom are broken down into simple amino acids drawing out more of the umami flavor. Thanks for the question, I’ll include that in the recipe notes.:)
Why aren’t quantities mentioned – I’m sure there is a balance of ingredients to give the best flavour? Puts me off trying any recipe without measurements…
Scroll to the bottom of the post. The recipe card has all of the measurements and a full list of the ingredients.
I am allergic to 5 spice. Can I just leave it out or what could I use for a substitute?
Yes you can just leave it out. We have a recipe to make your own 5 Spice. You could just adapt that and leave out the spice you are allergic too?
Hi! Is 10oz dried shiitake mushrooms correct? It seems like a lot, (and expensive!). The link to Amazon provided for the mushrooms says 6oz is $25.
Just double checking that 10oz is right…
Thank you! Love your recipes.
Kallee Thanks so much for this catch! 1 ounce, 10 dried mushrooms.:) Recipe is fixed.