Fish Sauce Substitutes
鱼露 · yú lù · nam pla · nuoc mam
By The Chowmi Test Kitchen · Updated June 4, 2026
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The everyday substitute for fish sauce is soy sauce — use it roughly 1:1, knowing you'll get saltiness and umami but not the fermented-seafood funk. To get closer, add a mashed anchovy fillet or a few drops of Worcestershire sauce to the soy, which brings back some of that briny, fermented depth. For a vegan substitute, mix soy sauce with a little white miso or a piece of seaweed (kombu) steeped in it, which mimics the savory, oceanic quality without fish. Fish sauce is intensely salty and funky, so whatever you use, start with less than the recipe calls for and taste — it's easy to over-salt. The fishiness reads strong from the bottle but mellows in cooking, so substitutes mostly need to nail the salt and umami.
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Every fish sauce substitute, ranked
| Substitute | Ratio | Match |
|---|---|---|
| Soy sauce Everyday cooking · vegan | 1:1 (start with less and taste) | 65% |
| Soy + mashed anchovy When you want it closer | 1 tbsp soy + ½ mashed anchovy fillet | 82% |
| Soy + miso (vegan) Plant-based cooking · vegan | 1 tbsp soy + ¼ tsp white miso | 70% |
| Worcestershire sauce A quick savory hit | Use about ⅔ the amount | 68% |
- Soy sauce: The simplest swap — salty and savory, but missing the fermented-seafood funk. Reach for light soy.
- Soy + mashed anchovy: The anchovy brings back the briny, fermented depth. Closest non-vegan match.
- Soy + miso (vegan): Miso adds fermented umami. A little kombu (seaweed) steeped in the soy deepens the oceanic note.
- Worcestershire sauce: Anchovy-based and umami-rich, but tangier and more complex — use a bit less so it doesn't take over.
What is Fish Sauce?
Fish sauce is a thin, amber, intensely savory liquid made from fish (usually anchovies) salted and fermented for months. A staple across Southeast Asia and used in some southern Chinese cooking, it adds a deep, salty, umami backbone — its strong smell from the bottle cooks down into a rounded savoriness that's hard to replicate with anything else.
Flavor: Intensely salty, funky, and umami-rich. Pungent from the bottle, mellow and savory once cooked.
Fish sauce vs soy sauce
Both are salty, fermented, and umami-rich, which is why soy is the go-to fish sauce substitute. The difference: fish sauce is made from fish and has a briny, funky depth; soy is made from soybeans and is cleaner and a touch sweeter. Soy can stand in for fish sauce's salt and savoriness, but for dishes where the funk matters, add a mashed anchovy or a little Worcestershire.
Fish sauce vs oyster sauce
Different textures and roles. Fish sauce is a thin, salty seasoning liquid; oyster sauce is a thick, sweet-savory glaze. They're not interchangeable straight, but in a pinch a little fish sauce thinned with water can add the salty umami that oyster sauce brings, and oyster sauce can replace some of fish sauce's savory depth in a sauce.
Where to buy fish sauce
Stock real fish sauce
Three Crabs, Red Boat, and Squid are popular brands — Red Boat is a higher-quality, additive-free option. Find fish sauce at most grocery stores, Asian markets, Weee!, Yamibuy, or Amazon. It's inexpensive and lasts a very long time at room temperature.
Fish Sauce FAQ
What can I substitute for fish sauce?
Soy sauce is the everyday swap (use it 1:1 and taste, since both are salty). To get closer to fish sauce's funk, add a mashed anchovy fillet or a few drops of Worcestershire to the soy. For vegan cooking, mix soy sauce with a little white miso or steep some seaweed in it.
What is a vegan substitute for fish sauce?
Soy sauce with a little white miso is the simplest vegan swap — the miso adds fermented umami. Steeping a piece of kombu (seaweed) in warm soy sauce adds an oceanic note that gets even closer. There are also bottled vegan “fish sauces” made from seaweed and mushrooms if you cook plant-based often.
Can I use soy sauce instead of fish sauce?
Yes — it's the most common substitute. Soy sauce delivers the salt and umami, though it lacks fish sauce's distinctive fermented-seafood funk. Use it 1:1 but taste as you go, and if you want it closer, stir in a mashed anchovy or a dash of Worcestershire sauce.
Why does fish sauce smell so strong?
That pungent aroma comes from months of fermenting salted fish, which develops intense umami compounds. The smell is much stronger in the bottle than in the finished dish — once it's cooked into food, it mellows into a deep, savory background flavor rather than tasting “fishy.”
Recipes that use fish sauce
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