Low-Sodium Soy Sauce Substitute You Can Make at Home

This low-sodium soy sauce substitute is a savory, pourable seasoning made by simmering dried shiitake mushrooms with water, vinegar, molasses, and pantry spices. It is not fermented soy sauce, but its deep, slightly sweet and tangy flavor works in many recipes that call for a small splash of soy sauce.

Ingredients

2 cups (475 ml) water
2 dried shiitake mushrooms, about 0.2 ounces (6 g), stems included
1 tablespoon (15 ml) balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons (10 ml) apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon (20 g) unsulphured molasses
1 teaspoon (3 g) garlic powder
1 teaspoon (2.5 g) onion powder
½ teaspoon (1 g) ground ginger
¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) ground black pepper
1 teaspoon (5 ml) lemon juice, added after cooking

Instructions

Measure the ingredients. Set out a small saucepan, a fine-mesh strainer, and a heat-safe jar or measuring cup. Measure the water, mushrooms, vinegars, molasses, and spices before you begin; the molasses pours more easily from a lightly oiled spoon. This preparation takes about 5 minutes.
Simmer the mushrooms. Put the water and dried shiitake mushrooms in the saucepan. Bring the water just to a boil over medium heat, then lower the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Keep the liquid at a quiet simmer rather than a rolling boil. This gives the mushrooms time to flavor the water without making it cloudy or evaporating too quickly.
Add the seasonings. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, molasses, garlic powder, onion powder, ginger, and black pepper. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring once or twice so the molasses dissolves and does not settle on the bottom. Take the pan off the heat. The finished liquid should smell savory and lightly sweet, with a noticeable but not sharp vinegar aroma.
Strain and finish. Pour the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer into a heat-safe container. Press the mushrooms gently with the back of a spoon to release some of their liquid, but do not mash them through the strainer. Stir in the lemon juice, then leave the substitute to cool for 15 minutes before transferring it to a clean jar. The recipe makes about 1½ cups (355 ml), depending on evaporation.

Tips

Choose the right mushrooms. Dried shiitake mushrooms give the liquid a rounded, savory flavor. If you cannot find them, use ½ ounce (14 g) dried porcini or another dried mushroom. Porcini can taste earthier and stronger, so start with one small mushroom if yours are especially large or aromatic.
Keep the simmer gentle. A hard boil can reduce the liquid too quickly and make the vinegar and molasses taste harsher. If the pan looks as though it is losing liquid rapidly, turn the heat down. The aim is a flavorful seasoning, not a thick syrup.
Adjust in small amounts. Taste the cooled mixture before changing it. For more brightness, add lemon juice ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) at a time; for a rounder flavor, stir in another ½ teaspoon (about 3 g) molasses. Add water by the tablespoon if it tastes too concentrated. Avoid adding salt automatically: the ingredients and your intended use determine how much salt the finished dish needs.
Check packaged ingredients. This recipe has no added salt, but the sodium content of vinegars, spices, and other packaged ingredients can vary. Check their labels if you are keeping track of sodium, and choose products without added salt where available. “Low sodium” does not mean sodium-free.

Serving Suggestions

Use this substitute in small splashes wherever a recipe needs savory depth: stir it into fried rice, noodle bowls, vegetable stir-fries, marinades, gravies, or dipping sauces. Start with the same amount the recipe calls for, then taste. Because this version is less salty and has a mild mushroom-and-vinegar character, a dish may need a little extra seasoning, but it is better to adjust the whole dish gradually than to pour in a large amount at once.

For a quick dipping sauce, combine 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the substitute with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) water and a few drops of toasted sesame oil, if desired. It also works in a pan sauce: add a tablespoon or two near the end of cooking, scrape up the browned bits, and taste before adding any additional salt. In a marinade, pair it with oil, garlic, ginger, or citrus rather than relying on it to provide all the flavor of a traditional soy-based marinade.

Variations

Make it without soy ingredients. The recipe as written contains no soy sauce or soy-based ingredients, but check the labels on all packaged products if soy avoidance matters. Use plain dried mushrooms and avoid seasoning blends that may include soy. The result is a useful seasoning alternative, although it will not taste exactly like fermented soy sauce.

Use a different vinegar. Replace the apple cider vinegar with rice vinegar for a softer, less fruity tang. If using unseasoned rice vinegar, keep the quantity the same. Seasoned rice vinegar often contains sugar and salt, so it will change the flavor and sodium content; check the label and reduce or omit the molasses if it tastes too sweet.

Make the flavor deeper. Add 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of brewed coffee or ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) of unsweetened cocoa powder with the other seasonings. Either adds a darker note, but too much can make the substitute taste bitter. Another option is to use 1 tablespoon (4 g) nutritional yeast for a rounded, savory quality; stir it in at the end and strain if you prefer a smooth liquid.

Make it sweeter or sharper for a particular dish. A little more molasses can suit a glaze, while a touch more vinegar can brighten a dipping sauce. Make these changes to the portion you are about to use rather than altering the whole jar. That way, one batch can work in several different dishes.

Storage and Reheating

Cool the substitute briefly, transfer it to a clean, covered container, and refrigerate it within 2 hours of cooking. Keep it refrigerated and use it within 5 days. The recipe is not preserved or shelf-stable, so do not store it at room temperature. For longer storage, freeze it in small portions for up to 3 months; an ice-cube tray is convenient, and the cubes can be moved to a freezer-safe container once solid.

Thaw a frozen portion overnight in the refrigerator or warm it gently in a small saucepan. You do not need to reheat the whole batch: use it cold in a dressing or dipping sauce, or add it directly to a dish that is cooking. If warming it on its own, use low heat and stop once it is warm; boiling can concentrate the liquid and make its flavor more intense. Discard the sauce if it has been left out longer than 2 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this taste exactly like soy sauce?
No. Soy sauce is fermented, while this quick substitute gets its savory flavor from dried mushrooms and its dark color and gentle sweetness from molasses and balsamic vinegar. It is useful in cooked dishes and sauces, but the difference is more noticeable if you taste it plain or use it as the only ingredient in a dipping sauce. Adjust the finished dish to taste.

Can I use it in a one-to-one replacement?
Usually, you can begin with the same volume called for in a recipe, especially in a stir-fry, soup, or sauce. Then taste before adding more. The substitute is less salty and has a different balance of sweet and sour flavors, so a strict one-to-one swap may not deliver the same seasoning in every recipe. For a dish that depends heavily on soy sauce, add it gradually and make any other seasoning adjustments separately.

Can I leave out the mushrooms?
You can, but they provide much of the savory depth, so the liquid will taste thinner and more like a sweet-tart seasoned broth. If you cannot use mushrooms, try the nutritional yeast variation, or simmer a small piece of dried kombu in the water and remove it before straining. Kombu brings a sea-like, savory note and can contribute sodium naturally, so check the package if that is a concern.

Can I make this substitute gluten-free?
The listed ingredients are naturally gluten-free in their plain forms, but packaged vinegars, spices, and flavorings can vary. Check product labels and choose ingredients marked gluten-free if you need that assurance. Do not replace an ingredient with a seasoned sauce or premixed seasoning without checking what it contains.

Why is my batch too sharp, sweet, or watery?
A sharp flavor can come from reducing the liquid too much or from a particularly strong vinegar; stir in water a tablespoon at a time. If the batch tastes too sweet, add a few drops of vinegar or lemon juice to the portion you are using. A watery flavor usually means the mushrooms were mild or the liquid was diluted; simmer a measured portion briefly to concentrate it, then cool it before tasting again.

Can I use fresh mushrooms instead of dried shiitake?
Dried mushrooms are more concentrated and are the better choice for the recipe as written. Fresh shiitake or cremini mushrooms can add some savory flavor, but they will make a lighter, less concentrated liquid. If using fresh mushrooms, slice about ½ cup (35 g), simmer them in the water, and expect the finished substitute to taste milder; do not add extra vinegar or molasses until you have tasted it.

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