Hoisin sauce, which has Cantonese origins, comes in different varieties, with many sauces containing ingredients like vinegar, soy beans, garlic, fennel seeds, and red chilies. Interestingly, hoisin is Chinese for seafood, though it doesn't contain any seafood ingredients.

Are fish sauce and hoisin sauce the same?

Fish sauce is also used as an alternative to hoisin sauce at times. This is because fish sauce is similarly sharp and salty like hoisin sauce, although it lacks the sweetness factor. Add some sugar or honey in conjunction to best replicate the taste of hoisin sauce.

Can hoisin sauce be used as fish sauce?

A fish sauce substitute is available. Oyster sauce is an option as is hoisin sauce, a soy sauce substitute, curry paste, shrimp paste, and umami flavor. A vegetarian substitute would be dried shiitake mushrooms or mushroom soy sauce. These would also work for a vegan fish sauce substitute.

What sauce is similar to fish sauce?

8 Tasty Fish Sauce Substitutes

• Soy sauce. Soy sauce, which is made from fermented soybeans, water, salt, and wheat, is an excellent alternative to fish sauce. ...
• Tamari. Tamari is a type of soy sauce. ...
• Oyster sauce. ...
• Vegan fish sauce. ...
• Seaweed. ...
• Coconut aminos. ...
• Worcestershire sauce. ...
• Mushroom and soy sauce broth.

What is an alternative to hoisin sauce?

9 Delicious Substitutes for Hoisin Sauce

• Bean paste.
• Garlic teriyaki.
• Garlic and prunes.
• Chili and plums.
• Barbecue molasses.
• Soy peanut butter.
• Miso and mustard.
• Ginger plum.

What is hoisin sauce? When and how to use hoisin sauce.

45 related questions found

What is in hoisin?

The key ingredient of hoisin sauce is fermented soybean paste. Some hoisin sauce ingredients include starches such as sweet potato, wheat and rice, and water, sugar, soybeans, sesame seeds, white distilled vinegar, salt, garlic, red chili peppers, and sometimes preservatives or coloring agents.

What is the difference between oyster sauce and hoisin?

Although both sauces are used in Asian cuisine, hoisin sauce is a rich, reddish-brown sauce that has a sweet-salty flavor and can be used as an ingredient or dipping sauce. ... Oyster sauce is saltier and fishier than hoisin sauce but is also less sweet. For both sauces, consistency will vary depending on the brand.

What can I use instead of nam pla?

You can try using Worcestershire sauce which is also made from fermented anchovies but Worcestershire sauce (such as Lea & Perrins) also contains tamarind so it has a slightly sour and tangy note to it and would need to be added very carefully to a dipping sauce.

Does fish sauce taste like fish?

It does, as advertised, derive most of its flavor from fish, but you don't just smack a fish around and out plops a bottle of fish sauce. The real flavor comes from the process of fermenting fish for anywhere from a couple months to a few years.

Where can I find fish sauce?

Which Grocery Store Aisle Is Fish Sauce In? The first place to check for fish sauce is the international aisle. You should see it in the Asian foods section—just read the labels to find the word "vegan" or "vegetarian."

What's the difference between oyster sauce and fish sauce?

Oyster sauce is made from a mixture of carmelised oyster juices, salt, sugar and soy sauce that's been thickened with corn starch. Fish sauce is made with just two ingredients: fermented fish and salt. As a result, the sauces are totally different in taste, flavour and aroma.

Can I use oyster sauce in place of hoisin sauce?

Oyster sauce. ... If you're making shrimp fried rice or another seafood dish, or even a green and leafy stir-fry, oyster sauce can serve as a legit (nonvegetarian) sub for hoisin. It's not a perfect swap, since oyster sauce isn't as sweet and will create a different flavor profile.

What's hoisin sauce taste like?

Hoisin sauce tastes salty and tangy. It has a similar flavor profile to barbecue sauce, but with distinctly different flavors. It may taste slightly meaty or sweet.

Are all fish sauce the same?

What's important to know is that not all fish sauce is created equal; this condiment has distinguishing characteristics that can vary from region to region.

Does all fish sauce taste the same?

Fish sauce is produced from fermented fishes such as anchovy, herring, mackerel, or shrimp using salt-water brines. The result has intense umami taste similar to Worcestershire Sauce but not identical.

Can I use shrimp paste instead of fish sauce?

Use 1 tbsp fish sauce for every ½ tsp shrimp paste.

What is name of sauce for fish?

These classic sauces, like the hollandaise sauce, Normandy sauce, Bercy sauce and others, can be served with fish and seafood dishes, including pan-seared sea scallops, sautéed tilapia, grilled salmon and more.

What can hoisin sauce be used for?

How To Use Hoisin Sauce

• As a dip for your favorite Chinese egg rolls.
• As a sauce for Peking duck and Chinese barbecue pork.
• As a dip for Vietnamese spring rolls.
• As a condiment for Vietnamese Pho, beef noodle soup.
• As a sauce for a beef stir fry.

What is the difference between teriyaki sauce and hoisin sauce?

Hoisin sauce is Chinese and based on fermented soybean paste, whereas teriyaki sauce only has a small component of soy sauce. Hoisin sauce is therefore much thicker and saltier compared to its Japanese counterpart as teriyaki sauce tends to be sweeter. Plus teriyaki isn't even really Japanese, it originated in Hawaii!

Is Peking sauce the same as hoisin sauce?

Hoisin is a reddish-brown sauce that's salty, sweet, and spicy. ... Hoisin sauce is also sometimes called Peking sauce, because it's used in making Peking duck. Hoisin is a great glaze for meat and fish. A little dab of hoisin sauce also gives extra flavor to stir-fry and noodle dishes.

Does hoisin sauce have MSG?

Lee Kum Kee Hoisin Sauce is a spicy-sweet sauce made from selected spices and ground soybeans. ... It is pure vegetarian sauce. No MSG added and no preservative added. Lee Kum Kee was established in 1888 when its founder Mr Lee Kum Sheung invented oyster sauce in nanshui, zhuhai, guangdong province of china.

Is hoisin sauce supposed to be salty?

Hoisin is dark in color and thick in consistency. It has a very strong salty and slightly sweet flavor. Hoisin sauce does taste a bit like an American-style barbecue sauce, but much saltier, richer, less sweet, and has a flavor all its own.

Can hoisin replace soy sauce?

Naturally fermented soy sauce is much thinner and saltier than hoisin sauce. ... I generally substitute half soy sauce to hoisin. For example in a recipe using 3-4 tablespoons of hoisin sauce, I'd substitute 1-2 tablespoons soy sauce. Add more if needed after tasting.

Can I substitute molasses for hoisin sauce?

As hoisin is Chinese barbecue, American barbecue sauce makes a good substitution. ... Molasses is the best option, as the deeper flavor more closely mimics the original taste of hoisin. Dark brown sugar is similar, but lacks the thick consistency.

Is hoisin sauce like Worcester sauce?

An equal part of soy sauce and hoisin (a sweet-sour-salty sauce made of plums, and fermented black bean and garlic sauce) themselves are a great substitute for Worcestershire sauce, but a small splash of apple cider vinegar helps thin it out even more and add some extra tartness.