Oyster sauce is one of the most popular seasonings in Chinese cuisine.
Just by adding a little to your usual seasonings, you can make fried rice and stir-fried vegetables taste amazingly authentic!
However, unlike soy sauce or miso, it’s not something you use that often, so there are times when you don’t have it or you want to use it.
In this article, we will introduce you to some alternatives to the oyster sauce that will help you in your time of need.
What is the Oyster Sauce and How to Use It?
Oyster sauce is a sauce made by condensing the taste of oysters (“oyster”), concentrating the broth of oysters, adding sugar, flour, and other seasonings, and making adjustments.
In Japanese, it is called oyster oil as it is, but in recent years, it has become known as oyster sauce, so most of them are called “oyster sauce”.
However, in recent years, it has become known as oyster sauce, and most of them are called “oyster sauce”. The extract of the oyster is the key to its taste, and it has a unique flavor like the sea.
It is now a familiar seasoning in Japan, but a long time ago it was one of the rare seasonings.
Oyster sauce is now widely available and is made by adding yeast extract, bonito soy sauce, and other seasonings to the original oyster sauce.
Oyster sauce has a thick texture and is easily blended with other ingredients, giving it a rich and addictive flavor.
It is said to have originated in Cantonese cuisine and is an essential seasoning for Chinese cuisine, but in recent years it has become a popular seasoning used not only in authentic Chinese dishes but also in many other Asian dishes, including those from Japan.
We Recommend These 11 Alternatives to the Oyster Sauce
Oyster sauce has a unique flavor that no other seasoning can match.
Oyster sauce has a unique flavor that no other seasoning has, and the trick is to mix it with other seasonings that are both sweet, rich, and Chinese.
The quantities given here are approximate, but they are only approximate and should be adjusted according to taste.
Substitute for the oyster sauce 1: Chinese dashi stock + soy sauce + honey
Approximate amount: a pinch of Chinese soup stock, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of honey
If you add these seasonings to the base of soy sauce, you can get a taste similar to oyster sauce.
The only drawback is that it lacks flavor because it does not contain oyster extract, which is the key ingredient.
Oyster sauce substitute 2: Powdered soup stock + soy sauce + sugar
Approximate amount: a pinch of powdered soup stock, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of sugar
You can use consommé, chicken soup, chicken broth, etc., but if possible, use seafood powdered soup stock.
But if you can, use a seafood soup powder, because there is no oyster extract in it.
Substitute for the oyster sauce 3: Powdered soup stock + Soy sauce + Chuno sauce
Approximate amount: a pinch of powdered soup stock, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of chuno sauce.
Sugar or honey can be added to Chuno sauce to give it a richer, deeper flavor.
The sauce can also be used to thicken the sauce, making it easier to blend the flavors when cooking.
Oyster sauce substitute 4: Sesame oil + soy sauce + sugar
Approximate amounts: 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar
If you add sesame oil instead of powdered soup stock, you can make an oyster sauce substitute with a slightly different sesame flavor.
I’m not sure if it’s oyster sauce, but it’s still delicious, so give it a try.
Just be careful not to add too much sesame oil.
If you add too much, the sesame oil will be too strong and the sauce will only have the aroma of sesame.
Substitute for the oyster sauce 5: fish sauce + sugar (honey)
Approximate quantity: 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar
Although the fish sauce is not related to Chinese cuisine, it is a seafood seasoning and can be used to replace the richness and flavor of oyster sauce.
Use sugar or honey to add sweetness.
Oyster sauce substitute 6: Worcestershire sauce + honey
Approximate amount: 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon honey
Worcestershire sauce is a good substitute, but it lacks a bit of thickness and sweetness, so add honey to make up for it.
Note that oyster sauce and Worcestershire sauce are completely different and cannot be substituted as such.
Substitute of oyster sauce 7: Chuno sauce + miso + Ajinomoto
Approximate quantity: 1 tablespoon of Chuno sauce, 1 teaspoon of miso, a pinch of Ajinomoto.
The miso adds richness and the Ajinomoto adds flavor. The result is thicker than with Worcestershire sauce and honey.
You don’t have to add the Ajinomoto, but we recommend it because it will make the dish lack a taste.
Substitute for the oyster sauce 8: Worcestershire sauce and shijimi-jiru soup stock
Approximate amount: 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon miso soup stock of shijimi clam
Use miso soup stock of shijimi clam. If you have it, please use the soup stock of shijimi clam itself, because the thick soup stock of shijimi clam gives the flavor and richness.
As it is a miso soup base, you will also need to add miso.
You can substitute the rich taste of the oyster sauce.
Substitute for oyster sauce 9: Okonomiyaki sauce + soy sauce
Approximate amount: 1 tablespoon okonomiyaki sauce, 1 teaspoon soy sauce
Okonomiyaki sauce is very viscous, so its texture is quite similar to oyster sauce. It also has a strong sweetness, so there is no need to add sugar or other ingredients.
This sauce is easier to use than substituting with Worcestershire sauce.
If you only use okonomiyaki sauce, it will have a sweet taste, so use soy sauce to give it a little bitterness.
Oyster sauce substitute 10: Tonkatsu sauce + soy sauce + sugar
Approximate amounts: 1 tablespoon tonkatsu sauce, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar
Tonkatsu sauce is less sweet than okonomiyaki sauce, so add sugar to adjust the sweetness.
It can be used as a substitute for oyster sauce, although it is less viscous as well as sweeter.
Advantages of Using a Substitute for Oyster Sauce
Oyster sauce can now be used in a variety of dishes, not just Chinese.
However, if you are allergic to oysters, you will not be able to eat oyster sauce.
As explained above, the oyster sauce contains “oyster extract”.
Even if only a small amount is used in cooking, the oyster sauce can be dangerous for people who are allergic to oysters.
However, there are times when people with allergies may still want to enjoy the taste of the oyster sauce.
For these people, we recommend these oyster sauce substitutes.
They are only substitutes, so they are just “oyster sauce-like”.
It is not oyster sauce itself, but you can still enjoy oyster sauce-like dishes without oysters in them.
Some substitutes add seafood extracts to make it taste like oyster sauce, and some substitutes make it a bit lighter and less rich.
Conclusion
Oyster sauce is a sauce full of oyster flavor, is used in a wide range of dishes such as stir-fries and noodles.
Substitutes for oyster sauce are as above.
People who are allergic to oysters should make use of substitutes and refrain from consuming oyster sauce itself.