tamari sauce is one of the popular soy sauce variety available in market which works great for sea food items like prawns, fishes etc. and also chicken, veggies salad, fritters etc. it has umami flavor in it and is made without any wheat component which is a plus point as most soy sauces have wheat in them. substitute for tamari works great to make dishes with similar flavor to tamari even in its absence.
It originates from japan and is used heavily in Japanese homes and restaurant to pair with many food items like sticky rice bowl, veggies, non veg food etc. for better taste. in other parts of the world you can find it in popular super market stores in sauces section.
if you cant find it in your nearby store then you need to use some the popular alternatives to tamari sauce to get flavor like it in your dishes and satisfy your carving for eating home made tamari food.
Tamari substitutes and alternatives
Fish Sauce
Fish sauce is mild in flavor and aroma when compared to tamari which is strong in flavor and aroma. it will give you taste similar to caramel up to certain extent without any bad fish like smell. you will have to use little extra if replacing it for tamari because of of mild flavor, rest you can adjust the quantity as per your liking to get best taste from your recipe with fish sauce in it as fish sauce is lighter and thinner sauce made from dried fish and other herbs in it.
It can be used in many rice platter dishes, soups, stews, marinate for many different stir fry vegetables, rubs for non veg dishes etc. if you are wondering weather i can use fish sauce instead of soy sauce then the answer is yes you can use it in many recipes of your choice without any issue and taste profile match quite a lot.
it can be found easily in all supermarket and comes at relatively cheaper price when compared to some other alternatives and tamari itself. it doesn’t not contain gluten and can be easily made with grains also which makes it useful for people who don’t like gluten in their recipes, its thin and can be added in all k kinds of dishes of your choice. you can add 1 spoon of fish sauce for 1 spoon of tamari and rest you can adjust as your taste liking and quantity of food you are adding it in.
as far as you are looking for some disadvantages for fish sauce to avoid it and use something else then it contains some excess amount of salt in it which maybe not be everyone cup of tea especially people of low sodium diet, so checkout if you like its taste before adding to the dish then add gradually to adjust the overall salt content and flavor as per your liking.
people looking for plant based alternative for tamari can look for something else it is made from and vegan community wont like it. also it does not have caramel like taste which you get from tamari sauce.
Salt
if you don’t have anything to add in your dish in place of tamari you can add salt only to get basic flavor and the dish worth eating. it is easy to find and can be bought from anywhere to use in your recipes. if you like different flavor in your recipes then pair it with some herbs and spices with salt if you have them in your kitchen or add different types of salts like black salt, onion salt, chili salt, garlic salt etc. in your dishes.
Soy sauce
Soy sauce works great as an tamari alternative and gives a unique flavor for your food. you can add in stir fry, stews and dips to make them tasty and better. some people also add it to their grilled BBQ marinades to make mouth watering marinades for dishes like meats, chicken, corns tofu etc. you can make barbeques sauce at home with our simple recipe using soy sauce, to get good flavor you can also add tamari in it if you have it in your fridge.
It is very easy to find as its available in all local supermarkets and grocery sauces and it is also cheaper when compared to tamari sauce which can be out of budget for some people.
it can be somewhat little salty if added in extra quantity, so use in limited quantity or avoid if you don’t like much salt in your dishes. also it uses soy and wheat grains for its production which some people don’t like due to their gluten allergies as wheat contains gluten so those people can avoid it and use some other tamari replacement as shared below.
coconut aminos
if you are looking for something healthy and nutritious to replace your tamari with then coconut aminos is made for you. it has mild flavor with less salt content. when compared to tamari. it does not contain any soy bean content in it. you can also feel little bit sweetness in flavor of coconut aminos.
you can pair it with all kinds of dishes in which you add tamari. it is good in taste and get along with many recipes easily. you can add it gradually to get the right taste profile for your liking from the coconut aminos.
miso paste
miso paste is yet another popular alternative to tamari which originates from japan and is widely used in many dishes their. it gives you umami like taste which you get from tamari. it works great in making of miso soup and other similar soups and recipes.
it is thicker when compared to tamari so you can add little water to make it thin and light to make it well blended in recipes like tamari. if you are choosing red miso paste then it might have extra salt and it is aged more than white miso paste which intensify its flavor more when compared to white miso paste which is mild in flavor. if you like something unique then you can mix both of them and make a great tasting mix miso paste.
you can add some water to make is consistency similar to tamari sauce when using it in absence of tamari. you can add about 2-3 spoons of water for every 1 spoon of miso paste for great taste in your dish.
Anchovies
You can also add anchovies chopped in smaller pieces in your dishes when you don’t have tamari and other similar alternatives shared above. it has salty and umami like flavor. it will give a good taste which is little bit peppery in taste and will balance the flavor profile of the dish.
you can use it in many dishes as sides or toppings, it work great in salads, stews etc. add it gradually so you get balanced flavor in the dish and saltiness of the anchovies does not overpower the dish. it is easy to find and can bought from nearby supermarket or online merchants also at decent discounted prices.
It is not vegan, it is just made of fishes. it does not possess caramel like taste which you get from tamari and it has wired smell which some people don’t like at all, being said that i think i have given you enough reasons to not choose anchovies in this like if you don’t like to have it in your food recipes as their are many more alternatives for tamari which you can buy and enjoy in your dishes in absence of authentic tamari sauce.
oyster sauce
Oyster sauce taste match to tamari taste. it is little bit thick and sweet when compared to tamari. it gives the recipes umami and sweet taste to your dishes and works great with dishes like stir fries, chicken fingers, roasted chicken and veggies etc.
Asian people use it widely in sea food dishes as it enhances the taste. it will make your food taste good. try it once to see the difference in taste for yourself in the absence of tamari with you. it is made from reduced water and broth from boiled oyster sauce.
balsamic vinegar
balsamic vinegar in sour and salty at the same time which makes it good alternative to tamari to add in all kinds of recipes including sauces, meats, stir fry veggies, chicken dishes, marinades and many more. to further enhance the taste of dish with balsamic vinegar you can also add salt, olive oil, herbs and different spices in the mix as it will take the flavor to next level.
the balsamic vinegar flavor can be bit more sour and salty when compared to tamari but to balance the taste in the dish you can add little bit honey molasses or sugar in the mix for better taste profile overall. you can also make use of balsamic vinegar alternatives to make a great tasting dish without nay hassle at home.
Frequently asked questions
What does Tamari taste like?
Tamari has mild flavor and does not contain any kind of wheat component in it like normal soy sauce and other food sauces. it also has little bit sweetness to the taste to balance out the flavor. you can add it in bulgur dishes and tempeh or tofu recipes also.
how to store tamari?
Tamari needs to be stored in fridge after making at home or opening the can of store bought one after you have added to your recipe. make sure you seal the bottle or container of tamari tightly so that no air can enter it for preventing it from spoiling. you can easily store it in fridge for up to 3 months post opening if preserved correctly.
If you want to store for longer duration then freeze in freezer. you can add a layer of plastic cling wrap between bottle or container and its lead to prevent any entry of air and taking extra safety measure for your safety tamari preservation. same instructions for the preservation are valid for some of its substitutes also like soy sauce etc.
Does tamari have MSG?
generally tamari sauce does not comes with msg added in it and if its made organically then no chance of having msg in the bottle of tamari and its of good quality. to know if your tamari got msg added in to it then check the label on the bac of the bottle and if you are making at home then don’t add msg so that you know its msg free and of good quality.
can i replace brags liquid aminos for tamari sauce?
yes liquid Aminos can be used instead of tamari sauce from Bragg’s and all other companies of your choice but if you are looking for thickness same as tamari sauce from your brags liquid then i would advice that you add little bit of normal flour or arrowroot powder, cornstarch and something similar like little bit cream, butter to make it thick else you can also use it directly instead of tamari sauce in 1:1 ratio without any issues.
Conclusions
hope you like our collection of substitute for tamari to use in different recipes in case you cant buy tamari from market for yourself. let me know in comments below in what all recipes and dishes do you like to use these tamari alternatives and they work wonderfully to enhance the taste of overall dish perfectly. you can also use tamari with plum sauce or its alternatives to further enhance the dish overall flavor.
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