Midway through a pad thai recipe and just realized the fish sauce bottle is empty? Or maybe you cook for someone who avoids seafood or animal products. Either way, you have options. Here are six solid substitutes that will keep your dish packed with savory, umami flavor.
Fish sauce is a staple in Thai, Vietnamese, and other Southeast Asian cuisines. It delivers a salty, deeply savory punch that ties a dish together. But it is far from irreplaceable.
The trick is knowing which swap works best for your situation. Some are pantry staples you probably already own. Others cater to specific diets like vegan or soy-free. Below, I break down six options with exact ratios so you can keep cooking without missing a beat.
| Substitute | Ratio | Umami | Vegan? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soy Sauce | 1:1 | High | Yes | Stir fry, fried rice, pad thai |
| Worcestershire Sauce | 1:1 | Medium-High | No | Thai curries, dipping sauces |
| Coconut Aminos | 1.5:1 | Medium | Yes | Stir fry, pho broth, marinades |
| Mushroom Sauce | 1:1 | High | Yes | Pad thai, Vietnamese soups, stir fry |
| Miso Paste (diluted) | 1 tsp per 1 tbsp | High | Yes | Soups, braises, marinades |
| Seaweed Broth | 2:1 | Medium | Yes | Pho, ramen, Vietnamese cooking |
Ratio: 1 tablespoon soy sauce for every 1 tablespoon fish sauce.
If you only remember one substitute from this list, make it soy sauce. Chances are you already have a bottle in your pantry. It brings plenty of salt and solid umami depth. The flavor is not identical — you will miss that funky, fermented-fish edge — but in a busy stir fry or fried rice, most people will not notice the difference.
For a closer match, squeeze in half a teaspoon of lime juice. The acidity fills in some of the brightness that fish sauce naturally brings.
Ratio: 1 tablespoon Worcestershire for every 1 tablespoon fish sauce.
This one catches people off guard. Worcestershire sauce actually contains anchovies, which gives it a similar fermented depth. On top of that, you get tamarind, vinegar, and molasses adding tangy, sweet complexity.
It works especially well in Thai curries and dipping sauces where you want layered flavor. Keep in mind that most brands are not vegan or vegetarian because of those anchovies.
Ratio: 1.5 tablespoons coconut aminos for every 1 tablespoon fish sauce. Add a pinch of salt.
If you are avoiding both fish and soy, coconut aminos are your best friend. Made from fermented coconut sap, they deliver a mildly sweet, savory flavor. The umami is lighter than soy sauce, so you need a bit more volume plus a pinch of salt to compensate.
Great in pho broth, marinades, and lighter stir fries. The subtle sweetness actually pairs nicely with Vietnamese flavors.
Ratio: 1 tablespoon mushroom sauce for every 1 tablespoon fish sauce.
Vegetarian mushroom sauce (sometimes labeled "vegetarian oyster sauce" or "mushroom stir-fry sauce") is the closest vegan match to fish sauce in terms of raw umami punch. It is made from shiitake mushrooms, soy, and sometimes seaweed, delivering a rich, savory backbone.
This is the one I reach for when making vegan pad thai. It holds its own in bold, heavily seasoned dishes without getting lost.
Ratio: 1 teaspoon white or yellow miso dissolved in 1 tablespoon warm water for every 1 tablespoon fish sauce.
Miso is fermented soybeans, so it delivers an intense, layered umami that few other ingredients can match. The key is diluting it — straight miso paste is too thick and concentrated to swap directly.
White (shiro) miso is milder and best for Thai dishes. Red miso works well in heartier soups and braises. This substitute shines in liquid-based recipes where the paste can dissolve and distribute evenly.
Ratio: 2 tablespoons seaweed broth for every 1 tablespoon fish sauce. Add a pinch of salt.
Steep a sheet of kombu (dried kelp) in hot water for 10 minutes, and you have a broth that carries a gentle oceanic quality reminiscent of fish sauce. The umami comes from natural glutamates in the seaweed.
It works beautifully in pho and ramen where you are building a broth anyway. Since the flavor is more delicate, use it in dishes where fish sauce plays a supporting role rather than a starring one.
Start with less. Swap in about three-quarters of the suggested amount, taste, and adjust. Every brand of soy sauce and every batch of miso is a little different in saltiness.
Layer your substitutes. Mixing two options often gets closer to the real thing. Try half soy sauce and half mushroom sauce for a deeper flavor profile.
Add a squeeze of lime. Fish sauce has a slight tanginess that pure soy sauce or coconut aminos lack. A small hit of acid brings balance.
Do not forget salt. Some substitutes (especially coconut aminos and seaweed broth) are less salty than fish sauce. Taste your dish and adjust seasoning at the end.
Need to find a swap for a different ingredient? Try our Substitution Finder tool — it covers hundreds of common ingredients with ratios and diet filters.
Soy sauce is the closest and easiest substitute. Use a 1:1 ratio. It matches fish sauce's saltiness and adds solid umami depth, though it lacks the funky fermented-fish flavor. Works well in pad thai, stir fries, and fried rice.
Yes — Worcestershire sauce works well as a fish sauce substitute. Use a 1:1 ratio. It has a similar fermented depth thanks to anchovies in its ingredient list, plus tamarind and vinegar add a tangy complexity. Note that most Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies, so it is not vegan.
The best vegan substitutes are mushroom sauce (1:1 ratio, strong umami) and seaweed broth (2 tablespoons per 1 tablespoon fish sauce, ocean-like flavor). Coconut aminos also work if you need soy-free and vegan — use 1.5 tablespoons per 1 tablespoon fish sauce and add a pinch of salt.
Use 1 tablespoon of soy sauce for every 1 tablespoon of fish sauce. It is a straightforward 1:1 swap. If your dish needs more depth, add half a teaspoon of lime juice or a tiny pinch of sugar to round out the flavor.
You can, but your dish will taste noticeably flatter. Fish sauce adds salt, umami, and a savory backbone that is hard to replace with nothing. Even a splash of soy sauce or a pinch of salt will get you closer to the intended flavor than skipping it entirely.