13 Greatest Substitutes for Worcestershire Sauce

We both know that if you want a robust and warming sauce that enhances the flavor of almost any dish, Worcestershire sauce is the way to go.

This magnificent British ingredient is a popular Voodoo seasoning among professional chefs and most culinary fans.

It lends a unique taste to salad dressings, meats, cheese sauces, ragus, meat marinades, tomato meals, juicy burgers, and sweet-savory drinks.

But what if you’re out of it or looking for a vegan substitute since Worcestershire sauce includes anchovies?

You might try several great Worcestershire Sauce replacements today, such as soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, barbeque sauce, coconut aminos, or oyster sauce.

What Is Worcestershire Sauce?

Worcestershire sauce is a 19th-century English bottled sauce that seems thin, peppery, and dark-brown.

This fiery, concentrated flavored sauce is used in a variety of dishes to conceal a variety of misdeeds.

It may also be used to flavor casseroles, meat stews, pies, sauces, soups, and marinades. Or Sprinkle it on top of chops and toasted cheese, sausages, steaks, or even in beverages like a traditional Bloody Mary.

Since this sauce has a powerful taste, you only need a dash.

It has a flavor that is complex. It’s sweet, salty, and savory all at once. This is due to the fact that Worcestershire sauce is made up of several different components.

The sauce is created with vinegar, salt, sugar, onions, molasses, garlic, tamarind extract, anchovies, chili paper extract, and a few additional unidentified components that are then aged in barrels.

Best Worcestershire Sauce Substitutes

These replacements will be discussed in this article since they have a comparable flavor and fulfill the same goal.

Plus, we’ll be experimenting with combining two or more sauces to create our own unique Worcestershire sauce alternatives.

Excited?

Let’s get started!

1. Balsamic vinegar

Balsamic Vinegar is a necessary component in the creation of the legendary Worcestershire Sauce before additional ingredients are added to enhance its taste and flavor.

If this is the case, it will have a taste similar to Worcestershire sauce when used alone. As a result, it is an ideal alternative.

Balsamic vinegar is made from non-fermented grape juice. It has a deep dark hue, a sweet, acidic, tangy flavor, and a sour aftertaste.

True balsamic vinegar, on the other hand, is aged in barrels for months or even years and can set you back an arm and a leg at any supermarket or liquor shop.

Balsamic vinegar shines in marinades, salad dressings, and a variety of other dishes.

Most significantly, there is a main active ingredient in balsamic vinegar called acetic acid, which includes probiotic bacteria strains, according to a reliable source.

These probiotics not only preserve food, but they also promote good digestion and intestinal health.

People also use it as a low-fat addition and as part of a heart-healthy diet.

To add thickness to this Worcestershire sauce substitute, use equal parts balsamic vinegar and tamarind paste.

Substitutions for Green Curry Paste

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2. Soy sauce

With a powerful umami taste, this fermented paste of soybeans, roasted grain, brine, and Aspergillus sojae or Aspergillus oryzae molds may take Worcestershire Sauce’s place anytime, everywhere.

Soy sauce provides the dark, sweet, fermented umani taste you’re searching for in Worcestershire sauce, as well as the thick viscosity.

Soy sauce has a lot of salt, which is bad for persons with high blood pressure.

On the plus side, they may offer anti-cancer properties, lower blood pressure, boost the immune system and digestion, and many other benefits.

It goes well with steaks, pies, hamburgers, and as a marinade. And if you replace the vinegar with equal portions ketchup, you’ll obtain the tart taste in this sauce.

The reason for this is because it does not do a good job of replacing the sweet or spicy tastes.

This is why you’ll need to add stuff like Ketchup, apple juice, apple cider vinegar, or mustard to get that extra flavor spike.

Related: Substitutes for Korma Curry Paste

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3. Coconut aminos

Well, there’s a vegetarian alternative!

Coconut aminos are your best choice if you don’t like fish, are a vegetarian, or are monitoring your salt consumption.

They’re a healthier alternative to soy sauce-based condiments like Worcestershire sauce.

Coconut aminos are prepared from fermented substances such as fermented coconut palm sap and sea salt.

They are also gluten-free, wheat-free, and soy-free, as well as paleo-friendly. It has a terrific taste and a color and consistency akin to soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce.

They are great in any fish preparation, especially Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, or Korean cuisines that require a flavor boost, whether as a dipping sauce or marinade.

Finally, it is beneficial to those following a low salt diet. Use the same quantity as you would Worcestershire sauce.

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4. Fish sauce

Fish sauce is created from barrel-fermented anchovies, which may not be suitable for vegetarians but is an excellent sauce for meat eaters.

It has a salty and savory taste punch similar to Worcestershire sauce but may not be as sweet.

Garlic may be highly fragrant, particularly when raw, so keep that in mind if you plan to use it in dressings or bloody Marys.

But, with cooked meats, the scent fades to the point that you can only taste the flavor.

To replicate the flavor of Worcestershire sauce, use the same quantity of fish sauce.

Even so, you may experiment with sugar, spices, and orange juice to attempt to replicate the Worcestershire sauce’s sweeter taste note.

If you do this, you will need to modify the amount for consistency.

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5. Barbecue sauce

Although fish sauce has a less pleasant flavor, BBQ sauce is sweeter and thicker, but lighter in color than Worcestershire sauce.

There are a few of these available, but the sweet and tangy flavored BBQ has almost the same taste profile as the Worcestershire sauce.

This sauce may be used in the same manner as Worcestershire sauce is used to provide more flavor to pizza or spaghetti, burgers, fries, hot dogs, and meatloaf, or it can be mixed with ground meats, cheese, and sour cream to make a taco or potato filling.

But, since it is sweeter and thicker than Worcestershire sauce, you may need to dilute it with water to balance it out.

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6. Oyster sauce

Oyster sauce is made from caramelized oyster fluids, soy sauce, sugar, and cornstarch.

It’s a go-to ingredient for adding umami flavor and sweetness to stir-fries and sauces.

For substituting Worcestershire sauce, use a 1:1 ratio.

Since it is less salty, you can regulate how much salt is in your food.

vinaigrette. Yet, because of its thicker texture, it may not be ideal for drinks, thin sauces, and light dressings.

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7. Sherry vinegar

Sherry vinegar is a premium wine vinegar prepared from aged Sherry in barrels for at least 6 months.

This malty, funky, sweet, and sour sherry vinegar hits many of the same notes as Worcestershire, with the exception of a little spice and heat.

But, you may replace the lost hot taste using chili peppers and spices.

Use it as a 1:1 equivalent for Worcestershire sauce in your cooked food, but avoid using it as a garnish or in beverages since it might taste excessively sour.

Related: Top Salsa Substitutes

8. Soy sauce + apple juice

When soy sauce and apple juice are combined, they create a salty-sweet-tart umami taste profile that may be used to substitute Worcestershire sauce.

Uncooked meals may taste overly apple-y, so use equivalent grade apples. To get fresh tastes, add it to recipes with more complex flavors. To make things easier,

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9. Soy sauce + hoisin sauce and apple cider vinegar

Another interesting combination to attempt is combining equal parts soy sauce and hoisin sauce to make a tasty Worcestershire sauce alternative.

While it may be thick, a tiny drop of apple cider vinegar can help thin it out and provide sharpness.

However, because to its thicker texture and dark hue, this mixture is inappropriate for salad dressings or drinks.

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10. Fish sauce and soy sauce+brown sugar

As long as the brown sugar is thoroughly dissolved, half fish sauce, half soy sauce, and a handful of brown sugar make a fantastic substitute for Worcestershire.

Since there are no gritty sugar remains in this combination, it is great for prepared meals.

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11. Anchovy paste + water

Since anchovies are included in the recipe, I believe it would make a fantastic Worcestershire sauce alternative.

This paste is produced using anchovy fillets that have been salt-cured, vinegar, olive oil, and sugar.

If you don’t have this paste on hand, mash entire anchovy fillets from the jar with the same grade of water to make an alternate sauce that may be used in prepared foods.

12. Fish sauce + lemon juice and cranberry juice

When you combine equal parts of each component, you’ll get a taste that’s salty, sweet, tart, and stinky.

Then use it as a direct replacement for Worcestershire sauce.

13. A1 steak sauce

As a one-for-one substitution for Worcestershire sauce, A1 may be used in practically every recipe that asks for it.

This sauce tastes very similar to Worcestershire sauce and is comprised of tomato puree, corn syrup, raisin paste, white vinegar, orange puree, and salt.

The only thing lacking is a spice and heat character. Moreover, the replacement may be a bit thicker. As a result, you may thin it with a little water.

Related Article: Prosciutto Substitutes

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Conclusion

Finally, if you are using Soy-based replacements for any reason, keep in mind that you may need to temper the recipe’s sweetness by combining it with ketchup, apple juice, or apple cider vinegar.

Lemon juice, molasses, or tamarind concentrate are all good options. Try it with soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, red wine, and lime as fish alternatives.

Although wine-based alternatives are acceptable for 1:1 substitutions, they are neither spicy, flavorful, or salty. Nonetheless, since they are fermented and sweet, they are acceptable.

As a result, nothing can stop you from enjoying salad dressings, meats, cheese sauces, ragus, meat marinades, tomato meals, juicy burgers, or sweet-savory drinks with this arsenal of Worcestershire sauce replacements.