The Best Soy Sauces in 2022

There’s, maybe, no Asian ingredient celebrated greater than soy sauce. Whereas its over 2,000 year-old original recipe is surprisingly easy, soy sauce’s modernized vary in preparation strategies could make its umami flavors as nuanced as a glass of wine. 

It might be your intuition to seize the primary bottle you see whereas purchasing, nevertheless it’s vital to know that there’s a world of soy sauce choices at your fingertips. The salty condiment originated in China, however international locations like Japan, Korea, and Indonesia have additionally tailored their very own iterations (shoyu, ganjang, and kecap manis, respectively) to enrich indigenous dishes. These iterations have impressed much more particular varieties like gentle (typically used for dipping) and darkish (typically used for cooking), in addition to a spread of getting old strategies, fermentation practices, and ingredient additions (i.e. ponzu sauce’s notes of citrus) to take conventional soy sauce one step additional. 

Since most mainstream choices will probably be sourced from China or Japan, we’ve combed by means of what’s accessible within the U.S. and picked the very best soy sauces that grocery shops (and websites like Amazon) have to supply. We additionally tapped Hetty Lui McKinnon, cook dinner and creator of To Asia, With Love, for her professional recommendation in choosing, cooking, and storing the beloved pantry staple.  

Our Prime Picks

Finest General: Kimlan Soy Sauce

Oz.: 20 | Gluten Free: No |  Natural: No 

Why we selected it: A mix of solely 5 fermented elements makes this one of the genuine available on the market. 

If you happen to’re trying to find a soy sauce that basically pays homage to the condiment’s historical past, versatility, and umami taste profile, look no additional than Kimlan’s: essentially the most genuine number of the bunch with its quick listing of conventional elements (soybeans, water, salt, and a fermenting agent). You possibly can sprint this bottle on virtually something for an additional punch of salt or to accentuate the complexities of a dish’s varied taste parts. There’s additionally a slight addition of sugar that brings an added sweetness and makes the sauce extra well-rounded. We extremely suggest protecting this available to zhuzh up even essentially the most primary of entrees like grilled hen and steamed broccoli — you don’t want a lot to take any meals from drab to fab very quickly. 

Finest Worth: Kikkoman Soy Sauce, Less Sodium

Oz.: 10 | Gluten Free: No |  Natural: No

Why we selected it: Kikkoman’s “much less sodium” possibility proves why it has turn into a tabletop staple at Asian eating places across the nation. 

If it ain’t broke, don’t repair it. The identical expression applies to the Kikkoman model of soy sauce, which has been brewing their recipe for over 100 years. We’re big followers of this decrease sodium possibility (38% lower than Kikkoman Common Soy Sauce), which nonetheless preserves the coveted brine in a signature (and reasonably priced!) green-capped glass bottle. This can be a fantastic purchase for anybody watching their sodium consumption and, frankly, ought to turn into a pantry staple to pair with your whole favourite rice, fish, and vegetable dishes. 

Finest Darkish: Lee Kum Kee Premium Dark Soy Sauce

Oz.: 16.9 | Gluten Free: No |  Natural: No 

Why we selected it: Slightly goes a great distance with this daring darkish soy sauce that can elevate any Asian-inspired meal. 

Thicker darkish soy sauces are typically used so as to add extra taste and shade to a dish whereas their lighter counterparts are poured into dishes for dipping. Lee Kum Kee’s darkish selection not solely kicks dishes like stir-fry up a notch, nevertheless it additionally provides a velvety richness to each chunk. We significantly take pleasure in this model on silken tofu — not solely does the plant-based protein absorb the sauce, nevertheless it creates a glaze over excessive warmth that makes it each a taste and texture homerun. Toss in some bok choy, child corn, and shiitake mushrooms and also you’ll have your self a feast. 

Finest Shoyu: Kishibori Shoyu

Oz.: 12.1 | Gluten Free: No |  Natural: Largely

Why we selected it: The style of barrel-aged Kishibori Shoyu is as particular as its packaging. 

Shoyu is the Japanese phrase for soy sauce, which initially differentiated itself from Chinese language varieties with the addition of wheat. It’s additionally the kind you’re used to purchasing in shops (i.e. Kikkoman). Whereas many might imagine this Kishibori model is a bit too salty for his or her liking, we discovered the style to be balanced and the feel to be delicate and splendid. There’s additionally a boldness and complexity derived from its getting old course of that makes use of 100 year-old barrels to impart oakiness. Its father or mother firm, Takesan, can be situated on the 60 sq. mile island Shodoshima within the Seto Inland Sea. The ocean salt utilized in preparation is definitely sourced and harvested from the area, making the product one of the genuine on this listing. 

Finest Tamari: San-J Tamari

Oz.: 12.2 | Gluten Free: Sure |  Natural: No

Why we selected it: San-J Tamari packs an umami punch, making it an exquisite (and gluten-free!) buy that can final you some time. 

If you happen to’re gluten illiberal or delicate, tamari would be the go-to seasoning for your whole Asian cooking. That mentioned, San-J’s recipe is kind of daring and salty, so that you’ll actually need to eyeball its use at first to stop overdoing it. The excellent news is that this already-affordable bottle can final you for a very long time, making it a product that’s not simply scrumptious, but in addition economical. Check it in a bowl of rice or paired with sushi so you will get a greater sense of the quantity that can be just right for you and your wants.

Finest Distinctive: Bluegrass Soy Sauce

Oz.: 3.4 | Gluten Free: No |  Natural: Non-GMO

Why we selected it: Aged in Kentucky Bourbon Barrels, this small-batch, micro-brewed soy sauce makes a long-lasting impression. 

We weren’t completely certain what to assume earlier than sampling this U.S.-based product, however Bluegrass far exceeded our expectations. The oaky taste lends itself exceptionally to proteins like beef and salmon that shine when infused with a little bit of smoke, however maybe essentially the most entertaining discovery was to pair these dishes with oak-aged grownup drinks like Bourbon or chardonnay. They clearly share related taste profiles, so it was enjoyable to discover how the foods and drinks interacted with one another on the palate. 

How We Selected These Merchandise

With so many soy sauce choices to select from, it was vital for us to restrict our focus to accessible Chinese language and Japanese varieties. We then polled notable Asian-American cooks and cooks within the business for a brief listing of contenders, tasking them to supply a listing of choices that excelled at particular issues (i.e. used for cooking vs. a dipping sauce, worth, uniqueness, versatility, conventional, and so forth.). From there, we performed a blind style take a look at with practically a dozen bottles and ranked our favorites. Naturally, the stand-outs represented the very best of the very best in classes that attraction to completely different customers. 

Options to Maintain in Thoughts When Buying

Kind of Sauce, Origin & Elements

As mentioned earlier, soy sauce elements range relying on area however are typically constituted of soybeans, wheat, water, salt, and a fermenting agent (usually koji, a mildew grown on soybeans or rice, or a lactic acid micro organism). Soy sauce originated in China and initially didn’t include wheat. Past commonplace mainstream varieties, soy sauces may also be gentle, darkish, or infused with different elements to change its taste. 

Ageing

Most mainstream soy sauces are aged 5 to eight months, although artisanal iterations could also be aged for much longer to yield thicker, extra advanced merchandise. You possibly can consider the method like wine or balsamic vinegar — the ingredient high quality, getting old size, and surroundings will all have an effect on and affect the end result. 

Natural & Non-GMO 

Whereas many soy sauces make the most of natural soybeans and wheat, it’s vital to search for the phrase “natural” on labels to make sure that you’re getting what you pay for. One other buzzword is “non-gmo,” which prohibits using elements which have been genetically modified to tolerate the heaviest doses of herbicides and pesticides, nevertheless it doesn’t essentially indicate that the product is natural. 

Ask the Consultants

“Soy sauce is prime to the flavors of my youth, to Chinese language and Asian dishes,” says Hetty McKinnon. “It’s a foundational ingredient, considered in the best way that some cultures could view olive oil or a selected spice.”

We chatted with the famend cookbook creator and meals author to get her tackle in style soy sauce questions from the group. Right here’s what she needed to say: 

Q: Can soy sauce go dangerous and do I must maintain it refrigerated?

“I’ve by no means recognized soy sauce to go dangerous! It’s a fermented product. I don’t retailer my soy sauce within the fridge. I maintain it in my pantry.”

Q: Is there something that may be a great substitute for a soy sauce? 

“There are many substitutes available on the market these days. There’s tamari, which is nice in case you are gluten-free. It’s a byproduct from the manufacturing of miso paste. It has a wealthy taste, however is probably extra nuanced. It’s my favourite substitute for soy sauce. There’s additionally liquid and coconut aminos that are soy-free alternate options. I normally have all of those in my pantry, and use them interchangeably.”

Q: What’s the distinction between gentle and darkish soy sauce?

“Mild soy sauce is utilized in on a regular basis cooking as a umami-packed taste increase. It provides a fermented saltiness. Darkish soy sauce is used solely in particular recipes, the place we’re in search of a deep caramelized shade. Darkish soy sauce is extra caramelly  and richer. In essence, we use gentle soy sauce for taste and darkish soy sauce for shade.” 

Q: Does soy sauce include alcohol?

In keeping with Kikkoman: “In the course of the fermentation course of, the wheat starches are damaged all the way down to sugars and a part of the sugar is modified into alcohol. The alcohol provides to the aroma and general taste of soy sauce. The product incorporates roughly 1.5-2% alcohol by quantity.”

Our Take

Regardless of Kimlan Soy Sauce incomes prime accolades, you actually can’t go mistaken with any of the bottles on this listing. Actually, all of them excel and shine in several areas so {that a} soy sauce assortment will really feel much less like a pantry house waster and extra like a necessity. Deal with and retailer your merchandise such as you would with wine and that ought to assist to justify the price of your newfound condiment obsession. 

Each product is independently chosen and vetted by editors. Belongings you purchase by means of our hyperlinks could earn us a fee.