Substitutions / anchovy paste
What to use instead of anchovy paste
Use fish sauce at ½ tsp / 1 tsp. Adds the same salty, umami depth but is liquid, so account for the extra moisture in sauces or dressings.
Every option, best first
| Use instead | How much | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Fish sauce | ½ tsp / 1 tsp | Adds the same salty, umami depth but is liquid, so account for the extra moisture in sauces or dressings. |
| Miso paste | 1:1 | Delivers savory depth without fish flavor — good for vegetarian dishes, but milder and slightly sweeter. |
| Worcestershire sauce | 1 tsp / 1 tsp | Thinner and a touch sweeter; works well in marinades and braises but won't hold up as a direct spread. |
A word on how to read these
A substitution is a trade, not an equivalence. The ratio gets the quantity right; the third column is the part worth reading, because it tells you what you are giving up. In a stew, most of these are invisible. In a cake — where flour, liquid, fat and leavening are in a fixed relationship — the same swap can change the crumb.
Why baking notices and stew doesn't →
Where these came from
These substitutions were written by Gather's own kitchen model — the same one the app uses when you tap an ingredient and ask what else would work — then checked and saved as a fixed list in July 2026. Nothing on this page is generated while you read it. They are a good starting point and not a substitute for tasting as you go.