Substitutions / soy sauce
What to use instead of soy sauce
Use tamari in equal amounts. Gluten-free and slightly richer; nearly identical flavor, so it's the easiest drop-in.
Every option, best first
| Use instead | How much | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| Tamari | 1:1 | Gluten-free and slightly richer; nearly identical flavor, so it's the easiest drop-in. |
| Coconut aminos | 1:1 | Milder and a touch sweeter, with less sodium — you may want to add a small pinch of salt. |
| Worcestershire sauce | 1:1 | More complex and slightly tangy; works in savory dishes but adds notes that can stand out in Asian-style recipes. |
How much is a cup of soy sauce?
Substituting by volume and weighing are different problems, and the second one has an exact answer. Weigh soy sauce in grams →
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.