Soy sauce is an absolute essential when cooking almost all Asian cuisines. Umami, salty, savoury and with a hint of sweet, the distinctive taste of soy sauce is what gives many dishes extra depth and a richness of flavour.
The humble soy sauce has roots in China but has spread across the globe, with countless variations now available. Discover the best soy sauces from China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea and more to give your recipes unbeatable, authentic flavour.
light soy sauce
Light soy sauce has a delicate salty flavour. It is most useful for when you want to add the soy flavour without overwhelming a dish. A light sauce won’t add too much soy flavour but will still give a hint of its distinctive umami profile. It will work well as a component in dipping sauces.
dark soy sauce
Dark soy sauce is much stronger and provides impressive intensity. Because it is so dark, it is also used to add colour to dishes as it will stain noodles and other ingredients a rich brown. Only use dark soy sauce if a recipe specifically calls for it, as it can be too overpowering for more delicate dishes.
regular soy sauce
If a bottle of soy sauce isn’t labelled as either of the above, it will likely be ‘regular’ soy sauce, which is a mix of light and dark soy sauce. This provides the best of both worlds and is good for everyday use and pretty much any dish that needs an umami kick!
kecap manis
Kecap manis is of Indonesian origin and is a sweeter, thicker version of the Chinese sauces mentioned above. It still has that powerful umami taste, but it is also loaded up with sweet, aromatic notes. The syrupy texture makes it ideal for glazes.
While the basis of kecap manis is the same as soy sauce (fermented soybeans), additional spices like star anise give it a more complex profile.
tamari
Tamari and soy sauce look and taste fairly similar, but there are a few differences that highlight them as distinct sauces. Originally popularised in Japan as a by-product of miso production, the key difference between them is that traditional tamari is gluten-free. While in cooking, they can be interchangeable; if you have a gluten-free diet, tamari is the way to go.
shoyu
Shoyu is the name used to refer to Japanese-style soy sauce (as opposed to the classic Chinese soy sauce). While Chinese soy sauce tends to be made with 100% soy, Japanese soy sauces are made with a 50/50 mix of soy and wheat. This usually results in a slightly lighter, sweeter sauce.
Sauces from different countries may have quite unique profiles, so whatever you need for your dish, you’re sure to find it below! If you need any other tasty bases for your recipes, check out our range of Asian cooking sauces.
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