Fish Sauce Substitute for Korean Cooking — Vegan and Non-Vegan Options

Fish sauce shows up in a lot of Korean recipes — kimchi, jjigae, gyeran-jjim, braised dishes, and more. It adds a salty, deeply savory backbone that's hard to replicate with a single ingredient. But whether you're vegan, allergic to fish, or simply ran out of your bottle, there are good alternatives.

I've split these into two categories: non-vegan options (for when you just need a different umami source) and vegan options (for when you're avoiding all animal products).

Non-Vegan Substitutes

Anchovy Paste — The Closest Match

Anchovy paste is essentially concentrated anchovies in a tube. Since Korean fish sauce (called aekjeot) is often made from fermented anchovies anyway, this is about as close as you can get without using the actual product.

Use about half the amount — if a recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, use about 1½ teaspoons of anchovy paste. Anchovy paste is more concentrated and thicker, so you need less. Mix it into the liquid component of your recipe to help it dissolve.

Anchovy paste works especially well in kimchi jjigae and any stew where the fish sauce is simmered into the broth. Brands like Amore and Crown Prince are easy to find at regular grocery stores.

Worcestershire Sauce — Surprisingly Useful

Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies, tamarind, vinegar, and molasses. It's not a perfect match for fish sauce, but it brings a complex, fermented savoriness that fills a similar role.

Use it 1:1, but be aware that Worcestershire adds a slight sweetness and tanginess that fish sauce doesn't have. This works fine in marinades and cooked dishes. I wouldn't use it in raw applications like kimchi seasoning.

Oyster Sauce — For Stir-Fries and Marinades

Oyster sauce is thicker and sweeter than fish sauce, but it adds umami depth. Use about half the amount of fish sauce called for, and add a pinch of salt to compensate. This works well in stir-fries and marinades but doesn't dissolve well in soups.

Vegan Substitutes

Soy Sauce — The Simplest Swap

Soy sauce is the most accessible substitute and the one I reach for most often when cooking vegan Korean food. It won't give you the exact same flavor — soy sauce is cleaner and more straightforward than the funky complexity of fish sauce — but it covers the salt and umami bases.

Use it 1:1. For a deeper flavor, use dark soy sauce (available at most Asian grocery stores) which has a richer, more caramelized taste. Regular Kikkoman works fine for everyday cooking.

To get closer to fish sauce's depth, combine soy sauce with one of the boosters below.

Coconut Aminos — Low Sodium and Subtly Sweet

Coconut aminos are made from fermented coconut sap. They're soy-free, lower in sodium, and have a gentle sweetness. On their own, they're a bit mild as a fish sauce substitute — but they work well in dishes where you don't want an overly salty result.

Use about 1.5x the amount of fish sauce called for, since coconut aminos are less concentrated. Brands like Coconut Secret and Bragg are widely available at Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and Amazon.

Good for: kkakdugi seasoning, gyeran-jjim, light soups.

Mushroom Sauce (Vegetarian Stir-Fry Sauce) — Deep and Savory

Mushroom-based soy sauces are a game-changer for vegan Korean cooking. These are soy sauces infused with dried mushrooms, giving them an extra layer of umami that regular soy sauce lacks.

The most popular brand is Healthy Boy Mushroom Soy Sauce from Thailand, but Lee Kum Kee also makes a mushroom-flavored dark soy sauce. Use it 1:1 as a fish sauce replacement.

This is the substitute I recommend most for kimchi jjigae when cooking vegan — it comes closest to replicating the depth that fish sauce provides.

Kelp Broth (Dashima Stock) — For Soups and Stews

Dried kelp (dashima) simmered in water creates a broth that's naturally rich in glutamate — the same compound that makes fish sauce taste so savory. It won't replace the salt component, so you'll need to add soy sauce or salt separately.

To make it:

• Soak a 4-inch piece of dried kelp in 2 cups of water for 30 minutes
• Heat gently until the water just starts to simmer (don't boil — it gets bitter)
• Remove the kelp and use the broth

Use kelp broth as part of your soup base wherever fish sauce would normally go. Combined with a tablespoon of soy sauce, it creates a savory foundation that's honestly hard to tell apart from a fish-sauce-based broth in finished dishes.

Dried kelp is available at H Mart, on Amazon, and increasingly at regular grocery stores in the international aisle.

The Power Combo — My Go-To Vegan Substitute

When I want to get as close to fish sauce as possible without using any animal products, I combine:

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon rice vinegar
• ½ teaspoon mushroom powder (or a splash of mushroom soy sauce)
• A pinch of sugar

This blend covers salt, acid, umami, and a touch of sweetness — hitting all the same notes that fish sauce does. It works in virtually any Korean recipe.

Quick Reference by Dish

• Kimchi jjigae: Mushroom soy sauce or soy sauce + kelp broth
• Gyeran-jjim: Soy sauce or coconut aminos (keep it light)
• Kkakdugi: Soy sauce + mushroom powder
• Marinades: Soy sauce works perfectly — it's a natural fit
• Kimchi making: For vegan kimchi, use the power combo above in place of aekjeot

Fish sauce is worth having in your pantry if you eat seafood — a bottle lasts a long time and adds a lot to Korean cooking. But these substitutes prove that you can make excellent Korean food without it.