Lapsang Souchong substitute

Best substitute

Smoked paprika (pimenton) plus a plain black teabag

Use 1 teaspoon smoked paprika for every tablespoon ground lapsang, plus 1 teabag for the tea character

Best for dry rubs and vegetarian bacon-style seasoning

Different taste

In almost every recipe lapsang is there for one reason: smoke. So substitute the smoke, not the tea. For a rub, a marinade or vegetarian bacon-style seasoning, use smoked paprika at about 1 teaspoon per tablespoon of ground lapsang, or two or three drops of liquid smoke stirred into the liquid, plus a plain black teabag if you also want the tannin and colour. For tea-smoking duck or chicken, plain black tea leaves with a tablespoon of raw rice and a handful of wood chips or dry pine needles work well. As a drink there is no real replacement, and the least-bad option is strong black tea with a very small pinch of smoked salt or smoked tea blend.

Other lapsang souchong substitutes

Ranked, with the exact amount to use

2Liquid smoke
Different taste
2 to 3 drops per cup of liquid, or ¼ teaspoon per pound of food
Condensed wood smoke in water, the most direct way to put lapsang's defining note into anything wet.
What changes
Best for
marinades, brines and braises, vegan bacon, jackfruit and tofu, barbecue sauce, baked beans and soups, smoky cocktails
Extremely powerful and easy to ruin a dish with, so measure in drops and taste as you go. It is purer smoke than lapsang, without the pine resin, malt or tannin, so the result tastes more like a barbecue and less like tea. Hickory is the common type; if you can find applewood or mesquite, apple is closer to lapsang's gentler side.
3Another smoked tea (Russian Caravan, Tarry Souchong or smoked Assam)
Close match
Use the same amount
Any other pinewood-smoked black tea.
What changes
Russian Caravan blends usually contain some lapsang; tarry souchong is a heavier, smokier grade of the same tea.
Best for
drinking, tea-smoking meat and fish, tea-brined chicken and tea eggs, smoky syrups and cocktails
This is the only true like-for-like swap, so if a shop has it, take it. Russian Caravan is milder and maltier with the smoke as a background note, so use half again as much if you want lapsang's punch. Tarry souchong is stronger and more medicinal, so use about a third less and brew it briefly.
4Black tea plus real smoke (tea-smoking method)
Close match
3 tablespoons black tea leaves, 3 tablespoons raw rice, 3 tablespoons brown sugar
For tea-smoked duck, chicken or fish, line a wok or heavy pot with foil, spread the mixture, set a rack above it, cover and smoke over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes.
What changes
Best for
tea-smoked duck, chicken, tofu and fish, smoked eggs, smoking cheese or nuts briefly
Better than using lapsang leaves alone, because the smoke comes from the sugar and rice burning rather than from the tea, and lapsang was only ever contributing an extra smoky top note. Adding a small handful of dry pine needles or a few untreated wood chips takes it closer to lapsang's resinous character. Do this with the extractor on and the windows open, since it makes real smoke.
5Smoked salt or a smoked chilli such as chipotle
Different taste
Use Smoked salt: swap for part of the recipe's salt. Chipotle: ½ teaspoon powder for every tablespoon lapsang
Two other dry smoke sources already in many kitchens.
What changes
Best for
finishing rubs and seasoning blends, soups, beans and braises, cocktail rims and roast vegetables
Smoked salt is the subtlest way in and lets you dial smoke up at the end without changing anything else, though it obviously also adds salt, so reduce the recipe's salt to compensate. Chipotle brings heat and a raisiny fruitiness along with the smoke, which is delicious but noticeably hotter and sweeter than lapsang.
6Strong plain black tea with no smoke (the least-bad option to drink)
Different taste
Use the same amount
Assam, Ceylon or a robust breakfast blend, used when lapsang is the beverage and no smoked tea is available.
What changes
Best for
drinking, when nothing smoky is on hand, recipes where lapsang was one tea among several
Worth being blunt: there is no substitute for lapsang as a drink. Plain black tea gives you the body, tannin and colour and none of the campfire, so the cup tastes ordinary rather than dramatic. A grain of smoked salt or a single drop of liquid smoke in the pot is a crude fix that works better than you would expect, though it can taste synthetic, so add the tiniest possible amount.

What is Lapsang Souchong?

Lapsang Souchong is Lapsang souchong is a Chinese black tea from Fujian whose large leaves are dried over smouldering pinewood, giving it an unmistakable campfire, bacon and tar aroma on top of an ordinary black tea base.

Cooking tips

Grind lapsang leaves, or its substitute, into salt and sugar to make a smoky rub. A tablespoon of ground lapsang with two tablespoons salt, one of sugar and a teaspoon of pepper is the classic base for vegetarian bacon-style seasoning on mushrooms, carrots or tofu.
As a brine, lapsang is best brewed weak. Two teaspoons per litre with salt and sugar gives smoked-ham character to chicken or pork without the tarry bitterness that a strong brew brings.
Smoke intensity is uneven between brands, so brew a spoonful and taste before adding it to anything. Some lapsang is gently campfire-scented and some is aggressively tarry, and half a cup of the tarry kind will overwhelm a whole stew.
Steep it short, about three minutes, then remove the leaves. Lapsang is a large-leaf tea that turns harsh and acrid on a long steep, and the smoke amplifies that bitterness rather than masking it.
It works remarkably well in sweet things, especially chocolate, prunes, plums and caramel. Infuse the leaves in warm cream for fifteen minutes off the heat and strain, and use smoked paprika only for savoury dishes since it will taste wrong in a dessert.

Frequently asked questions

Can I just leave lapsang souchong out?

If it is one flavour among many in a stew or a rub, yes, and you will lose the smoky background that was probably the reason it was in the recipe. If the dish is named after it, or it is standing in for bacon in a vegetarian recipe, leaving it out removes the point of the dish, so use smoked paprika or a few drops of liquid smoke instead.

What is the best lapsang souchong substitute for vegan bacon?

Smoked paprika, at about a teaspoon per tablespoon of ground lapsang, plus a pinch of smoked salt. Liquid smoke is stronger and better where there is a marinade to disperse it. Both need a little sweetness, maple syrup or brown sugar, and enough salt, since lapsang alone was never doing that work.

Is lapsang souchong the same as Russian Caravan?

No. Russian Caravan is a blend, usually of keemun or oolong with some lapsang mixed in, so it is maltier and much less smoky. It substitutes well if you use half again as much, and it is a good introduction if straight lapsang tastes too much like a bonfire.

Can I use regular black tea and add smoke myself?

Yes, and it is the most practical fix. For cooking, add two or three drops of liquid smoke or a pinch of smoked salt to a strong brew of plain black tea. For actual smoking, burn black tea leaves with rice and sugar in a foil-lined pot, which produces the smoke directly rather than relying on the tea's own aroma.

Does lapsang souchong taste of bacon?

It tastes of the pine smoke that also gives bacon and smoked ham their character, which is why cooks use it in vegetarian dishes for a meaty impression. There is no meat in it and it is entirely plant-based, so it is safe for vegan cooking.

Related substitutes

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Lapsang Souchong substitute

Other lapsang souchong substitutes

2Liquid smoke

3Another smoked tea (Russian Caravan, Tarry Souchong or smoked Assam)

4Black tea plus real smoke (tea-smoking method)

5Smoked salt or a smoked chilli such as chipotle

6Strong plain black tea with no smoke (the least-bad option to drink)