Out of Oyster sauce, one case

Vegetarian substitute for oyster sauce

5 options, ranked, with the exact amount

Use thisBest of 5 options

Use Vegetarian mushroom stir-fry sauce

1 tbsp for every 1 tbsp of oyster sauce

Oyster sauce is made from oyster extract, so it is neither vegetarian nor vegan. The closest replacement is a bottled vegetarian stir-fry sauce made from mushrooms, used 1 tablespoon for 1 tablespoon. From the pantry, stir together 2 teaspoons soy sauce and 1 teaspoon brown sugar per tablespoon of oyster sauce, plus ¼ teaspoon cornstarch in 1 teaspoon cold water if the dish needs to glaze.

Verdict —: Works
Best for —: stir-fries and fried rice
Pantry —: Special trip

One casethe full oyster sauce card

Every option, one card

Ranked

Oyster sauce substitutes compared
#	Substitute	Instead of 1 tbsp oyster sauce	Verdict
1	Vegetarian mushroom stir-fry saucestir-fries and fried rice	1 tbspWorks	Works
2	Soy sauce + brown sugarstir-fry sauces	2 tsp soy sauce + 1 tsp brown sugarTweak it	Tweak it
3	Hoisin sauce + soy sauceglazes that must cling	2 tsp hoisin + 1 tsp soy sauceTweak it	Tweak it
4	Dried shiitake liquid + soy sauce + sugarsauces for steamed or blanched greens	2 tsp shiitake liquid + 2 tsp soy sauce + 1 tsp brown sugarYou'll taste it	You'll taste it
5	Teriyaki sauceweeknight stir-fries	1 tbsp teriyaki + ½ tsp soy sauceYou'll taste it	You'll taste it
Not a swap	Fish sauce	not a swapNot for this	Not for this

What changesWhat changes, option by option5 options

Vegetarian mushroom stir-fry sauce

very close; a mushroom savoriness in place of the faint seafood note

The bottle made for this job, sold as vegetarian stir-fry sauce or mushroom-flavored vegetarian oyster sauce. It is thick, dark, salty and sweet in the same way, with mushroom extract where the oyster extract would be.

Best for: stir-fries and fried rice, Chinese broccoli or bok choy with sauce, noodle dishes such as lo mein and pad see ew
Suits: vegetarian, vegan
Contains: soy, wheat
Where it fails: Nowhere in cooking. It is a specialty item, so the limit is finding it: look in an Asian grocery or the international aisle.

Most are vegan, but read the label. The word oyster on the front can mean either product, so check the ingredient list for oyster extract.

Soy sauce + brown sugar

salty and sweet, a little flatter than oyster sauce

Soy sauce brings the salt and the savory depth, brown sugar brings the sweetness, and a little cornstarch brings back the thickness that makes oyster sauce cling.

Best for: stir-fry sauces, marinades, fried rice
Prep: Stir until the sugar dissolves. If the sauce has to glaze, add ¼ tsp cornstarch mixed into 1 tsp cold water and let it bubble for 30 seconds in the pan.
Suits: vegetarian, vegan
Contains: soy, wheat
Where it fails: Without the cornstarch it runs off the food and pools in the pan. Drizzled straight over steamed greens it is thin and sharp; simmer it briefly first.

Hoisin sauce + soy sauce

sweeter, with five-spice and garlic that oyster sauce does not have

Hoisin is already thick and glossy, so this needs no starch. The soy sauce cuts its sweetness and adds the salt hoisin lacks.

Best for: glazes that must cling, stir-fried noodles, braised tofu and eggplant
Suits: vegetarian, vegan
Contains: soy, wheat
Where it fails: Plain dishes such as greens with oyster sauce, where the spice in hoisin is the first thing you taste.

Hoisin is made from fermented soybeans and is usually vegan, but recipes vary by brand, so read the label.

Dried shiitake liquid + soy sauce + sugar

earthy and savory, less sweet than oyster sauce

The homemade version of the vegetarian bottle. The water that dried shiitake mushrooms soak in carries the deep savory taste that plain soy sauce and sugar are missing.

Best for: sauces for steamed or blanched greens, braises, when you want more depth than soy sauce and sugar give
Prep: Soak 2 or 3 dried shiitake in ½ cup hot water for 20 minutes and strain the liquid. Add ¼ tsp cornstarch mixed into 1 tsp cold water and simmer until it thickens.
Suits: vegetarian, vegan
Contains: soy, wheat
Where it fails: It makes a little more than 1 tablespoon and it is thinner than the bottle, so it needs the simmer. Fresh mushrooms do not give the same liquid.

Teriyaki sauce

sweeter and thinner in flavor, with ginger

Bottled teriyaki is soy sauce, sugar and a thickener, so it has the right body. It is sweeter and often carries ginger and garlic.

Best for: weeknight stir-fries, glazed tofu, when it is the only bottle in the fridge
Suits: vegetarian
Contains: soy, wheat
Where it fails: Dishes that use several tablespoons: the sweetness builds up. Cut any other sugar in the recipe.

Some bottled teriyaki contains honey, which matters if you are cooking vegan.

Fish sauce

salty and pungent, with no sweetness or body

Fish sauce is often suggested in place of oyster sauce, but it is made from fermented anchovies.

Best for: cooks who eat fish and only avoid shellfish
Where it fails: It is not vegetarian or vegan. It is also thin and far saltier, so it does not do the same job even for cooks who eat it.

How it behaves in this recipe

In this recipeOyster sauce

Oyster sauce does three things in a dish: it salts it, it sweetens it slightly, and it coats the food because it is thick. A vegetarian replacement has to cover all three. Soy sauce alone covers only the first, which is why every pantry mix here adds sugar and something to thicken it.

Tips for substituting oyster sauce

4 tips

For ¼ cup of oyster sauce from the pantry, mix 2 tbsp + 2 tsp soy sauce with 1 tbsp + 1 tsp brown sugar, then thicken with 1 tsp cornstarch stirred into 1 tbsp + 1 tsp cold water.
Always mix cornstarch into cold water before it goes in the pan, then let the sauce bubble for 30 seconds. Dry starch added to a hot pan makes lumps.
Soy sauce is saltier by volume than oyster sauce. Hold back any other salt in the recipe until you have tasted the finished dish.
For gluten-free cooking, use tamari labeled gluten-free in place of the soy sauce, in the same amount. Most bottled vegetarian stir-fry sauces and hoisin contain wheat.

Questions

4 questions

Is oyster sauce vegetarian or vegan?

No. Standard oyster sauce is made from oyster extract or cooked-down oyster liquid, with sugar, salt and a thickener. Bottles labeled vegetarian stir-fry sauce or vegetarian oyster-flavored sauce use mushroom extract and contain no shellfish.

Can I use soy sauce alone in place of oyster sauce?

In a pinch, use 2 teaspoons of soy sauce per tablespoon of oyster sauce. The dish will taste salty and right enough, but the sauce will be thin and will not cling, and the slight sweetness will be missing. Adding 1 teaspoon of brown sugar fixes most of that.

What is a vegan substitute for oyster sauce in a stir-fry?

Use bottled mushroom stir-fry sauce spoon for spoon, or 2 teaspoons soy sauce plus 1 teaspoon brown sugar per tablespoon, thickened with ¼ teaspoon cornstarch in 1 teaspoon cold water. Add it at the end of cooking and toss until the vegetables are glazed.

Is mushroom soy sauce the same as vegetarian oyster sauce?

No. Mushroom soy sauce is a dark soy sauce flavored with mushrooms. It is thin and very salty. Vegetarian oyster sauce is thick and sweet. To use mushroom soy sauce in its place, treat it like soy sauce: 2 teaspoons plus 1 teaspoon brown sugar per tablespoon, and thicken it.