Low Sodium Soy Sauce
For some people, it is the Holy Grail of Low Sodium Cooking, Low Sodium Soy Sauce. The pre-bottled choices on the market today are obscenely high in Sodium, even the “Low” and “Reduced” Sodium varieties. So in order to reclaim many Asian dishes that became off limits when you live the low sodium lifestyle. The biggest culprit of of adding the sodium in Asian dishes are the sauces; soy, hoisin, fish, duck, etc.
Why Are Asian Dishes So Salty?
To begin to hack the recipes of Asian dishes I love, I have to start with the sauces. With soy itself being the biggest component of bringing sodium, my recipe (like many others I have found online) recreates the flavors and spirit of soy sauce without actually containing soy. So we are going to explore my low sodium “soy” sauce.
Soy sauce is said to impart Umami in the recipes it is used. Umami is described as a strong meaty taste imparted by glutamate and certain other amino acids: often considered to be one of the basic taste sensations along with sweet, sour, bitter, and salty. It is also why MSG was a huge ingredient in many Asian dishes, as it is also rich in the Umami flavor.
Other Mock Soy Sauce Recipes
I have tried several different recipes found online. They are all “kind of” close to the mark, but not quite there. Many come off as too vinegary, and not enough “meat” taste, which I am sure is also related to how much of that flavor profile is imparted by the salt we need to do away with.
The first recipe I tried was Jessica Goldman Fuong’s Umami Sauce from her site Sodium Girl. Her recipe I tried is here. Another good recipe is from Dick Logue, from his recipe here. Both are solid, but both left me feeling like something was missing. So I went and set about trying to find the components that were missing.
Recreating Umami Without the Salt
For my version I headed further down the path of adding flavors that would bulk up the “meaty” aspect of soy, and also, something that would trick my tongue into thinking it was having salt. For the “meaty” I went with mushrooms. Mushrooms are the go to choice for non meat eaters to impart the sense of eating steak.
I tried Shiitake and oyster mushrooms first as they easily reminded me of many Asian dishes. Those mushrooms were close, but when I used Portobelloes, that was the ticket. The Portobelloes soak up a lot of the spices just like a steak, and impart flavor like the juices that come from a grilled steak.
My Secret Ingredient…Shhhh!
For the secret ingredient that would trick my tastebuds into thinking there was a lot of salt, I went with the ingredient I use in other dishes to impart the flavor and sense that you are getting a smoky salty taste – Liquid smoke. Liquid smoke is something I will use when a more meaty flavor is called for. One of the lowest sodium hot dogs I have found are Trader Joe’s uncured Chicken Hot Dogs. Honestly though, they taste nothing like a classic frank. That is until I cook them in a bath of onions, beer, and liquid smoke. They come out of that bath tasting like a classic hot dog.
More Low Sodium Asian Dishes:
I think this is the closest I have come so far in achieving a replacement for soy sauce. It works very well in Asian recipes I have done. Since I have perfected my soy sauce, now I do a low sodium Hoisin sauce. Here is my recipe for low sodium drunken noodles. I also rock a low sodium Thai Peanut Sauce. I hope you will enjoy this and let me know your thoughts, or what I can do to improve it. let me know in the comments!
The Recipe For Low Sodium Soy Sauce
Low Sodium "Soy" Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 Large cap Portobello Mushroom or 4 Baby Bellos - stems and ribs removed and finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Toasted Sesame or Almond oil
- 1 Tbsp Liquid Smoke (Wright's is salt free)
- 1 tsp Molasses
- 2 Tbsp Low Sodium Beef Stock
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 tsp Ground Ginger
- 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 1 clove garlic - minced
Instructions
- In a small saucepan or skillet, saute the mushrooms and garlic in the oil over medium high heat for 4 minutes, watch to make sure you don't burn the garlic.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add the rest of the ingredients. Bring to a simmer.
- Allow the mixture to simmer for 8 minutes then reduce heat to low.
- With a slotted spoon, remove the mushrooms and garlic. Place them into a strainer or cheesecloth, where you can press or squeeze as much juice as possible from the mushrooms and garlic back into the sauce.
- Increase the heat to medium and allow the sauce to reduce by 1/4 (about another 6 minutes).
- Store the sauce in a sealable jar or container and refrigerate.
Nutrition
Hi, I’m very eager to try this. Do you have any thoughts on how long you can store this?
I cook for my Mother and it is so difficult to get the salt out! She must stay at no more than 1500mg of salt a day. I have learned and improvised a lot this past year. Thank you for posting this.
It should stay good at least for a month, to be honest, I go through it pretty quickly because I use it over rice or in so many other dishes. I have a friend who filled up an ice cube tray and froze his. He takes out a cube or two when needed.
Are the 2Tbs of Beef Stock powdered or liquid? Thanks!
I use the low sodium liquid beef stock.
Thanks so much. Going to try this today with homemade loso chicken and veggie spring rolls 🙂
What brand of toasted sesame oil or almond oil do you use? Are most brands no/low sodium – I”ve never been able to find it around here! (or obv I”m not looking in the right place!) Thank you
Sesame oil has zero mg of sodium, and almond oil has 1mg. I think a nut oil might have sodium if it is naturally occurring in the nut. I have used the Now Foods brand, and Nature’s Essentials. Usually just what is on the shelf at the grocery store. I know Whole Foods has a wider selection.
I have been diagnosed with heart failure and have to keep my sodium to a minimum. I am so happy to have come across your site. Thank you.
So glad you have found us! Let us know any time how we can help!
Hello,
Just found your website, thanks so much! Can I use vegetable stock instead of beef stock since I’m a vegetarian?
thanks
That would work well.you might up the liquid smoke a bit to simulate a “meaty” flavor.