“Indulge the knack of blending savory and scrumptious Asian-inspired ingredients to prepare substitutes for hoisin sauce embarking on perfect culinary adventures.”
There are many substitutes for hoisin sauce, which greatly matches the taste and nutritional profile of this low-fat, antioxidant-rich condiment. The ingredients required in preparation may be available in your pantry, but you might not know.
Just don’t be hesitant with outright differences as you are discovering new flavors. Let’s look up all the available options to acquire the complex taste profile of hoisin.
How You Should Select Substitutes for Hoisin Sauce?
The Chinese term, ‘Hoisin’, is used mainly in Cantonese cuisine mainly for stir-frying, curry, and as a glaze on top of the meat. The sauce is prepared with bean paste, vinegar, salt, and sugar and gives a versatile taste.
To choose a substitute for hoisin, you must understand what is being used for, if it’s marinade mix, you can go for teriyaki sauce or barbecue as both will work perfectly to acquire your desired taste.
If it is a substitute for dipping, try to use soy sauce as it might be what you want. For sautéing, black bean sauce will closely match the taste profile.
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Top Substitutes for Hoisin Sauce
Many DIY substitutes could be prepared to compete with the taste profile of hoisin. A few top substitutes are listed:
- Soy Sauce
Soy sauce is a great substitute for hoisin sauce and is prepared with soybean paste which undergoes soaking, cooking, fermentation, and lastly pasteurization.
Soy sauce is comparatively saltier in flavor so the taste can be balanced by adding sweeteners, i.e., molasses, brown sugar, and honey. Soy sauce comes in several varieties considering color, thickness, and sodium ratio.
Alternative Ratio: Add ½ amount of soy sauce than hoisin as it’s more intense in flavor.
- Tamari
This alternative to hoisin sauce is similar in many aspects except wheat, as Tamari is gluten-free. In tamari, soybeans are fermented, but the sweetness is much less along with an intense salt flavor. Brown sugar, molasses, or honey could be added to adjust the sweetness of tamari by making it a suitable substitute for hoisin sauce.
Alternative Ratio: Add ½ amount of tamari than hoisin, and sweetener could be added to balance the flavor.
- Miso Paste
Miso Paste is a Japanese condiment, prepared by fermentation of soybeans. It tastes rather complex as it is difficult to balance the savoriness and saltiness of it in comparison to hoisin sauce. from fermented soybeans in a paste form. It is thicker than the original sause of hoisin, and if you want a tinge of sweetness, then you can add honey or brown sugar to even the sweetness and saltiness of miso paste.
Alternative Ratio: Add ¼ of miso paste as a substitute for hoisin sauce.
- Molasses & Barbeque
A great alternative for hoisin sauce can be made at home by using barbecue sauce but the flavor may not be exact. You can get a close match by adding molasses and soy sauce in 2:1 with ¾ cup of barbecue sauce. The final sweetness and pungency will be perfect.
Alternative Ratio: This DIY sauce is used in an equal quantity of hoisin sauce in the recipe.
- Garlic & Teriyaki
The combination of teriyaki sauce and garlic imparts the exact sweet, tangy, and salty flavor, and is considered a great substitute for hoisin sauce. However, the pungent flavor which lacks in teriyaki can be compensated by the addition of garlic. This alternative is prepared by adding two cloves of garlic with 3 tbsp of teriyaki sauce and vinegar.
Alternative Ratio: Add an equal ratio of garlic and teriyaki sauce as a substitute for hoisin sauce.
- Char Siu Sauce
Char Siu sauce is a Cantonese condiment that is prepared by a combination of five spices and sweeteners, in which hoisin is used in the composition, which gives a closer taste to actual hoisin sauce. The sweetness and umami notes are too alike to be disguised as hoisin sauce.
It is usually used in making pork or duck recipes, where it is used as a glaze.
Alternative Ratio: The char Siu sauce is used in an equal amount of hoisin sauce.
- Kecap Manis
Kecap Manis is another name for sweet soy sauce which is widely used in Indonesian cuisines. The sweetness level differs from hoisin sauce but is still a close match. This substitute works perfectly.
Alternative Ratio: The kecap manis used in equal amounts to hoisin sauce.
- Black Bean Sauce
Black bean sauce can be the most closely matched substitute for hoisin sauce as both are prepared on the same base. Although, hoisin sauce tastes rather complex as the blend of savoriness and saltiness is difficult to balance out. Adding vinegar, a dash of Chinese five spices, sugar, and soy make it a strong competitor to hoisin sauce. Black bean sauces are easily available in marts, and supermarkets these days due to popular use in Asian cuisine.
Alternative Ratio: Black bean sauce is used in an equal ratio to hoisin sauce.
- Worcestershire Sauce
Worcestershire sauce is prepared by combining sugar, spices, molasses/ brown sugar, garlic, tamarind extract, anchovies, and onions. Due to the amalgamation of all these ingredients, the taste becomes quite complicated for the taste buds. To give a closer taste profile of hoisin sauce, a thickening agent could be added to balance consistency and sugar or honey to even sweetness.
Alternative Ratio: Add ½ amount of Worcestershire sauce as a substitute and then eventually add sweetener to balance the taste.
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Conclusion
Creativity knows no bounds, you can practice with numerous ingredients by keeping the base of hoisin sauce in your mind to make your suitable alternative. Although, you must focus on the consistency and the popular flavor notes of your trick so that it works for your recipe.
There may be differences that will be overwhelming to you but don’t be shy to try new things. Consistency could be balanced by adding a thickening agent or vinegar and if it turns out to be too salty or tangy try to add sweetener to even out flavor.
FAQs On Substitute for Hoisin Sauce
Are oyster and hoisin sauces similar?
Both sauces are different, oyster sauce is prepared with oyster extract while in hoisin the base ingredient is soybean paste. Oyster sauce tastes salty while hoisin contains sweet notes.
What is the difference between soy and hoisin sauce?
Both sauces are different in taste, while in appearance they look the same. The formulation of hoisin includes spices, sugar, anchovies, onions, vinegar, and garlic while soy sauce is made of soybeans, salt, wheat, and a fermenting agent.
