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Tamari is a delicious soy sauce from Japan with an unforgettable umami taste. It is suitable for chicken, fish, and vegetable dishes. Still, if you can not get it in the area you live in, you may substitute it with an ordinary soy sauce, fish sauce, miso paste, some types of balsamic vinegar, or oyster sauce.
Tamari Overview
You must be curious about what is Tamari and the history behind it! The history of Tamari dates back to the 7th century AD, when it came from China to Japan. Primarily, it is similar to soy sauce, prepared with less wheat, and is an ideal gluten-free condiment. Since, it is similar to soy sauce; it is the primary Tamari sauce substitute. However, Tamari is a by-product obtained from the making process of miso paste, and it contains less to no grains. On the other hand, soy sauce is prepared by mixing wheat with soybeans and other grains to impart a salty flavor to it.
So what are the nutrients you can earn from Tamari sauce? Here is a list for you; the data is based on nutritional information from USDA:
| Amount (per 100 ml) | How much % you can take on daily basis | |
| Total Fat | 0 g | 0% |
| Calories | 33 kcal | 2% |
| Cholesterol | 0 g | 0% |
| Saturated Fat | 0 g | 0% |
| Carbohydrates | 7 g | 3% |
| Protein | 0 g | 0% |
| Calcium | 0 mg | 0% |
| Salt | 3067 mg | 161% |
| Iron | 0 mg | 0% |
| Potassium | 0 mg | 0% |
What Are The Recipes Where You Can Use Tamari?
You must be wondering what the best recipes that can go along with Tamari are? Then we suggest it goes with all! You can use it in any sort of dish or recipe. It can efficiently replace salt and lower the sodium intake but keeps the savory taste intact.
You can also use it as dips or for dressing noodles, bread, and spring rolls. It is a magical ingredient that can impart a rich aroma to your bland tofu and mushroom dishes.
Here we present few mouth-watering Tamari flavor pairings that you can add to your day’s menu:
- Chicken and Tamari
- Chilli with Tamari
- Like Sushi, fish, and Tamari
- Garlic with Tamari
- Rice, along with Tamari
- Roasted nuts and Tamari
- Spring onions with Tamari
Why Should We Substitute Tamari?
If Tamari is gluten-free and preferred by many health-conscious people, why should we look out for a Tamari alternative? An alternative source is significant because it offers several health benefits. It is also relatively high in sodium content than other sauces.
Another reason for the substitution of Tamari is that several variations of the sauce contain MSG, known as monosodium glutamate, a food enhancer commonly used in Chinese cuisines. Several people are sensitive to MSG, and therefore, they try to avoid this fantastic yet harmful sauce. However, organic Tamari sauce is free of all chemical substances, and you can read the various ingredients from the label before purchasing it.
Soy Sauce vs. Tamari: Who is healthier?
Is Tamari better than Soy Sauce or vice versa? It is complicated to announce anyone as the winner of this age-old debate because both are identical in flavor and nutrients. However, consumers give an extra edge to Tamari over Soy sauce because the former contains less sodium per tablespoon. While Tamari contains only 233 mg per tablespoon, soy sauce contains 900 mg per tablespoon. But wait- there’s more! Tamari contains more antioxidants and fewer added preservatives, which eventually leads to a better taste.
What Are The Best Ingredients For Tamari Substitute?
Now you must be wondering if Tamari is not healthy for you, then “what can I use instead of Tamari?” To help you out here are the best Tamari replacement ingredients along with their benefits, disadvantages, and nutritional values:
Soy Sauce
The best Tamari replacement is undoubtedly Soy sauce. It is the most widely used Tamari substitute because of its slight difference in taste and appearance. If you are looking for an exact look-alike match for the sauce, you can go for dark soy sauce (we recommend using top-notch products like Ohara Hisakichi Shouten Soy Sauce) that increases a dish’s caramel texture. However, you might not get precisely the same taste, but it will certainly come very close to the taste of it.
| Amount (per 100 ml) | How much % you can take on daily basis | |
| Total Fat | 0.6 g | 0.7% |
| Calories | 53 kcal | 3% |
| Cholesterol | 0 g | 0% |
| Saturated Fat | 0.1 g | 0.7% |
| Carbohydrates | 5 g | 2% |
| Protein | 8 g | 16% |
| Calcium | 33 mg | 3% |
| Salt | 5493 mg | 289% |
| Iron | 1 mg | 5% |
| Potassium | 435 mg | 11% |
Advantages
The primary benefit of the Tamari soy sauce substitute is that it is readily available in the market, and most of the grocery stores offer a range of several variants of it. It is simple and straightforward to incorporate into your dish.
Another critical point of difference is that soy sauce is extremely inexpensive, while Tamari, in general, is very expensive and might lead to budget constraints for a consumer.
Disadvantages
Soy sauce is the best sub for Tamari in terms of taste and flavor, but there are few drawbacks. The ingredient is very salty that might be unfit for a person who is on a low sodium diet. Moreover, wheat is used in soy sauce manufacturing, making it undesirable for people who cannot consume or digest gluten-rich foods.
Fish Sauce
If you try to avoid soy sauce as a Tamari alternative, you can undoubtedly fish sauce. The only two ingredients of the sauce are fermented Anchovies and salt. The pungent smell and savory taste of this dish make it a ubiquitous dish in Southern Asia.
This Tamari substitute enhances the umami and complements excellent savory flavors in several Asian dishes. Both of these factors combine to make it an ideal Tamari soy sauce substitute.
| Amount (per 100 ml) | How much % you can take on daily basis | |
| Total Fat | 0 g | 0% |
| Calories | 100 kcal | 5% |
| Cholesterol | 0 g | 0% |
| Saturated Fat | 0 g | 0% |
| Carbohydrates | 0 g | 0% |
| Protein | 0 g | 0% |
| Fibre | 0 mg | 0% |
| Salt | 7600 mg | 400% |
| Vitamin E | 0ug | 0% |
| Vitamin A | 0ug | 0% |
Advantages
The primary advantage of fish sauce is the easy availability of the ingredient in any grocery shop, and it is relatively inexpensive than other types of condiments. It is also manufactured without the use of any wheat and grains. Therefore, people who consume a gluten-free diet can conveniently add it to their menu.
Disadvantages
Since the manufacturing process of the sauce uses a large amount of salt, it is an imperfect substitution for consumers having a low sodium diet.
Moreover, the incorporation of fish makes the sauce imperfect for vegetarians and vegan consumers. The lack of caramel in the sauce also makes it unsuitable for dishes that require a strong-body gravy or curry.
Miso Paste
When we are talking about substituting Tamari from our diet, what could be better than the constituting ingredients of it. Miso Paste is one of the constituting ingredients of the former sauce. They both have a lot of similarities in taste and texture. The rich taste of miso paste adds distinct umami flavors along with saltiness to different Japanese dishes.
However, the miso paste lacks a liquid base, and so the recipes need to take extra steps to ensure that enough moisture is retained in the dish, as there would have been in Tamari.
| Amount (per 100 ml) | How much % you can take on daily basis | |
| Total Fat | 6 g | 7% |
| Calories | 43g | 2% |
| Cholesterol | 0 g | 0% |
| Saturated Fat | 1 g | 7% |
| Carbohydrates | 25 g | 9% |
| Protein | 13 g | 25% |
| Calcium | 57 mg | 6% |
| Salt | 3728 mg | 196% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
| Potassium | 210 mg | 5% |
Advantages
The most substantial advantage of miso paste is that it imparts a distinct umami flavor to vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. There are several versions of miso paste available in the market that come at a considerable cost.
If you are looking for a miso paste that offers a richer taste and is more salty, you must go for red miso paste. On the other hand, if you like light flavored and salty dishes, then white miso paste is ideal. There are also varieties of mixed miso pastes available in the market.
Disadvantages
Since miso comes in a paste form, it fails to add moisture to a dish. Moreover, when additional water is added to it for preparing a liquid base, the paste loses its original taste.
Where Can You Use These Substitutes?
| Substitute | Best For |
| Soya sauce | Barbeque, marinades, and Chinese dishes |
| Fish sauce | Curry, ramen, dipping sauces, pho, and curries |
| Miso paste | Fried fish or meat, stir-fries, dressings, and marinades |
What Are the Best Alternative To Choose?
Top Vegan Picks
If you are a vegan or looking to add vegan ingredients to your diet, do not worry! There are several options for you to substitute Tamari for your diet.
Except for fish sauce and anchovies, all other substitutions are ideal for a vegan diet. Soy sauce and miso paste are the ideal vegan options as they impart a similar Tamari taste to the foods. You can use a rice cooker to prepare easy rice balls that go well with miso paste and spicy tofu or mushroom preparation.
Top Healthy Picks
To suggest the best healthy pick from the list is a challenging task as the definition of healthy food varies from one person to another. There are different health issues, physical and environmental conditions that determine what is healthy.
However, patients who suffer from high blood pressure should avoid using salt and sauces with high salt amounts. Teriyaki sauce is a great alternate option for such patients. The sweet and lower salt base of the sauce helps to maintain blood pressure levels.
Top Convenient Picks
The most convenient alternative option for Tamari is salt. If you do not want to consume simple salt, you can easily select any other inexpensive sauces like soy sauce and fish sauce. Miso paste and Anchovies are also an excellent choice for you!
Conclusion
We hope you have understood the advantages and disadvantages of the different Tamari substitute ingredients. Each one of the ingredients is special and unique in itself. So which one would you prefer for your dishes? Do share your thoughts with us!
