Oyster Sauce Basics

• Oyster sauce is made through the fermentation of dried oysters. Dark-brown and very thick, oyster sauce is slightly sweet and has a complexity that allows it to shine in countless preparations. Oyster sauce is a primary flavoring in many Asian noodle and vegetable stir-fries, can be used as a dipping sauce and enhances the flavors of many types of meat. Whether you want a vegetarian or vegan option or just don't have oyster sauce in stock, be sure to replace it with something in your recipe to avoid the flavor of your dish falling flat.

Mushroom Sauce

• Often marketed as a vegetarian oyster sauce, mushroom sauce is the closest match in flavor and color to oyster sauce. Made using various mushroom and other vegetable proteins, mushroom sauce is vegetarian and vegan and can be substituted in a 1-to-1 ratio for oyster sauce. Mushroom sauce is equal in consistency to oyster sauce and is the best choice as a replacement for oyster sauce in any dish.

Mushroom Soy Sauce

• A cross between soy sauce and mushroom sauce, mushroom soy sauce is another equivalent in flavor to oyster sauce. Often used as a vegetarian substitute for fish sauce and oyster sauce, this soft mixture has a deep mushroom flavor and a slightly sweet taste that gives it added appeal. Fermented soybeans and mushrooms are used to create the dark sauce that offers the best of mushroom sauce's rich flavor with the thinner soy sauce's viscosity.

Soy Sauce

• Soy sauce provides both the salty tone of oyster sauce as well as the dark-browned color when used as a substitute. A vegetarian and vegan option, soy sauce provides some of the same flavor as oyster sauce. Because oyster sauce is slightly sweet, mix in a 1/2 teaspoon of sugar per tablespoon of soy sauce to best match the sweetness of the sauce. While this is not an exact match in flavor, in a pinch it works to replace oyster sauce.