Vegan Worcestershire Sauce
Don’t hunt for vegan Worcestershire sauce at the stores. Make your own! This flavor-enhancing ingredient can be added to your favorite stews and sauces to add magical savory flavor.
This tasty sauce was created by pharmacists in a city called Worcestershire. Pronounced WU-shus-ster, this fermented liquid adds salty, umami, and meaty flavors to dishes.
The traditional recipe is not vegan because it is made with fish. However, there are ways to simulate the flavors of this sauce without fish.
I’ve talked before about Vegan Essentials and this is one sauce that’s a must-have. Why do you want this sauce in your kitchen? When cooking plant-based, it can be a challenge to create that same meaty, savory flavor in your favorite dishes. However, a dash of vegan Worcestershire sauce can do the trick.
It can be challenging to find vegan Worcestershire sauce in the stores. And even when I have found it, it was expensive and the quality between brands has been questionable. One product I purchased was runny and watery looking, which I only discovered after I got it home and opened the bottle.
The easy way to get around all of this? Make your own!
How to Make Vegan Worcestershire Sauce
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
- Add all the ingredients to a saucepan over medium heat.
- Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat slightly to a simmer.
- Continue simmering until the mixture is reduced by half.
- Pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a lidded bowl.
- Set aside until the sauce comes to room temperature.
- Cover and refrigerate.
Key Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe:
- Vinegar — I recommend using apple cider vinegar for this recipe for its mellow flavor.
- Tamari — I prefer tamari, but if you don’t have issues with gluten, you can substitute soy sauce.
- Brown sugar —
- Spices — You’ll need ground mustard, onion powder, allspice, and freshly ground black pepper.
- Garlic — One clove of garlic will do the trick. You can substitute garlic powder, but this recipe makes using fresh garlic so easy (you only need to peel and roughly chop it).
Soy Sauce vs. Tamari
Most of us are familiar with soy sauce, a fermented sauce made from soybeans and wheat. But what is tamari? Tamari is a by-product of making miso and does not have wheat in it. I like to think of it as a gluten-free soy sauce. You can find it in the Asian section (near soy sauce) of many grocery stores and health food stores.
Why This Recipe is a Winner
- Using apple cider vinegar produces the zing from vinegar but with a more mellow punch
- Adding tamari (or soy sauce) delivers a salty, savory taste
- Simmering the mixture until it’s reduced by half creates a thicker sauce with enhanced flavors.
Frequently-Asked Questions
What is Worcestershire Sauce?
This tasty sauce was created by pharmacists in a city called Worcestershire. Pronounced WU-shus-ster, this fermented liquid adds salty, umami, and meaty flavors to dishes.
Is Worcestershire Sauce Vegan?
Worcestershire sauce is not vegan because it is made with anchovies.
Serving Suggestions
You may be wondering how to use Worcestershire sauce in your recipes. Interestingly enough, you can use it in everything from drinks to marinades and more. Here are some ideas for how to use your plant-based Worcestershire sauce:
- Drinks — You can add a bit of this sauce to cocktails like Bloody Mary or any tomato juice beverage.
- Marinade — Transform bland tofu into something amazing by adding a bit of this sauce to your marinades. Here’s a favorite Tofu Marinade that you can enhance with Worcestershire.
- Soups — Because this sauce is made with vinegar, it can brighten the flavors it’s cooked with. That’s why we love adding some of it to soups and stews such as Lentil Soup.
- Sauces — Adding a sauce to a sauce may sound strange, but it works. For example, my Vegan BBQ Sauce calls for a bit of Worcestershire and it adds deep flavors besides the smoky sweetness.
Storage Tips
Transfer the sauce to a small mason jar (or use a clean glass sauce dish), cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks. Your sauce may keep longer than this because salt is an excellent preservative. Use your best judgment when adding it to recipes.
Vegan Beefy Meals
Looking for ways to use your vegan Worcestershire Sauce? These vegan beefy recipes will have you singing praises for this savory sauce…and these delicious dishes:
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Vegan Worcestershire Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 cups apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup tamari (substitute soy sauce if not gluten-free)
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat slightly so the sauce comes to a simmer (low boil).
- Continue simmering for 15 to 20 minutes, until the mixture is reduced by half.
- Pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a lidded bowl. Set aside until the sauce comes to room temperature.
- Cover and refrigerate. It will keep up to 3 months in the fridge. Add it to your favorite plant-based dishes to create a meaty flavor.
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The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.