What’s the Difference Between Fish Sauce vs Soy Sauce?

<center> What’s the Difference Between Fish Sauce vs Soy Sauce? </center>

If you’re cooking any savoury Thai dish, there’s a 99% chance the ingredients list will contain either fish sauce or soy sauce. Beginners to Thai food might mistakenly think these two can substitute for each other but that’s not true in many cases. Read on to find out the difference between fish sauce vs soy sauce. 

 

To start with similarities, both of these sauces are the result of fermentation. Soy sauce is made from fermented soybeans and wheat while fish sauce is, you guessed it, made from fermented fish. 

 

In terms of appearance, both are two different hues of brown. Standard soy sauce has an intense dark brown color and is opaque. Fish sauce is a lighter shade of brown and is clear with none of the opacity of soy sauce. 

 

Both of these sauces smell much differently from each other. Fish sauce has the most distinct smell, and some people find it off-putting. It is an incredibly fishy aroma. It’s important to point out that fish sauce tastes nowhere near as strong as it smells. 

 

Soy sauce has a more pleasant yet still distinct aroma that you cannot easily describe. It’s kind of like roasted wheat mixed with miso. It’s definitely a scent that sticks with you but not in the way fish sauce’s smell does. 

 

Fish Sauce vs Soy Sauce: Taste Profile

 

You can describe the taste of fish sauce as a bright, salty flavour that enhances the taste of other ingredients. It is nowhere near as strong-tasting as it smells. 

 

The taste of soy sauce is a different type of saltiness with more of an umami hit to it and slight sweetness. The complexity of the taste is further muddled by the fact there are several types of soy sauce.  

 

Uses for Fish Sauce in Thai Food

 

fish sauce in thai food

 

Fish sauce takes on the same role as salt and pepper do in Western food in that it’s a condiment used to season dishes. Many recipes call for the addition of fish sauce during cooking.

 

However, at practically every single restaurant and food stall in Thailand, you’ll find a bottle of fish sauce near your table for you to season your dish as you please. Many Thais prefer to add more fish sauce to their dishes so that they don’t taste bland in the exact same way that you might add some salt and pepper to a finished dish to spruce up the taste. 

 

It’s important to remember that Thai food is a combination of salty, sour, sweet, and hot. These four fundamental flavors are the bedrock of most dishes. Fish sauce provides the salty element. 

 

Uses for Soy Sauce in Thai Food

 

 

There are actually several types of Thai sauces used in Thai food for different purposes. They each have slightly different tastes and textures. Thai people call soy sauce ‘see ew’. 

 

  • Thin soy sauce – quite a salty sauce with a thin consistency.
  • Mushroom light soy sauce – similar to thin soy sauce but fortified with Chinese mushrooms for an extra umami kick. 
  • Black soy sauce – a thick texture like molasses with an intensely rich, umami flavour and a slight sweetness.  
  • Sweet soy sauce – similar in texture to black soy sauce but far sweeter. Often used in stir-fry dishes or as a dipping sauce. 

 

Fish Sauce vs Soy Sauce: Can You Substitute Them?

 

The best solution for substituting soy sauce for fish sauce is to use two ingredients:

 

 

The question of substituting is of paramount importance mostly for vegans or vegetarians who do not want fish sauce in their food. If this is you, there is a solution. That solution is for every tablespoon of fish sauce, replace with a teaspoon of mushroom seasoning powder and a season of mushroom soy sauce. 

 

My Thai partner worked in a vegan restaurant in Thailand for 3 years and she informed me this is how they attempted to replicate a fish sauce taste in their recipes. 

 

While most Thais will say fish sauce is very hard to replace in a dish, it’s not impossible. After all, plenty of people in the Land of Smiles identify as vegetarian or vegan. And the restaurant my partner worked at is very well-reviewed, so they must be doing it right!

 

I’ve rarely heard of people wanting to substitute soy sauce for fish sauce. But if you hate soy sauce and a recipe calls for it, I would think fish sauce and Worcester sauce together might best replicate the taste you need. 

 

Recommended Brands

 

I recommend the following main two brands for fish sauce:

 

  • Tiparos
  • Squid

 

For Soy Sauce, my preferred brand is Healthy Boy. I find they are the tastiest soy sauces that work best with Thai food. 

 

Below is a selection of products from these 2 companies in addition to some mushroom flavored seasoning powder. 

 


Closing Thoughts

 

So, there you have it, a nice in-depth comparison of soy sauce and fish sauce; two essential Thai ingredients that you’ll see a lot of if you want to create authentic Thai flavours. Check out my resource on kaffir limes and limes for another Thai ingredient comparison.