What Can I Substitute for Tamari?

Showing Australian names and measurements · change country in the menu

Swap for tamari: soy sauce, 15 ml for every 15 ml tamari. Verdict: straight swap

Regular soy sauce covers the salt, colour and most of the umami at the same amount, but it is brewed with wheat so it is not gluten-free. Full details

Checked 25 October 2026 · Rankings aren't for sale

What's it doing in this dish?

You're splashing tamari into a stir-fry or a marinade for chicken, tofu or beef, and nobody at the table needs to avoid gluten.

soy sauce — 15 ml for every 15 ml tamari (3 tsp)

Regular soy sauce has the same salt level and most of the umami and colour, so it seasons and browns the dish at the same amount, and the slightly thinner body barely matters in a hot wok or a marinade.

You're cooking gluten-free, which is why the recipe calls for tamari, and you've run out.

liquid aminos — 15 ml for every 15 ml tamari (3 tsp)
coconut aminos — 15 ml plus a pinch of salt for every 15 ml tamari (3 tsp)

Both are made without wheat, so they keep the dish gluten-free; liquid aminos matches tamari's saltiness and umami at the same amount, while coconut aminos needs added salt because it covers the savoury and colour roles but not the seasoning one.

You're cooking for someone who can't eat soy, so swapping in another soy product won't do.

coconut aminos — 15 ml plus a pinch of salt for every 15 ml tamari (3 tsp)

Coconut aminos is the only option here with no soy, and it supplies colour and a mild savouriness, but you must add salt to replace tamari's main seasoning job and expect a sweeter result.

You're reducing tamari into a sticky glaze for salmon or wings, or braising meat where you want a deep brown colour.

dark soy sauce — 15 ml for every 15 ml tamari (3 tsp)
soy sauce — 15 ml for every 15 ml tamari (3 tsp)

Dark soy sauce matches tamari's thickness and colour so the glaze clings and darkens well, though it is sweeter and less salty; regular soy sauce seasons properly but is thinner, so reduce it a little longer, and neither is gluten-free.

You're seasoning a soup, broth or dressing and mainly need salt and savouriness rather than colour or gloss.

miso paste thinned with water — 15 ml miso paste thinned with 10 ml hot water for every 30 ml tamari (3 tsp)
fish sauce — 7.5 ml for every 15 ml tamari (1½ tsp)

Miso brings fermented soybean umami and some salt that disappears into a soup where cloudiness doesn't show, and fish sauce gives strong salt and savouriness at half the amount, best in Thai- or Vietnamese-style dressings where its fishy note belongs.

You're serving tamari on its own as the dipping sauce for sashimi or sushi, so its flavour is the point.

soy sauce — 15 ml for every 15 ml tamari (3 tsp)

Nothing really replaces it here.

Neat tamari is tasted directly here, and regular soy sauce is noticeably sharper, thinner and less rounded, so it will do the job of seasoning the fish but won't taste like tamari; nothing else on the list comes closer.

What Tamari does in a recipe

saltiness · primary — Tamari carries a high dissolved salt load, so a spoonful seasons a marinade, dressing or stir-fry in place of plain salt.
umami & savoury flavour · primary — Fermenting soybeans breaks their protein down into free glutamates, which give tamari a rounder, meatier savouriness than regular soy sauce.
browning & colour · secondary — Its dark colour and the sugars and amino acids from fermentation stain marinated food and help it brown and glaze in the pan or oven.
body & glaze · secondary — Tamari is slightly thicker than regular soy sauce, so it clings to food and reduces to a glossy coating more readily.

Every substitute, ranked

Substitute	Amount	Verdict
soy sauce	15 ml for every 15 ml tamari (3 tsp)	Straight swap
liquid aminos	15 ml for every 15 ml tamari (3 tsp)	Straight swap
coconut aminos	15 ml plus a pinch of salt for every 15 ml tamari (3 tsp)	One catch
dark soy sauce	15 ml for every 15 ml tamari (3 tsp)	Close enough
miso paste thinned with water	15 ml miso paste thinned with 10 ml hot water for every 30 ml tamari (3 tsp)	Close enough
fish sauce	7.5 ml for every 15 ml tamari (1½ tsp)	Close enough

Australian tablespoons are 20 ml. UK, New Zealand, US and Canadian recipes use 15 ml, so their 1 tbsp is 3 Australian teaspoons.

soy sauce

Straight swap· probably in your pantry

15 ml for every 15 ml tamari (3 tsp)

Regular soy sauce covers the salt, colour and most of the umami at the same amount, but it is brewed with wheat so it is not gluten-free.

Covers: saltiness, umami & savoury flavour, browning & colour
Misses: body & glaze
Taste: It tastes a little sharper and saltier up front, with a faint sweetness from the wheat and less rounded savouriness.
Texture: It is thinner, so glazes take slightly longer to reduce and cling.
Looks: Sauces and marinades come out a shade lighter brown.
Best for: stir-fries, marinades, dipping sauces

Dairy-freeVeganNut-free

Tried this swap? How did it work?

liquid aminos

Straight swap

15 ml for every 15 ml tamari (3 tsp)

This unfermented soy protein seasoning is gluten-free with a similar salt level, so it covers saltiness and umami for anyone avoiding wheat, though it has less brewed depth.

Covers: saltiness, umami & savoury flavour, browning & colour
Misses: body & glaze
Taste: It tastes flatter and a little sharper, missing the malty, fermented note of tamari.
Texture: It is thinner and more watery.
Looks: It is lighter in colour, so marinated food browns a little less deeply.
Best for: salad dressings, stir-fries, gluten-free cooking

Dairy-freeVeganGluten-freeNut-free

Tried this swap? How did it work?

coconut aminos

One catch

15 ml plus a pinch of salt for every 15 ml tamari (3 tsp)

Fermented coconut sap gives a soy-free, gluten-free savoury-sweet liquid with some umami and colour, but far less salt than tamari.

The catch: Add a pinch of salt for every 15 ml used, then taste before adding more, because coconut aminos is much less salty and the dish will taste flat without it.

Covers: umami & savoury flavour, browning & colour
Misses: saltiness, body & glaze
Taste: It is noticeably sweeter with a light caramel edge and milder savouriness, and it does not taste of coconut.
Texture: It is thinner than tamari.
Looks: It is a lighter, redder brown.
Best for: soy-free cooking, marinades, dressings

Dairy-freeVeganGluten-freeNut-free

Tried this swap? How did it work?

dark soy sauce

Close enough

15 ml for every 15 ml tamari (3 tsp)

Chinese dark soy matches tamari's thickness and colour well but is less salty and has a molasses sweetness, and it contains wheat.

Covers: browning & colour, body & glaze, umami & savoury flavour
Misses: saltiness
Taste: It is sweeter and less salty, with a treacle-like note, so you may need extra salt.
Texture: It is similar or slightly thicker, and it glazes well.
Looks: It colours food much darker, close to black in braises.
Best for: braises, red-cooked meats, fried rice

Dairy-freeVeganNut-free

Tried this swap? How did it work?

miso paste thinned with water

Close enough

15 ml miso paste thinned with 10 ml hot water for every 30 ml tamari (3 tsp)

Miso brings fermented soybean umami and some salt, but as a paste it is cloudy and less salty once thinned, so it suits dishes where liquid clarity does not matter.

Covers: umami & savoury flavour, saltiness
Misses: browning & colour, body & glaze
Taste: It tastes earthier and funkier, and paler misos are sweeter, so season with extra salt to taste.
Texture: It leaves a slightly grainy, opaque sauce rather than a clear liquid.
Looks: Sauces turn cloudy and tan rather than glossy dark brown.
Best for: soups, glazes for vegetables, dressings

Dairy-freeNut-free

Tried this swap? How did it work?

fish sauce

Close enough· probably in your pantry

7.5 ml for every 15 ml tamari (1½ tsp)

Fish sauce supplies strong salt and umami, but it is saltier and fishier, adds little colour and is not vegan.

The catch: Start with half the tamari amount and taste, and remember that a tablespoon in an Australian recipe is 20 ml, so half of it is 10 ml rather than 7.5 ml.

Covers: saltiness, umami & savoury flavour
Misses: browning & colour, body & glaze
Taste: It adds a pungent fermented-fish note that suits Southeast Asian dishes but stands out in Japanese ones.
Texture: It is thinner and more watery.
Looks: It is pale amber, so food stays lighter and browns less.
Best for: stir-fries, Thai-style dressings, noodle dishes

Dairy-freeNut-free

Tried this swap? How did it work?

Commonly tried, but skip these

People reach for these, and they let you down.

kecap manis

Skip it

People reach for it because it sits next to the soy sauce and looks similar, but its high sugar makes dipping sauces and dressings cloying, burns quickly in a hot wok, and it usually contains wheat, so it fails gluten-free cooking too.

Tried this swap? How did it work?

When to buy the real thing

You're cooking for someone with coeliac disease and the only alternatives on hand are regular soy sauce, dark soy sauce or kecap manis.
Instead: Buy a tamari labelled gluten-free, or use liquid aminos or coconut aminos after checking the label, because all three soy sauces are brewed with wheat.
The recipe uses a large amount of tamari as the main flavour, such as tamari-roasted almonds or seeds, or a tamari dipping sauce served neat.
Instead: Buy tamari, because any substitute will change the taste of the whole dish rather than just one element of it.
You need a dish that is both gluten-free and has tamari's full salty, savoury depth, and you only have coconut aminos.
Instead: Buy tamari or liquid aminos if you can, or accept a sweeter result and season carefully with salt.

Rescue a swap gone wrong

The dish tastes far too salty.

Why: Fish sauce was added at the full tamari amount, or an Australian recipe's tablespoon (20 ml) was measured with a 15 ml spoon for one ingredient and a 20 ml spoon for another, throwing the balance out.

Fix: Dilute with unsalted stock, water or more of the unseasoned ingredients such as rice, noodles or vegetables, and a squeeze of lime juice and a pinch of sugar will soften the saltiness.

The dish tastes flat and sweet rather than savoury.

Why: Coconut aminos was used without extra salt, so tamari's main seasoning job was left undone.

Fix: Stir in salt a pinch at a time, tasting as you go, until the flavours sharpen.

The glaze has gone black, bitter and burnt in the pan.

Why: Dark soy sauce, coconut aminos and kecap manis carry more sugar than tamari, so they caramelise and scorch faster over high heat.

Can't be fixed — next time: A burnt glaze can't be rescued, so wipe the pan and start the glaze again; next time add a sugary substitute near the end of cooking and keep the heat at medium.

The sauce is cloudy with small lumps of paste.

Why: The miso wasn't fully thinned before it went in, and miso always makes a liquid opaque.

Fix: Whisk a ladle of the hot liquid with the lumps in a small bowl until smooth, then stir it back in; the lumps will go, but the sauce will stay cloudy.

Key numbers

salt content: about 15–17%This is in the same range as regular soy sauce, which is why most soy-based swaps go in at the same amount.
wheat content: none to a small amountRegular soy sauce is brewed from roughly equal parts soybeans and wheat, while tamari uses little or no wheat, so check the label for a gluten-free statement if it matters.

Differences between countries

Applies to Australia

Gluten-free labelling thresholds (Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States, Canada)

Under the food standards shared by Australia and New Zealand, a product labelled gluten-free must contain no detectable gluten. In the UK, the US and Canada, the gluten-free threshold is less than 20 parts per million. A tamari that carries a gluten-free label in one country is therefore not necessarily tested to the same standard as one from another.

Applies to Australia

Not every tamari is wheat-free (Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States, Canada)

The name tamari is not a guarantee of being gluten-free in any of these countries, because some brands brew it with a small amount of wheat. Read the ingredient list and look for a gluten-free statement on the label rather than relying on the name.

Applies to Australia

Australian tablespoon is larger (Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, United States, Canada)

Australian recipes use a 20 ml tablespoon, while UK, New Zealand, US and Canadian recipes use a 15 ml tablespoon. A tablespoon of tamari in an Australian recipe is a third more than in a recipe from those countries, which noticeably changes the saltiness.

Where to buy it

Applies to Australia

Australia · easy to find

Asian foods aisle or health food shops

Most supermarkets stock tamari next to the soy sauces, and health food shops and Asian grocers usually carry more than one kind.

United Kingdom · easy to find

world foods aisle or health food shops

Larger supermarkets keep it with the soy sauces, and health food shops often stock organic versions.

New Zealand · easy to find

Asian foods aisle or health food shops

Look beside the soy sauces, or try Asian grocers and health food shops if the supermarket range is small.

United States · easy to find

Asian or international aisle

Tamari is widely stocked alongside soy sauce, and natural food stores usually carry gluten-free versions.

Canada · easy to find

Asian or international aisle

Supermarkets usually keep it with the soy sauces, and health food shops and Asian grocers offer more choice.

What is Tamari called in other countries?

tamari soy saucewheat-free soy sauce

Measurements differ too, not just names: the kitchen conversion chart covers cups, spoons and oven temperatures across these countries.

Questions people ask

Is tamari the same as soy sauce?

No, tamari is a type of soy sauce, but it is brewed with little or no wheat, while regular soy sauce is made from roughly equal parts soybeans and wheat. This gives tamari a rounder, less sharp savouriness and a slightly thicker body. In most cooked dishes the two can be swapped at the same amount.

Is all tamari gluten-free?

Not always, because some tamari is brewed with a small amount of wheat. If you are cooking for someone with coeliac disease, buy a bottle with a gluten-free statement on the label. Check the ingredient list each time, as recipes can change between brands.

How much tamari is a tablespoon in an Australian recipe?

An Australian tablespoon of tamari is 20 ml, while a tablespoon in a UK, New Zealand, US or Canadian recipe is 15 ml. If you measure an Australian recipe with a 15 ml spoon, the dish will be less salty than intended. If you use a 20 ml spoon for an overseas recipe, it will be saltier. Use the spoon that matches the recipe's country of origin.

Are liquid aminos the same as tamari?

No, liquid aminos are an unfermented seasoning made from soy protein, while tamari is brewed and fermented. Both are usually gluten-free and have a similar salt level, so they swap at the same amount. Liquid aminos taste flatter and lack tamari's malty, fermented note.

Can I leave tamari out of a recipe?

You can, but the dish will taste noticeably flat, because tamari is usually doing the main seasoning job. If you leave it out, replace the salt with a pinch of salt at a time. Expect to lose the savoury depth and some of the browning.

Can I use tamari instead of soy sauce?

Yes, tamari can replace regular soy sauce at the same amount in almost any recipe. It will taste slightly less sharp and more rounded. It also makes a handy gluten-free swap if the bottle is labelled gluten-free.

Where Tamari comes from

Tamari is a Japanese soy sauce that was traditionally the liquid drawn off fermenting soybean miso. It is still brewed mainly from soybeans, salt and water with koji mould, using little or no wheat.

Tamari is usually dairy-free, vegan, gluten-free, nut-free — check the label, and see the disclaimer.