You’ve been asking yourself, “is soy sauce gluten-free?” I’m here with the answer! This article has all the details on what type of soy sauce is safe for a gluten-free diet.
If you have Celiac disease or a gluten intolerance, you might be wondering if soy sauce is gluten-free. Check out this post for all the details! This article will explain everything you should know about cooking with soy sauce on a gluten-free diet.
Made from a fermented paste of soy beans, soy sauce is a salty, liquid condiment that offers an umami (savory) flavor that can be hard to replicate with any other sauce. It’s the perfect accompaniment to fried rice, dumplings, stir fry, and so much more!
So if you’re cooking Asian-style dishes and trying to stick to a gluten-free diet, you may want to know: Is soy sauce gluten-free?
Quick answer: Most soy sauce you find at the grocery store is not gluten-free, since it includes wheat in the ingredient list. However, tamari soy sauce is gluten-free.
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Is Soy Sauce Gluten-Free?
No, most soy sauce is not gluten-free. Traditionally, it is made by soaking soybeans in water, then roasting and crushing wheat into the soybeans. Since wheat has gluten in it, soy sauce is not gluten-free.
Still, there are some types of gluten-free soy sauce, including tamari soy sauce brands like San-J. Unlike traditional Kikkoman soy sauce and other popular soy sauce brands, San-J soy sauce is made with just water, soybeans, salt, and alcohol (to preserve freshness.)
Can You Eat Soy Sauce if You’re Gluten-Free?
If you have Celiac disease or a gluten intolerance, you should avoid most types of soy sauce. Brands like Kikkoman or Market Pantry soy sauce are made with wheat, meaning they are not gluten-free.
However, you can safely consume tamari soy sauce, which is made without wheat.
You can also coconut aminos or liquid aminos as a gluten-free soy sauce alternative. These sauces have a savory, salty flavor that is comparable to traditional soy sauce. They’re a perfect substitute for dishes like fried rice and stir-fry.
You also might like these articles on gluten-free alcohol and gluten-free beer.
Which Soy Sauce Brands Are Gluten-Free?
Most traditional soy sauce brands are not gluten-free, since they are made with wheat. The only type of soy sauce that is gluten-free is tamari soy sauce, which contains just soybeans, water, salt, and alcohol.
Here are some brands that offer gluten-free tamari soy sauce:
Does Kikkoman Soy Sauce Have Gluten?
Yes, traditional Kikkoman soy sauces have gluten in it, but Kikkoman tamari soy sauce does not.
For this reason, it’s important to read the ingredients label or look to make sure the bottle is labeled gluten-free.
Where to Buy Gluten-Free Soy Sauce
If you take a little extra time to look, you can find gluten-free tamari soy sauce or other soy sauce alternatives at many grocery stores or online. Here are some of the best places to look:
- Amazon: Amazon sells many gluten-free soy sauce brands, including San-J, Kikkoman, and BetterBody Foods coconut aminos, which is an alternative to soy sauce.
- Walmart: Although they may be difficult to find in-store, Walmart does offer gluten-free soy sauce online, including San-J brand and Coconut Secret coconut aminos.
- Target: Target sells San-J gluten-free tamari soy sauce, as well as Coconut Secret coconut aminos
- Whole Foods: Whole Foods doesn’t sell gluten-free soy sauce, but they do carry Coconut Secret coconut aminos and other Asian sauces like gluten-free teriyaki sauce and gluten-free stir-fry sauce.
- Thrive Market: You can buy gluten-free tamari soy sauce and coconut aminos from Thrive Market online. They carry their own Thrive Market brand, as well as San-J and Primal Kitchen.
FAQs
Yes, most brands of store-bought teriyaki sauce have gluten in them. For example, Kikkoman, Soy Vay, and Kinder’s brand teriyaki sauce all have wheat listed as a main ingredient.
Some brands of Worcestershire sauce have gluten, but others do not. It’s important to read the label to find out which brands contain wheat. For example, Lea & Perrins brand Worcestershire sauce is gluten-free, but Annie’s brand Worcestershire sauce is not. Check out this article on is worcestershire sauce gluten-free.
Soy on its own is naturally gluten-free, but many brands of store-bought soy sauce are not gluten-free. For example, Kikkoman soy sauce is not gluten-free because it is made with wheat.
Most brands of store-bought soy sauce contain wheat and have more than 20 ppm gluten, meaning that they are not gluten-free. However, tamari soy sauce is typically free of wheat and completely gluten-free.
San-J is one of the best and most popular brands of gluten-free soy sauce. (Also known as tamari soy sauce.) This soy sauce is made with soybeans, sea salt, and alcohol, and does not include the wheat typically found in traditional soy sauce.
Though Kikkoman regular soy sauce is not gluten-free, you can buy Kikkoman gluten-free tamari soy sauce. San-J tamari soy sauce is also gluten-free, along with a few other brands.
Traditional soy sauce is made with wheat, making it unsafe for people with Celiac disease. However, tamari soy sauce is gluten-free and OK to eat if you have Celiacs.
The Bottom Line
Is soy sauce gluten-free?
No, most popular soy sauces are not gluten-free, since wheat is a primary ingredient.
However, tamari soy sauce is a safe gluten-free alternative to traditional soy sauce. This type of soy sauce is made without wheat and has no gluten content.
If you’re looking for an alternative to wheat-based soy sauce, gluten-free products like coconut aminos and liquid aminos are another great substitute. They have a similar flavor and made a nice addition to any Asian cuisine.
I went to the comment section to mention Kroger brand is GF and I see you commented about it already.
I am pretty newly diagnosed and I use soy sauce usually about once a week. I have a store brand of Kroger soy sauce, it doesn’t say gluten free but the ingredients list doesn’t list any wheat at all. There are also no warnings like “contains: wheat” —- should I assume any brand like this contains wheat even if the ingredients don’t point to it? I wonder if I’ve been exposing myself this whole time thinking I wasn’t.
Thank you!
Thanks so much!
Great question! Is it this one? https://www.kroger.com/p/kroger-soy-sauce/0001111066955 If so that one doesn’t have any wheat and you should be ok!