Are you the type of person who can’t say “no” to foods that are full of flavor and personality? So, chances are you’re also someone who loves a good oyster sauce.
This is a very popular condiment in cuisines such as Vietnamese, Thai and Chinese, but it can also be added to the most diverse recipes in order to bring a special flavor to the table.
Despite this, many people stop consuming it due to the presence of gluten in the composition.
Are you part of this group? How about getting to know some great gluten-free oyster sauce alternatives to spice up your days? Let’s do this!
What Makes Good Gluten-free Oyster Sauce?
What makes oyster sauce good? Its flavor and creaminess, of course! So, we must look for exactly the same when it comes to gluten-free versions of this condiment.
The goal is to bring flavor to your recipes. So, always look for quality when it comes to good ingredients and for brands that are committed to the consumer experience. It makes all the difference in the end!
Also, another tip: always prioritize brands that are completely gluten-free, in order to be more secure when consuming these products. Better safe than sorry, right?
What Are The Best Gluten-free Oyster Sauces in America?
Now, it’s time for us to find out which are the best gluten-free oyster sauces in America. Check it out!
1. Kikkoman Gluten-free Oyster Sauce
Our first option is also one of the most classical ones. Kikkoman is a well-known brand, specialized in Asian food and sauces.
According to their official website, they’ve been around for over three centuries. A lot, right?
So, you can trust Kikkoman Gluten-free Oyster Sauce. It is creamy and heavy-flavored!
Also, it is ready to use as-is or, if you want to, it can be added to a great variety of recipes.
Kikkoman’s website gives us some ideas of possible applications: stir fry foods, such as broccoli or beef, fried rice and Asian entries, like seafood, tofu and marinades.
Pros:
- No preservatives added
- Gluten-Free certified
Cons:
- No cons
Ingredients: Water, sugar, salt, oyster juice concentrate (oyster [molluscan shellfish], water, salt), modified corn starch, vinegar, caramel color, yeast extract, oyster extract (molluscan shellfish).
Price: $7.53 (250 g) at Walmart
2. Mili Gluten-free Oyster Sauce
Extracted from good quality oysters, this sauce option is not only tasty, but also healthy.
With lower sodium (about 25% less than other brands), it’s a good alternative to people that have some health issues.
Full of flavors, it’s perfect for intensifying recipes made of vegetables and a huge variety of meat. It also goes wonderfully with seafood and noodles, among other dishes.
Be careful not to forget: it has to be refrigerated after opening, right? This way, your sauce will remain good for consumption for a lot of time.
Pros:
- No MSG added
- Lower in sodium
- Halal
Cons:
- No cons
Ingredients: Water, sugar, salt, modified corn starch, oyster extract, caramel, yeast extract, lactic acid, oyster flavor.
Price: $14.95 (510 g) at GlutenFreeSG
3. Healthy Boy Gluten-free Oyster Sauce
Let’s continue! Now, we’re going to talk about another good gluten-free oyster sauce option.
See how many alternatives you have to create delicious dishes without harming your health?
The Healthy Boy Gluten-free Oyster Sauce is one of the best seasonings in the market.
It has a lot of positive reviews and it’s known for its creaminess and flavor. Also, it seems to be one of street vendors’ favorites!
So, how about trying it out? Bringing sweetness and a strong flavor to your day to day life is never enough.
Pros:
- Positive reviews
Cons:
- No cons
Ingredients: Water, Oyster, Sugar, Fructose Syrup, Salt, Thickener, Modified Tapioca Starch, Monosodium Glutamate, Caramel Color, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Benzoate.
Price: $4.30 (300 ml) at Amazon
4. Megashefu Oyster Sauce
Now, let’s talk about some of the real stuff! Megashefu Oyster Sauce is not only gluten free, but also Thai certified.
This brand is very traditional and brings out the best flavor from oysters harvested off in the Gulf of Thailand.
The flavor is also very special, combining personality with sweetness. This way, it can be used to create rich and robust recipes that will certainly impress your family and visitors.
This sauce is ready to be used! So you can totally add it to marinades and recipes like these, but also consume it as-is, pouring it over salads and a lot of other ingredients.
Pros:
Safety of bio-chemical Eniwetok City (BIOTOXIN)
No MSG added
No artificial coloring
Cons:
A little pricey when compared to other brands
Ingredients: Oyster extractives (oysters, water), purified water, sugar, salt, corn starch, potassium sorbate.
Price: $18.95 (240 g) on Amazon
5. Panda Brand Oyster Flavored Sauce
Now, let’s talk about another brand that combines tradition with innovation when it comes to creating truly unforgettable sauces. We are talking, of course, about Lee Kum Kee!
With ingredients extracted from high quality raw materials, this sauce brings a unique flavor to your meals. With power and sweetness, it promises to make your recipes even tastier.
Plus, it doesn’t contain any kind of artificial preservatives, making it a healthier option for your friends and family too.
Pros:
- No artificial preservatives
Cons:
- No cons
Ingredients: Water; Sugar; Salt; Oyster Extractives (Oyster, Water, Salt); Modified Corn Starch; Caramel Color
Price: $11.88 (500 ml) on Amazon
RECOMMENDED: G.F. Hoisin Sauce Options
6. Wok Mei Gluten-free Oyster Sauce
Another brand that every member of your family will love is Wok Mei! This sauce has a powerful yet controlled flavor.
That means it will add flavor, but never overpower the taste of your meals, masking all the other ingredients.
Despite being commonly used for stir fries, it is interesting to point out that this sauce can also be used in marinades and various other preparations.
It is creamy, potent and a simple option to use on a daily basis.
Finally, we cannot fail to point out the fact that the corn used is GMO-free. Thus, your family has extra food security with this product!
Pros:
- GMO-free
Cons:
- No cons
Ingredients: Filtered water, dried cane syrup, caramel color, salt, gmo-free corn starch, vinegar, maltodextrin, oyster extract.
Price: US$17,71 (200 ml, 2 jars) on Amazon
7. Changs Original Oyster Sauce
Do you like Cantonese food or simply love everything to do with Asian cuisine? Then Changs Oyster Sauce is perfect for your needs!
With a rich composition that makes the flavors highly complex, this sauce is perfect to accompany seafood and fish, as well as meats such as pork and chicken.
It is important to point out that there is wheat in the composition of this sauce. However, all gluten is extracted by fermentation. All Chang’s sauces have been tested and found to contain no detectable gluten.
Pros:
- Dairy free
- Egg free
Cons:
- Contains wheat (gluten removed)
Ingredients: Water, oyster extract (36%), sugar, salt, thickener (1422), naturally brewed soy sauce (soy bean, water, salt, wheat extract*), flavour enhancer (621), food acid (330), flavour enhancers (627, 631)
Price: $6.30 (430 ml) on Gluten Free Foods
8. Shirakiku Oyster Sauce
Unique aroma, flavor and texture? Shirakiku Oyster Sauce has it all! The brand claims this option is a smooth, dark brown and moderately thick sauce with a fine aroma, full of umami taste.
Made using liquor extracted from fresh oysters, it has a versatility that will definitely add some spice to the way you cook.
It can be added in recipes from Japanese, Thai, Chinese and many other cuisines, but also be used to flavor-up some of your regular dishes.
So, give it a chance! You may fall in love with Shirakiku’s Oyster Sauce and need more and more bottles of it!
Pros:
- Ready to use
- Made from fresh oysters
Cons:
- No cons
Ingredients: Water, oyster extract, sugar, salt, modified tapioca starch, caramel as color, oyster flavor, acetic acid, sodium benzoate.
Price: $6.99 (530 ml) on Amazon
9. Organic Vegan Oyster Sauce by Lucky Foods
Now, how about we talk about a completely vegan oyster sauce option?
In this case, it does not use the extract of actual oysters, but a combination of ingredients that mimic the flavor in a very interesting way.
An interesting addition to this sauce is the shiitake mushroom, which helps create a flavor that’s very close to the original. All this added to the practicality of gluten-free products!
Plus, Lucky Foods’ version is organic. Thus, the ingredients are completely healthy and an interesting option for those who are not vegetarians, but enjoy products with few or no additives.
Pros:
- Vegan
- Organic
Cons:
- No cons
Ingredients: Water, organic tamari soy sauce (water, organic soybeans, salt, organic vinegar), organic cane sugar, organic coconut sugar, sea salt, organic corn starch, organic shiitake mushroom powder, seaweed powder, organic yeast extract, vegan source lactic acid, natural vegan flavor, xanthan gum.
Price: $13.29 (430 g) on Vegan Essentials
10. Kikkoman Vegetarian Oyster Sauce
Our last option is another vegetarian one! So, cheer up once again: if you are not a meat consumer and also has trouble eating gluten, this one’s for you.
See? There are options for everyone.
Kikkoman is a brand that has been mentioned before in this article.
It has a great tradition with sauces and this one has the same taste as the regular one: sweet and full of personality.
It’s also suitable for vegans and it’s a great addition for any kitchen, even if you’re not a vegetarian. Who knows when you’re going to have a vegan visiting over, ain’t that right?
Pros:
- No Preservatives
- Kosher
- Vegan
- No MSG added
- No high fructose corn syrup
Cons:
- No cons
Ingredients: Water, sugar, soy sauce (water, soybeans, rice, salt), salt, modified corn starch, caramel color, natural and artificial flavor, disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate.
Price: $11,08 (378 ml) on Amazon
And now? What are you waiting for to get these amazing versions of gluten-free oyster sauces?
Don’t waste time and bring much more flavor into your recipes on a daily basis. You deserve it!