Use a keto soy sauce substitute when you need an alternative option for marinades and stir fry. This homemade low carb approved recipe is sugar free, soy free, and wheat free so you can still eat soy sauce on a keto diet without any negative effects!
Cooking easy keto recipes at home is more rewarding and often more delicious than relying on store-bought foods and eating out.
This post is sponsored by Mountain Rose Herbs.
Table of Contents (click to view)
Is soy sauce keto?
Soy sauce contains soy and wheat (shoyu) which are two ingredients we typically avoid on keto.
In general, soy isn’t the greatest food. Regular doses of soy aren’t recommended on a keto diet (or any human diet for that matter) especially if you have high levels of inflammation, endocrine disruption, and hormone imbalances.
However, the carbs in soy sauce are very low per serving.
A splash of soy sauce every once and a while (probably) won’t kill your progress or wreck your health.
If you’re out at sushi and want to dip the sashimi for the quick swim in the sauce, go for it and enjoy it.
Keep it in perspective and stay focused on keto foods for the rest of the meal.
How many carbs in soy sauce?
According to Fat Secret, the average between brands of soy sauce is 1.2 grams of carbohydrate per 1 tablespoon of soy sauce. Low or reduced-sodium soy sauce tends to have slightly more.
Kikkoman Soy Sauce, one of the most popular brands in the US, has 10 calories per 1 tablespoon of liquid coming from 1 gram of protein and 1 gram of carbohydrate.
As you can see, there is a negligible amount of carbs in soy sauce.
If you are like me, the motivation to make a keto-approved alternative to soy sauce comes from wanting to avoid the soy more than the carbs.
Sugar Free Keto Soy Sauce Substitute
Making a homemade keto soy sauce substitute replicates all the best flavors from traditional soy sauce but without the soy!
Cooking from scratch will always be healthier than not because you get a greater degree of control over your food.
By using fresh, unprocessed ingredients, your meals will be free of chemical stabilizers, food preservatives, “natural flavors,” endocrine-disrupting dye, not to mention sugar too.
Also, if you are allergic to soy, this low carb soy sauce alternative will be just what you want.
It is allergen-free; there is no wheat or soy in this recipe.
How to Make Keto Soy Sauce Recipe
This quick and easy Keto Soy Sauce Substitute recipe will walk you through the simple process of making a keto soy sauce alternative at home.
From start to finish, you’ll spend about 20 minutes before your Asian-inspired, sugar free, soy free keto soy sauce option is ready.
Begin by adding all the ingredients, except the salt, to a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
Maintain this for about 15 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by a third.
Season with salt.
Transfer to a bottle or jar with a tight-fitting lid. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Shake well before using.
You may see the sauce gel after sitting in the fridge. This is due to the gelatine in bone broth that firms as it chills. If this happens, bring your homemade soy sauce to room temperature before serving and stir well to recombine the flavors.
Serve in a bowl for dipping or add it into your favorite keto meals!
This healthy soy sauce recipe is great on cabbage noodles.
Low Carb Soy Sauce Alternatives
Like many of my everyday keto recipes, this keto soy sauce substitute does not call for any special ingredients or fancy equipment.
It’s a simple recipe anyone can make!
If you don’t have the time to prepare this homemade soy sauce recipe, you can also use one of the two store-bought keto friendly soy sauce alternatives.
Coconut Aminos
The sauce is made from the “sap” (actually coconut-blossom nectar) of coconut palms. The sap is fermented and then blended with sea salt.
Coconut aminos are a good choice for people with soy allergies and others who want to avoid soy in general. I recommend Coconut Aminos by Coconut Secret. You can purchase it online or look at your local health food store.
Fish Sauce
One of the most popular condiments used in Southeast and East Asia is fish sauce. It is the result of fermenting heavily salted fish for a few weeks (in some cases up to two years!). You can find this heritage food in Asian grocery stores and specialty markets.
Look for a formula with no sugar. It may be unavoidable, so check the total carbs per serving on the nutrition label to confirm the amount is minimal. Since you use just a little, it may not be a problem.
I recommend the Thai Kitchen brand. They have a sauce that is free of preservatives, stabilizers, and chemical flavorings.
How to Use Soy Free Soy Sauce?
Add this sauce to any Asian-inspired recipes. It’s great in stir-fry and Low-Carb Egg Drop Soup.
Soy free soy sauce is an essential addition anytime you want an authentic Asian flavor.
Get started with these keto ground beef stir fry recipes:
- Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
- Keto Ground Beef Stir Fry
- Ground Beef and Cabbage Stir Fry
- Keto Egg Roll in a Bowl (Crack Slaw)
- Korean Ground Beef
Homemade Soy Free Soy Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups bone broth
- 2 teaspoons raw apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Sugar-free maple syrup or other liquid keto sweetener
- 1/8 teaspoon ginger powder
- 1/16 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/16 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/16 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Add all ingredients, except salt, to a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.1.5 cups bone broth, 2 teaspoons raw apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons Sugar-free maple syrup, 1/8 teaspoon ginger powder, 1/16 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/16 teaspoon onion powder
- Maintain this for about 15 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by a third.
- Season with salt.1/16 teaspoon salt
- Transfer to a bottle or jar with a tight-fitting lid. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Shake well before using.
Notes
Nutrition & Macros
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, please calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients and amounts used, using your preferred nutrition calculator. Under no circumstances shall the this website and the author be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on the given nutritional information.
Many thanks to Mountain Rose Herbs for partnering with me to bring you this recipe! They offer unparalleled quality of organic herbs, spices, teas, and essential oils. I’ve been supporting them for 10 years and highly recommend you consider making your next order of botanicals with them. Read my honest review of Mountain Rose Herbs: Are they Good? to learn more.
Originally published on December 3, 2018; updated April 2020 with new images and information.
More Healthy Keto Sauce Alternatives
Minimize the amount of sugar you intake with these popular DIY sauce substitutions.
- Sugar Free Ketchup Recipe – Need a great keto ketchup recipe that is easy and delicious? Then, here is a quick and simple low carb recipe that you will want to check out.
- Easy Sugar Free BBQ Sauce Recipe – No cooking required and it comes together in less than 5 minutes! You will want to slather this awesome sauce on everything. It is the best keto bbq sauce!
- Low-Carb Sweet Chili Sauce Recipe – This is perfect as a dipping sauce or a component in keto recipes like Bang Bang Shrimp & Asian Sticky Chicken Wings.
- Keto Buffalo Sauce Recipe – A good keto approved buffalo sauce is not something you can easily find on store shelves. Now you can learn how to make an easy buffalo sauce in just 15 minutes, with simple ingredients!
- 12 Best Keto Salad Dressings – These are simple homemade dressing recipes for fat loss on keto and family-friendly meal prep.
I was looking for a healthier keto-friendly alternative to soy sauce, and I am so happy to see this post. I first tried the Coconut Aminos and used it to marinade fish. This sauce actually tastes sweeter and reduces the overall salt content of the dish. Kudos!
Yes, for those looking to manage salt, it can be a great option. Thanks for the comment, Jane.
I’m allergic to soy, so I gave this a try! It came out great, and I’m so excited to have an alternative now. I’ve just been omitting it with sad results. Thanks a ton!
You’re very welcome, Tina. Thrilled to hear we could help solve a dietary dilema 🙂
Quick and easy to make, glad that I found a DIY soy sauce alternative. The ones in the market can be expensive.
Thank you for the five star review, Via.
Finally, a keto soy sauce substitute that’s easy to make and tastes amazing! Love that it’s soy-free and adds that umami kick to my dishes. I used it in my teriyaki glaze last night and it really lifted that umami flavor of the dish.
Happy to hear it added great flavor to your recipes. Thanks, Kiara.
Coconut aminos is my go-to alternative, but I’m definitely trying this one as the ingredients are just readily available! Thanks for this recipe!
Yes, it’s a bit more affordable too. Hope you enjoy it, Paula.
I wouldn’t call one carb negligible for only a tablespoon of sauce because who’s going to only use a tablespoon of sauce on something so it’s going to end up being much more !!😂
Sure Cat, you’re right, it’s good to keep the carb count in mind and be aware of it. However, from what I’ve seen recipes use 1-4 tbsp of soy sauce. So, there can be to 4 grams of carb for a whole recipe which is then divided by the number of servings. It’s still not very much. Of course, if you find you use more it’s good to be diligent and track it.
Oh heck yes, thanks for sharing this. I eat mainly paleo but am having issues with coconut lately so aminos are out… THIS IS IN!
Hurray! I’m so happy to connect you with the right recipe 🙂
It’s hard to find a good soy sauce alternative so I’m glad to discover this tried and tested tasty version!
Enjoy the Asian flair without the sneaky soy!
It’s a healthy option to make at home with simple ingredients. I hope your whole family enjoys it as much as mine does <3
Great when I’m running out of soy sauce at home. 🙂
Yes! So useful to have a homemade version you can rely on.
This is a great recipe! I loved the flavors of it, perfect to use to replace soy sauce 🙂