Keto Soy Sauce Recipe (Is Soy Sauce Keto?)

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Use a keto soy sauce substitute when you need an alternative option for marinades and stir fry dishes. 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. However, let’s start with our burning question: is soy sauce keto-friendly?

This post is sponsored by Mountain Rose Herbs.

Is soy sauce keto?

Soy sauce contains soy and wheat (shoyu) which are two ingredients we typically avoid on keto. However, the carbs in soy sauce are very low per serving. A splash of soy sauce every once in a while (probably) won’t derail your ketogenic diet or wreck your health.

If you’re out at sushi and want to dip the sashimi for a 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 are 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. Reduced or light 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.

Soy can have some downsides, like its potential impact on hormones and thyroid health. If you are like me, the motivation to try a keto-approved alternative to soy sauce comes more from wanting to avoid soy and less about counting carbs. 

What are the potential downsides of soy?

According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, the main downsides of soy include common digestive issues like constipation and diarrhea. For some people with low iodine levels, soy might also mess with thyroid function. 

Generally, soy foods are considered safe, even for women who’ve had breast cancer, but the safety of taking high doses, especially in supplement form, isn’t fully clear. If you’re pregnant, it’s probably best to stick to normal amounts of soy in food, as higher doses could pose some risks due to its estrogen-like effects. 

When it comes to soy sauce, the main thing to watch out for is the sodium content. Both regular and dark soy sauce can be pretty high in sodium, which can be a concern if you’re trying to limit your salt intake. 

According to the USDA, a tablespoon of regular soy sauce has about 878mg of sodium. For reference, the recommended limit is less than 2000mg per day.

Dark soy sauce, in particular, is thicker and richer, often packing even more sodium per serving. So, if you’re keeping an eye on your sodium intake, it’s something to consider when using soy sauce in your dishes. 

Sugar-Free Keto Soy Sauce Substitute

Soy sauce can be an acceptable food for a low-carb diet because it has such a low carb content. However, it’s the soy that’s the problem.

Making a homemade keto soy sauce substitute replicates all the best flavors from traditional soy sauce but without the soy and excess sodium! 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. Also, if you are allergic to soy, this soy-free soy sauce alternative will be just what you want. It is allergen-free; there is no wheat or soy in this recipe, but it still has the umami flavor and savory taste you’re looking for.

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 clean 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.

Jump down to view the printable recipe card with specific ingredient measurements and complete details. Here’s an overview on the process:

1. Begin by adding all the ingredients, except the salt, to a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat
2. Maintain this for about 15 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by a third. Season with salt
3. 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 shake well to recombine the flavors.

Serve in a bowl for dipping or add it to your favorite keto meals! I add it to almost all of my favorite dishes from the Asian cuisine. This healthy soy sauce recipe is great on cabbage noodles or cauliflower rice.

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. Make sure not to confuse coconut aminos with liquid aminos. Both are gluten-free but the latter contains soy and tends to have a high sodium content compared to coconut aminos.

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 added sugar. It may be unavoidable, so check the total grams of net 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.

What to Serve With 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

More Healthy Keto Sauce Alternatives

Minimize the amount of sugar you intake with these popular DIY sauce substitutions.

• Creamy Tzatziki Sauce
• Keto Balsamic Glaze
• 12 Best Keto Salad Dressings
• Sugar Free Ketchup Recipe 
• Easy Sugar Free BBQ Sauce Recipe
• Low-Carb Sweet Chili Sauce Recipe

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.