5 Best Substitute For Hoisin Sauce In Lettuce Wraps

Last Updated on July 13, 2022 by

A great complement to many different foods is hoisin sauce. Soy sauce, five-spice, and fermented beans are the main ingredients in traditional hoisin. These are essential for producing that sweet, sticky sauce, regardless of tiny variations in each recipe. And fortunately, you can quickly prepare your substitute for hoisin sauce in lettuce wraps if you run out of hoisin sauce.

Substitute For Hoisin Sauce In Lettuce Wraps

• Barbecue sauce

• Black Bean Sauce

• Soy Sauce

• Oyster Sauce

• Teriyaki Sauce

5 Best Substitute For Hoisin Sauce In Lettuce Wraps

Black Bean Sauce

Finding quality stir-fry sauces is becoming simpler as Asian cuisine becomes more widely consumed. Black bean sauce is a great substitute for hoisin sauce in lettuce wraps. Today, black bean sauce is widely available in supermarkets and is making its way into pantries and shop cabinets. In many respects, black bean sauce is Hoisin’s somewhat less well-known cousin since it has the same foundation. Although hoisin has a more subtle taste, one might sometimes replace the other.

They all have the same consistency because of the key beans. The best option may be black bean sauce if hoisin is applied in large quantities. If you have black bean sauce, you may create an even more potent hoisin replacement by boosting it with sugar, soy, and vinegar. Add a dash of crushed fennel seeds and half a teaspoon of Chinese five spices to make it even better.

A little amount of hot sauce may be added to both black bean and barbecue sauce to improve their taste profiles, especially if you have a spicy sauce of Asian origin like Sriracha, which has components that go well with or complement hoisin.

Soy Sauce

Soy sauce is a wonderful choice if you need a simple 1:1 ingredient substitution for a substitute for hoisin sauce in lettuce wraps. Soy sauce, often used in Asian cuisine, offers a straightforward flavor replacement while preserving the original taste. But it won’t have the same flavor as hoisin. The hoisin-based original recipe’s nuanced sweet and salty flavor will not be there, and the flavor will be straightforward.

Hoisin and soy don’t taste alike, but adding soy to a marinade or sauce will have many advantages. They both include fermented soy. A bland sauce gets depth and umami through soy. To prevent oversalting, add it gradually. These two go great together if you have access to rice wine vinegar.

With a dash of sugar or honey, ordinary soy sauce has transformed into something rather wonderful. A teaspoon of creamy peanut butter should thicken without significantly altering flavor to enhance consistency.  

If you decide you would like some of that complexity without further preparation or blending, you may add a little sweetness by using sugar or honey. Try adding 1 teaspoon of sugar or honey for every tablespoon of soy sauce.

Barbecue Sauce

American barbecue sauce is a fantastic substitute for hoisin sauce in lettuce wraps. You can do a few things to give it more authenticity if it’s good on its own. Depending on how sweet your barbecue sauce is, you’ll probably want to add some sugar. The ideal choice is molasses since its richer flavor resembles hoisin’s flavor.

The thick consistency is absent from dark brown sugar, which is comparable. You may also use honey or maple syrup if that’s what you have on hand. Soy sauce and a dash of the five spices above may be used to balance off the sauce’s potential over sweetness at this point. An alternative is to add a little rice wine vinegar to add some zest.

It is up to personal preference what is added since the barbecue sauce creates such a robust foundation. If a recipe only asks for a little quantity of hoisin, using barbecue sauce in the same amount will work.

Oyster Sauce

Oyster sauce is a staple in Asian cooking that is difficult to produce from scratch, much like hoisin. The list of components is short, but you will need to get a large number of oysters. It’s simpler than its more flavorful brother, the long-fermented fish sauce. Oyster sauce would be a daring substitute for hoisin sauce in lettuce wraps. Oyster sauce is great on its own, even if the taste is different and the consistency is the same.

If you’re adding oyster sauce to soups or curries, start by adding a little amount and work your way up since it has a strong taste. You run the danger of overpowering the other components if you don’t. If you’re open to attempting something different, you might substitute fish sauce. A traditional East Asian sauce known as fish sauce is created by fermenting fish (or krill) for up to two years.

Recommended Oyster Sauce

Kikkoman Vegetarian MSG-Free No Preservatives Oyster Sauce

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If you aren’t sensitive to soy, Kikkoman vegetarian oyster sauce is a wonderful concoction of soy sauce and flavoring agents that functions as the ideal vegan oyster sauce. It is also not fishy, which is another thing we love. This is the ideal option for a substitute for hoisin sauce in lettuce wraps. Since a tablespoon of Kikkoman oyster sauce has no fat, it is also the ideal option for anybody trying to stick to a diet while still enjoying a great and nutritious lunch. 

Teriyaki Sauce

The hoisin sweetness that some other sauces lack is inherently present in teriyaki sauce. It has a consistency that is comparable to hoisin. Be aware that the sweetness of teriyaki sauce will often be greater than the original recipe if you want to use it as a straightforward 1:1 equivalent.

Japanese teriyaki sauce has been widely used owing to its sweet flavor and adaptability. Teriyaki functions well as a marinade and dipping sauce, much like hoisin. Be cautious when adding additional sweets if you wish to substitute for hoisin sauce in lettuce wraps. Hoisin uses soy significantly more often than teriyaki, where it is merely a minor ingredient. There is no garlic at all. Teriyaki is a decent substitution, even if it won’t be an exact match. 

Recommended Teriyaki Sauce 

Coconut Secret Soy-Free Coconut Aminos Teriyaki Sauce

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With this soy-free teriyaki sauce, those sensitive to soy may still enjoy a complete teriyaki meal. Coconut aminos have the same savory taste as soy sauce, renowned for adding umami to food. This sauce is non-GMO, kosher, organic, vegan, gluten-free, and low in salt. It’s a teriyaki sauce with a soy-based substitute that may be used similarly.

How Do You Make Hoisin Sauce From Scratch?

Although hoisin sauce may be made from scratch, black bean paste is necessary for an authentic version. This component is crucial for authenticity but is hard to get. Chinese 5-spice seasoning is the second necessary component that might be difficult to locate. Black bean sauce may be used instead. However, 5-spice is essential.

Black bean sauce, Chinese five-spice, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and a dash of spicy sauce are all combined to make hoisin. For aficionados of Asian cuisine, many components are standard pantry items, and the procedure is rather straightforward. There are substitutes if black bean paste is unavailable.

Smooth peanut butter is popular since it adds umami flavor and has the same thick consistency. The alternative is molasses. The closest comparable is peanut butter, but seek unsweetened.

What Tastes Like Hoisin Sauce?

Hoisin sauce has a distinct taste due to the umami, salty, and sweet flavors it combines. It distinguishes itself from other sauces because of its rich and thick texture. That does not, however, imply that it cannot be replaced. Playing around is the greatest approach to discovering something that tastes like hoisin sauce. American barbecue sauce is an excellent place to start since hoisin is sometimes referred to as Chinese barbecue sauce.

This also combines sweet and salty flavors. Molasses will provide depth, soy will offer umami, and Chinese 5-spice will give it a more genuine flavor. It has a taste profile like hoisin if you can obtain black bean sauce. It gets layered with soy sauce, sugar, and rice wine vinegar. Hoisin and oyster sauce have the same umami character and a comparable, although thinner, consistency. Use a little and add some brown sugar to sweeten.

Can I Substitute Worcestershire Sauce For Hoisin?

Although they may both be used in a pinch, hoisin sauce and Worcestershire sauce are not suitable stand-ins for one another. The mix of umami and sweet flavorings in these sauces unites them. Hoisin sauce is thicker than Worcestershire sauce, but it tastes fruitier. Hoisin is thick and has a flavor of vinegar.

These substitutes function well when hoisin is used as a tiny portion of a sauce or marinade. Worcestershire sauce lacks the proper consistency to be used as a dipping sauce for hoisin. Oyster sauce might be a preferable substitute for Worcestershire sauce.

Oyster sauce and Worcestershire sauce have comparable seafood basis, yet there are significant differences in taste and texture. Hoisin sauce combined with soy sauce will be a superior Worcestershire sauce alternative. Soy sauce also functions well.

Conclusion Substitute For Hoisin Sauce In Lettuce Wraps

The best hoisin sauce in lettuce wraps that is most convenient for you is the best! There will be a difference in taste from the original recipe, as there always is with substitutions. You may choose from any of the tasty alternatives listed above. Choose a recipe for which you have the ingredients and the time, then try it!

An excellent hoisin substitute must strike a balance between sweet and salty flavors. You’re okay to go if you can also taste some tanginess. Feel free to add a little or a lot of honey, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and five-spice to any of the recommendations above.