Worcestershire sauce — you know, the one that’s impossible to spell or pronounce — is a pantry staple that can be used for all kinds of kitchen upgrades. Its combination of savory and sweet ingredients give it a well-rounded flavor that could become the game changer for your basic burger, or lend soup and stew a tasty boost. But what do you do when you run out, or don’t have enough for your recipe? Thankfully, you can make an easy substitute using just three ingredients you probably already have at home.
First: What is this sauce actually made of? Unraveling the bizarre history of Worcestershire sauce, you’ll learn it is a combination of salt, vinegar, molasses, and a few aromatics that can also include anchovies or tamarind for that tangy bite. To make a substitute, you’ll want to tap into similar flavor combinations that include those key elements. For a three-ingredient Worcestershire substitute, combine ketchup, white wine vinegar, and soy sauce — One tablespoon of the ketchup and vinegar, and ½ tablespoon of the soy sauce. The ketchup brings in sweetness and tanginess, while the vinegar and soy sauce lend tartness and salt. Start with a small batch to keep the ratios consistent, but you’ll soon have a quick and easy Worcestershire substitute with just a little mixing.
Other Worcestershire sauce substitutes
Along with the ketchup, soy sauce, and white wine vinegar combo, there are a few other solutions you can try. Soy sauce by itself can serve as a suitable Worcestershire dupe because it has that salty taste with the right color and twang. You can also add vinegar for more of a kick. In fact, these two sauces are so comparable that you can actually make the substitution in reverse and use Worcestershire in place of soy sauce in a pinch. Hopefully this eases any doubts about swapping between these sauces when needed.
Another slightly funky alternative is fish sauce, which also has that salty and tangy overtone. Of course, it will also taste like fish and won’t have that same sweetness or aromatic flair. To combat this, add in a sugar like molasses and garlic powder to bring back that more traditional flavor. But, you can avoid fish altogether by replacing your Worcestershire with A1 steak sauce. Note that the consistency will be different; A1 is a thicker sauce made with a tomato purée, but it’s similar flavor profile and overlapping ingredients make it a nice match.
In essence, there are plenty of substitutes for Worcestershire sauce that also allow you to lean into the taste aspects you prefer in the sauce itself. Just be conscious of the basic flavors you’re replacing and keep track of your ratios to keep the recipe consistent across the board.
