15 Best Hoisin Sauce Substitutes for Cooking

If you love cooking Asian-style dishes, you’ll likely have a bottle of hoisin sauce in your pantry, but what can you use as a hoisin sauce substitute if you run out mid-recipe? Luckily, there are many alternatives to replace this rich and savory condiment, including stand-alone substitutions for hoisin sauce and blends you can make yourself from a few staple ingredients. 

Whether you’ve run out, can’t find any at the store or have to avoid hoisin sauce due to dietary restrictions, this guide is guaranteed to have a hoisin sauce substitute that works for you. 

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• What Is Hoisin Sauce Used for in Cooking?
• 15 Best Substitutes for Hoisin Sauce

What Is Hoisin Sauce Used for in Cooking?

Hoisin sauce has been used for centuries in various kinds of Asian cuisine, such as a glaze for meat or a sauce in stir fry. This sauce of Cantonese origin is used to add a rich, umami and slightly sweet taste to dishes. It’s added to an array of recipes, from marinades to dipping sauces both as a standalone sauce and as an addition to sauce recipes, such as peanut dipping sauce for rice paper summer rolls.

With so many ways to use this sauce, it can be a good idea to take some cooking classes near you or join online cooking classes, especially those that specialize in Cantonese cooking. These interactive professional chef-led sessions will teach you how best to use hoisin sauce to create flavorful dishes and you may even discover some additional hoisin sauce substitutes to try. 

15 Best Substitutes for Hoisin Sauce

1. Soy Sauce

One of the most convenient hoisin sauce substitutes that you’ll likely have in the kitchen is soy sauce. Soy sauce can replace hoisin in a variety of recipes, from noodle dishes and sauces for meat to dipping sauce recipes to serve with vegetable rolls or crispy Vietnamese egg rolls.  

To substitute soy sauce for hoisin sauce, use about half the amount of soy sauce as you would hoisin, adding more to taste if needed. It’s important to note that this hoisin sauce substitute is quite salty, so you may need to adjust the salt levels in your recipe when switching hoisin with soy sauce. 

Soy sauce also lacks the sweetness of hoisin, so adding a bit of sugar is a good idea. It's also more liquid than hoisin, meaning you may want to adjust the amount of other liquids you add to the recipe or simmer the dish a little longer. To reduce liquid, you could also stir in a small amount of cornstarch slurry (cornstarch and water mixed into a paste). 

2. Tamari

If you’re looking for a gluten-free hoisin sauce alternative, which soy sauce generally is not, your best choice is tamari. Tamari is a Japanese sauce that is a by-product of the liquid squeezed out of miso and contains fermented rice (koji) as well as soy. This hoisin sauce substitute is less salty than soy sauce but has a deeper and richer flavor. 

Tamari is not as thick as hoisin sauce, so to use it as a hoisin sauce alternative, you may need to thicken it with cornstarch and water or just simmer your hot dish for longer. Generally, use half the amount of tamari as you would hoisin, adding sugar to sweeten or cornstarch slurry to thicken as needed. However, adding to taste is usually the best method when opting for this sub for hoisin sauce. 

3. Black Bean Sauce

Black bean sauce, or more concentrated black bean paste, is an excellent hoisin sauce substitute as it has a similarly rich, umami, salty and sweet flavor profile. The ingredients used to make the two are quite similar as well. 

Additionally, the thickness of black bean sauce is close to that of hoisin sauce. If you enjoy the sweetness of hoisin, you may still want to add a little extra sweetener when using this substitute, but other than that, black bean sauce is a pretty close duplicate.

Black bean sauce works best as a replacement for hoisin sauce in marinades, stews and sauces, but it can work as a dipping sauce ingredient in a pinch. To substitute black bean sauce for hoisin sauce, use a 1:1 ratio, adding a sweetener gradually to taste if desired. 

4. Chinese Barbecue Sauce

While hoisin sauce is often called Chinese barbecue sauce, you can find other products at the store labeled as such (including char siu sauce), which can be used instead of hoisin if your market is all out. A Korean barbecue sauce can work as a sub for hoisin sauce as well and features a similar salty and sweet flavor profile. This substitute can be used in a 1:1 ratio.  

5. American Barbecue Sauce

While an Asian-style barbecue sauce will work best as a hoisin sauce substitute, you can use American-style barbecue sauce in a pinch. If possible, mix it with some other ingredients to better mimic the rich, umami taste of hoisin. 

To make this DIY hoisin sauce substitute using American barbecue sauce, you'll need:

• 1 tbsp. molasses
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
• 3/4 cup barbecue sauce
• 1/2 tbsp. Chinese five-spice powder

Simply mix the ingredients together. While not required, leaving the mixed sauce to marinate and blend together for a few hours can improve the potency of the flavors. To make the mixture to your desired consistency, you can add water for a more liquid sauce. As with store-bought Chinese barbecue sauce, you can use this substitute in a 1:1 ratio. 

6. Oyster Sauce

What makes oyster sauce such a great hoisin sauce substitute is that it has the same saltiness and sweetness of hoisin sauce. However, it does have a bit of a bolder flavor profile. Unlike hoisin sauce, oyster sauce also includes extract from oysters and sometimes other seafood, so if you have a seafood allergy, you may want to give this hoisin sauce substitute a miss.

Generally, you can use a 1:1 ratio when using oyster sauce as a sub for hoisin sauce but adding to taste is also a good idea if you don’t want the oyster taste to be overpowering. To make it sweeter, you can also add a sweetener to taste. Conveniently, there are also a lot of oyster sauce substitutes, so if you can’t find hoisin sauce or oyster sauce at the store, there should be a third option to grab. 

7. Teriyaki Sauce

Hoisin sauce is known for its sweet and salty flavors which teriyaki sauce also has, making it one of the best hoisin sauce substitutes. You can purchase this Japanese sauce from a store or make it yourself with ingredients like soy sauce or tamari, mirin and a sweetener, such as brown sugar or even maple syrup. If desired, you can also add ginger and garlic for more flavor. Whether you purchase it at the store or make it yourself, teriyaki sauce can conveniently be subbed for hoisin sauce in a 1:1 ratio. 

8.  Sriracha and Molasses Blend 

A great hoisin sauce substitute with a slight spicy kick is a combination of Sriracha and molasses. These two ingredients work together to mimic the sweet notes found in traditional hoisin sauce, with a few additional ingredients being added for the saltiness. Best of all, these ingredients are found in most household pantries, making this a convenient substitute if you realize you’re out of hoisin sauce during cooking.

To make this substitution for hoisin sauce, you'll need:

• 1 tbsp. Sriracha
• 2 tbsp. molasses
• 1 tbsp. peanut butter
• 1 tbsp. rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp. sesame seed oil
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tbsp. water
• 1/2 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder

Combine all of the above ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until combined. The mix can be used as an alternative to hoisin sauce in a 1:1 ratio. For a quicker option with fewer ingredients, simply mix Sriracha, molasses or brown sugar and soy sauce or tamari, adding a little cornstarch slurry if needed for thickness. 

9.  Garlic and Prunes

Garlic and prunes sound like a strange combination, but these ingredients are actually a great substitute for hoisin sauce. This is another alternative that needs a few additional ingredients, but you’ll likely already have all the components in your kitchen.

To make this substitute for hoisin sauce, you’ll need:

• 3/4 cup pitted prunes
• 2 cups water 
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce 
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 1/2 tbsp. dry sherry (optional)

Boil the prunes and water in a pot until the prunes soften. Next, add the prune and water mix to a blender with the other ingredients and blend until smooth. You can then add additional water if the mixture is too thick or other ingredients if needed to taste. Use this homemade hoisin alternative in a 1:1 ratio. 

10. Miso With Garlic and Brown Sugar

While lacking the sweetness of hoisin, miso makes a good hoisin sauce substitute due to its umami flavor notes. You could simply add some miso to a cooked dish that originally called for hoisin sauce, but mixing up a few other ingredients to create a substitute that can be used in a range of recipes, from Chinese eggplant to spring roll dipping sauce, is recommended.

To make this hoisin sauce substitute, you’ll need:

• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp. sesame oil
• 1 tsp. miso paste
• 1 tsp. soft brown sugar
• 1 1/4 cups water

Simply combine the ingredients in a food processor and use the same amount of the blended mixture in your recipe as you would hoisin sauce. You can also add a little soy sauce for added umami or some corn scratch slurry to thicken it. Interestingly, you can soak half a cup of raisins and add them to the mix if you don’t have brown sugar! 

11. Soy Sauce and Peanut Butter 

Peanut butter can make a great hoisin sauce substitute when paired with soy sauce and you’ll likely have some in your kitchen already. The two ingredients mimic the salty umami flavor of hoisin sauce, with the peanut butter also acting as a thickening agent. Add a few other common kitchen ingredients and you’ve got a delicious and unique DIY hoisin sauce alternative.

To make this hoisin sauce substitute, you’ll need:

• 4 tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 tbsp. brown sugar or honey 
• 2 tsp. white vinegar
• 2 tsp. sesame oil
• 1/8 tsp. black pepper
• 1/8 tsp. garlic powder

All you need to do is mix all ingredients in a bowl to form a paste and then use in a 1:1 ratio when replacing hoisin sauce. 

12. Thai Chile Sauce

Thai chile sauce is a relatively mild chile sauce used in Asian cooking. While it isn’t as rich or salty as hoisin, it can still make for a nice hoisin sauce substitute, especially as a dipping sauce. 

If you want to get closer to the taste of hoisin, increasing the salty and savory flavors, add a little soy sauce, tamari or oyster sauce to the Thai chile sauce. Whether you use it alone or mix in some additional ingredients, thai chile sauce can be used in a 1:1 ratio as a hoisin sauce replacement. 

13.  Fish Sauce

Fish sauce is another good hoisin sauce substitute, but as with oyster sauce, will add a fish flavor to your cooking. This alternative is also a little saltier than hoisin sauce, so you may want to adjust the overall saltiness of your dish when using fish sauce. 

Another thing to note is that fish sauce doesn’t have much sweetness, so if you want to mimic the sweetness of hoisin, add a little sugar or honey to your recipe as well. Because fish sauce is quite strong, adding it gradually to taste is recommended. 

14. Sweet and Sour Sauce

Another Asian sauce that can work in a pinch as a hoisin sauce substitute is sweet and sour sauce. You can opt to use a store-bought version or make your own. Either way, adding a little oyster sauce and sesame oil to the sweet and sour sauce can be useful to better replicate the taste of hoisin. For this substitute, a 1:1 ratio switch should be sufficient. 

15. Homemade Hoisin Sauce

The last hoisin sauce substitute on our list is homemade hoisin sauce, which is a great option to go for if you have the ingredients on hand. Due to the rich and fresh taste of homemade sauce, you may even opt to always make your own hoisin sauce after trying this recipe!

To make homemade hoisin sauce, you'll need:

• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. water
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tbsp. rice vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. sesame oil
• 3 tbsp. Chinese black bean sauce
• 4 prunes
• 1/2 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder 
• 1 pinch of red pepper flakes or sriracha sauce (optional) 

All you need to do is place the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Understandably, homemade hoisin sauce can be used in a 1:1 ratio to store-bought hoisin.

As you can see, there are many hoisin sauce substitutes to use and even make yourself if you don’t have the popular Asian condiment on hand. Best of all, you’ll likely have a lot of these substitute ingredients in your kitchen already, meaning it’s very low-hassle to sub out hoisin sauce in all of your favorite recipes.

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