Soy sauce is a pretty familiar ingredient to most cooks, but what about “dark soy sauce?” What’s the difference between dark soy sauce and regular soy sauce, and do you need to have dark soy sauce in your pantry?
The short answer is yes. Dark soy sauce is one of our 10 Essential Chinese Pantry Ingredients, and in this article, we’ll tell you why.
What Is Dark Soy Sauce? How’s It Different from Regular Soy Sauce?
Dark soy sauce (lǎo chōu, 老抽) is thicker, darker, and slightly sweeter than regular or light soy sauce. Like regular soy sauce, it is used to flavor dishes, but more importantly, it’s used to darken the color of sauces, fried rice, noodles, etc.
Most people think that dark soy sauce has less salt than regular soy sauce. However, dark soy sauce actually has about 15% more sodium than regular/light soy sauce. Its mild sweetness offsets the saltiness, making it only seem less salty.
How Is Dark Soy Sauce Used?
It’s commonly used in braised/red-cooked dishes like Red Cooked Pork, or to achieve that tantalizing dark amber color in stir-fries like Beef & Broccoli or rice/noodle dishes like Supreme Soy Sauce Fried Rice and Cantonese Pan-fried Noodles.
You only need a teaspoon or two to take a dish from pale to amber brown. Taste often when adding more dark soy sauce, so you don’t over-season your dish!
See the photo below of adding dark soy sauce to white rice…
And what the rice looks like after it’s been stirred in (along with eggs and scallions):
Buying & Storing
We prefer Pearl River Bridge Superior Dark Soy Sauce. You can buy it in 500ml bottles or larger bulk jugs (1.8L). You can also try Lee Kum Kee Premium Dark Soy Sauce.
You may also see other varieties, such as Mushroom Flavored Dark Soy Sauce and Double Black Soy Sauce.
Mushroom Flavored Dark Soy Sauce has a bit of extra (you guessed it) mushroom flavor, which adds umami to dishes. You can use it interchangeably with regular dark soy sauce in recipes. Double Black Soy Sauce is basically soy sauce with added molasses, making it darker, thicker, and a bit sweet.
You can see below that the light soy sauce on the left is pretty thin in consistency, while the dark soy sauce in the middle is thicker and darker. The double black soy sauce on the right has a consistency similar to dark soy sauce.
If you don’t have a Chinese market near you, you can also find dark soy sauce online. Store your dark soy sauce in a cool, dry place like the pantry. No need to refrigerate.
What Can I Substitute for Dark Soy Sauce?
A small amount of dark soy sauce is usually called for in a recipe mostly for color, so if you don’t have any, you can simply omit it. Your dish will be lighter in color, but still tasty.
That said, if you really want your version of a recipe to look like the photographs, and that recipe calls for dark soy sauce, don’t leave it out.
If you have double black soy sauce on hand, use it in place of dark soy sauce. You can also use mushroom flavored dark soy sauce interchangeably with regular dark soy sauce.
You can also mix together molasses, regular soy sauce, and a pinch of sugar to make a passable substitute.
Our Favorite Dishes That Use This Ingredient:
- Chinese Stir-fry Sauce
- Cantonese Soy Sauce Pan-fried Noodles
- Supreme Soy Sauce Fried Rice
- Instant Pot Soy Sauce Chicken Bowls
- Soy Sauce Chicken
- Caramelized Soy Sauce Noodles with Sweet Potato & Mushrooms
- Hong Kong Style Clay Pot Rice
If you have further questions about dark soy sauce, let us know in the comments––we try to answer every single one.
Dark Soy Sauce Substitution
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce (regular or light soy sauce)
- 1/2 teaspoon molasses
- 1/8 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
Substitution Option A:
- Double black soy sauce or mushroom flavored dark soy sauce (both can be used interchangeably with dark soy sauce)
Substitution Option B:
- 2 teaspoons regular soy sauce mixed with 1/2 teaspoon molasses and 1/8 teaspoon sugar.
How do you think it would work to make a large batch if this and store it in a bottle for future use? Being gluten free its challenging to find good soy sauce but I have never seen double black soy sauce that is gluten free.
Hi Ellen, you are correct, practically all soy sauce is made with some wheat unless it is specifically labeled gluten-free. I would try making a small batch to fill a reusable bottle first.
Hi Ellen, I also have to be gluten free. I am going to try to make a substitute using liquid aminos, molasses, and mushroom ketchup or mushroom bouillon (Better than Bouillon makes one). I don’t know the proportions yet, but I think I can make it work!
Great to learn I can make it myself if I don’t have any on hand
Hi Paula, the substitution won’t be as good as the real thing, but it is certainly a decent alternative if, as you say, you don’t have any on hand!
First off, I was thrilled to find your site with authentic Chinese recipes – all easy to make! Thank you! My question is this: I was recently diagnosed with Celiac disease (unusual because I am Chinese) which means many commonly used sauces are off the table now. What can I substitute for dark soy? Obviously, it needs to be gluten free. I am finding that gluten free soy sauce is lacking in depth.
Hi Terry, sorry to hear about your condition. For dark soy sauce, you should be able to use a mixture of molasses and liquid aminos as a gluten-free dark soy sauce substitute, but you’ll have to experiment with how much to use in its place.
How long does dark soy & mushroom soy sauce last? Do they need refridgeration? Thank you.
BTW I love your website.
Hi Mary, we store both in a cool dark cupboard unrefrigerated, and it lasts for months.
That’s good to know! I have a large container of the Pearl River brand – and have VERY little space in my refrigerator. Need to make room for more Asian condiments. :)
I’m confused….
above it says regular soy sauce, molasses and water,
and the recipe card says regular soy sauce, molasses and SUGAR
which is it??
Thanks for catching that, Mike! The mention of “water” in the recipe card description is a typo—should have been sugar. Fixed it just now.
Thank you!
I’m having a real hard time finding a recipe for thick soy sauce, like the brand koon chun. Their ingredients are just molasses, water, sugar and soy sauce so this seems like it’s the same. Is it close?
@Rob I have used Koon Chun thick soy sauce for several dishes such as 3 Cup Chicken and Char Siu roast pork and find it is not a suitable replacement for dark soy sauce. The molasses flavor is quite strong so I use it in moderation. It’s good for adding color and a glaze.
Hi Rob, thick soy sauce is a little harder to find, so it is not a commonly used ingredient, but it is a decent substitute for dark soy sauce. Though it’s important to note that it is thicker and does have a molasses flavor.
Is there a dark soy sauce that is gluten-free? I’m even having to learn to make vegan oyster sauce that is gluten-free. Thanks to Bragg’s Amino Acids, I have a good soy sauce replacement.
Hi Barbara, I have not yet seen a GF dark soy sauce product on the market.
Hi Barbara,
Google turned this up for me–https://usa.lkk.com/en/foodservices/products/gluten-free-premium-dark-soy-sauce –as well as this post when I was looking. I ‘m still trying to find where to buy a homecook quantity, but hopeful we’ll be able to find it someday
Hi. What does no msg mean?. Does dark soy sauce and light soy sauce have msg?. Is there a brand that doesn’t contain msg for both ?. Also is kikkoman good soy sauce to make fried rice, shrimp and broccoli etc?. Sorry, so many options and brands it’s confusing. Thanks!
Carol, I’ve found Kikkoman to be ultra salty. If you can get to an Asian market, I would go there and ask what they recommend. I, personally, use Bragg’s Amino Acids.
Actually, Bragg lists their sodium content as 160 mg per HALF TEASPOON, and Kikkoman lists theirs as 960 mg per TABLESPOON. Since one tablespoon is 3 teaspoons, Bragg’s has the same sodium as Kikkoman’s.
I search a lot online, especially since I try to avoid grocery stores during Covid-19. This is the first I’ve seen where the measurement is a 1/2 teaspoon. Seems deceptive to me, but that’s just my opinion.
Hi Carol, most brands of naturally brewed soy sauce do not add msg. Kikkoman is a good brand, but is considered a regular soy sauce and not dark. (Technically it’s a “dark JAPANESE soy sauce,” but it is closer to Chinese light soy sauce than Chinese dark soy sauce). Read about it here in our comprehensive soy sauce article: https://thewoksoflife.com/soy-sauce/
I only have light soy sauce and I will add molasses and sugar but is it going to taste the same as when dark soy sauce is used?
Hi James, it will not taste quite the same as the real thing, and you won’t get as intense of a darkening effect to the dish.
How much of each do I mix to make the substitute?
Can I use honey instead of molasses?
Hu Sue, mixing honey with regular soy sauce won’t work for a dark soy sauce substitute.
I live in Taiwan and I’m having trouble finding dark soy sauce. Does it go by another name in Asia?
Hi MJ, dark soy sauce is the name in English in China. In Thailand it is called “black soy,” though it’s a bit different than the Chinese version. In Chinese, it is called “old” soy or 老抽. In China, there’s generally no English on labels.
Bill, At my local Walmart there are about 10 different soy sauces, some do say “light” but none say “dark”?? I need DARK. Can you help me out? Thanks
Hi Doug, inventories at Walmart vary, so I can understand that your local Walmart does not have it. I would try your supermarket or try finding a local Chinese or Asian supermarket. A last resort would be ordering it online – one source that came up in a google search is Asian mart. You can also try justasianfood.com, yamibuy.com, and mimodian.com.