Why Chefs Are Swapping Soy Sauce for Coconut Aminos

If you're looking for a simple way to shake up your everyday cooking, consider adding coconut aminos to the mix. Typically shelved between Asian staples like rice vinegar, fish sauce, and sesame seed oil at grocery stores, this accessible, umami-rich condiment is a go-to ingredient for many cooking professionals. We caught up with chefs and a coconut aminos expert to find out what this bottled sauce is made of, how to use it, and why they're such avid fans.

What Is Coconut Aminos?

It's an "underrated condiment, an excellent substitute for soy sauce, and versatile enough to suit many dietary needs, including celiac-friendly, vegan, and soy-free diets," says Mark Yu, executive chef at 53, a contemporary Asian restaurant in Manhattan.

All of that (and more), the provenance of coconut aminos starts with the nutrient-rich sap of the coconut blossom, which is gently hand-tapped from coconut palm trees, says Stacy Gabriel, director of innovation at Nutiva, a producer of organic, plant-based culinary oils and pantry staples. In making Nutiva Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos, the sap is harvested sustainably by small family farmers in the Philippines, then naturally fermented with a touch of sea salt.

Coconut aminos has trace amounts of amino acids, the building blocks of protein found in foods like eggs, fish, meat, dairy products, whole grains, and vegetables. While not salt-free, its sodium content is far lower than that of soy sauce.

Taste and Texture

If you've never sampled this sauce, you might expect it to deliver an explosion of coconut flavor. "Despite the name, it doesn't taste like coconut," Yu clarifies. He likens coconut aminos to a light soy sauce.

It's also naturally less salty and marginally sweeter than soy sauce, lending a hit of umami, Gabriel says. "It enhances ingredients rather than overpowering them, making it a favorite pantry staple for both home cooks and chefs," she says.

"There's a natural sweetness to it and a light, savory warmth that rounds out flavors instead of fighting them, which makes it easy to layer into dishes where I want clarity and balance," explains Ashwin Vilkhu, chef of The Kingsway, a Singapore-inspired contemporary Asian restaurant in New Orleans. 

Its color and texture also bolster culinary creations, Vilkhu says. "Deep amber and lightly viscous, it adds a subtle sheen that's great for finishing a dish," he notes.

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Soy Sauce Substitute

Soy sauce is obviously a dependable pantry staple used for everything from dipping sauces to fried rice, and it can even lean sweet, like in soy sauce glazes, but for some palates, it has limitations. "As a chef, I like using coconut aminos because it gives me real depth without the heaviness or salt punch of soy sauce," Vilkhu explains.

Coconut aminos can be implemented as a 1:1 swap for soy sauce or tamari in almost any recipe, Gabriel says. Vilkhu likes to use coconut aminos as both a substitute and in tandem with these fermented soybean condiments, depending on the direction he wants to take his dish. "Blended with soy sauce, it has a layered richness that makes dishes feel more complete," he says.

As Yu mentioned, coconut aminos also sync with many restricted diets. Soy, Yu emphasizes, is a major food allergen. While gluten-free tamari sauce can typically be substituted for soy sauce, coconut aminos present another option. "It happens to be soy-free, gluten-free, and vegan, so I can keep the flavor bold while still cooking for guests with different dietary needs,” Vilkhu says.

Cooking With Coconut Aminos

Coconut aminos effortlessly amp up the flavor of mains, sides, and greens.

• Stir-fries: Yu finds that it adds rich umami depth to stir-fries. (Experiment with one of our vegetable-packed favorites.)
• Sushi: "Coconut aminos pair well with sushi, though you may want to add a touch of salt to match the salinity of traditional soy sauce," he recommends. 
• Sauces: It also heightens salad dressings, dipping sauces, and marinades for tofu, fish, and meat.
• Final flourish: Gabriel suggests drizzling the sauce over rice bowls, noodle dishes, and eggs. Or try tweaking classics like shrimp chow mein with a splash.
• Acids and aromatics: Vilkhu also has his cherished applications. "I love pairing it with bright acids like lime or rice vinegar, a touch of heat from Kashmiri chile or bird's eye pepper, and aromatics like ginger or lemongrass to bring out its complexity," he says. Its powers are subtle, but impactful. "It's one of those ingredients that quietly makes everything taste a little more dialed-in."