Hoisin sauce is a fragrant, pungent sauce used frequently in Asian vegetable stir-fries, marinades,and grilled dishes. It is a key ingredient in many Chinese dishes and some Vietnamese food recipes and is sometimes called Chinese barbecue sauce.
What Is Hoisin Sauce?
Hoisin sauce is a condiment based on fermented soybean paste with other flavors and spices. It adds an Asian flavor to dishes, combining umami with sweet, tangy, and spicy elements. It is not made with any animal products and is therefore suitable for vegans and vegetarians, although it is traditionally served with Peking duck, a Cantonese dish. Since it is typically made with soybeans, you would have to look for a soy-free version made with a different bean if you are eliminating soy from your diet.
Origins
Little is known about the origins of hoisin sauce other than that it is Cantonese. The name hoisin comes from the Chinese word for seafood and earlier formulations might have had a seafood ingredient to provide the umami flavor. Today, it doesn't contain any seafood. Not only that,it usually isn't used with seafood, so the origin of the name is a mystery.
What Is It Made Of?
Hoisin sauce is made from a combination of fermented soybean paste, garlic, vinegar, sesame oil, chiles, and sweetener.Commercially prepared hoisin sauce might have preservatives, stabilizers, and coloring agents added. The ingredients in the popular Lee Kum Kee brand include sugar, water, fermented soybean paste (contains wheat flour), salt, sweet potato powder, modified cornstarch, sesame paste, garlic, chili peppers, and spices.
What Does It Taste Like?
Hoisin is dark in color and thick in consistency. It has a very strong salty and slightly sweet flavor. Hoisin sauce does taste a bit like an American-style barbecue sauce, but much saltier, richer, less sweet, and has a flavor all its own. The fermented soybeans add the savory umami element that some other sauces use fish or meat to achieve.
Cooking With Hoisin Sauce
Because the unique taste can be overpowering, particularly if you’re new to Asian cuisine, it’s recommended that you use only a bit at a time to experiment with the flavor. Or, dilute the flavor by adding water or oil to the hoisin sauce before using in a recipe.
Hoisin sauce is a great way to add an authentic Asian flavor, thickening, and color to a stir-fry or noodle dish. It also can be used as a dipping sauce for egg rolls, spring rolls, or other appetizers.
Recipes With Hoisin Sauce
You will find hoisin sauce in a variety of recipes from main dishes to stir-fries to vegetable side dishes. Many Asian vegan and vegetarian recipes call for hoisin sauce.
- Vegan Thai Stir-Fry
- Spare Ribs With Hoisin Sauce
- Baked Hoisin Sauce Chicken Wings
Substitutions
If you can't find hoisin sauce at the store, your best bet is to use a recipe to make a substitute with peanut butter, miso, or black bean paste; you also can make a raw vegan version. You might substitute Chinese brown bean sauce or chee housauce if you have those on hand; both of these are made from soybeans but might be spicier than hoisin sauce.
Another quick substitute is to take typical American sweet barbecue sauce and add sriracha and Chinese five spice powder. Be sure to check any substitutes to see if they include things you are eliminating from your dietsuch as animal products or gluten.
Where to Buy Hoisin Sauce
Many grocery stores stock hoisin sauce in the Asian food aisle; look for brands such as Lee Kum Kee. You might want to seek out more authentic producers from Asia by shopping at Chinese or Asian specialty grocers. You also can buy hoisin sauce online.
Storage
An unopened bottle of hoisin sauce can be stored in a cool, dark place and will be shelf-stable for a couple of years. Check the bottle for its "best by" date that will indicate when it will begin to degrade. If you have had the sauce for a while, ensure it hasn't grown any mold or developed an off odor.
Once you open a bottle, it should be refrigerated. But you don't have to use it quickly as it should last for up to a year in the refrigerator, thanks to the high salt content that keeps bacteria and mold at bay. Signs that it's time to toss it include mold, odor, or discoloration.
FAQs
As per Wikipedia, Hoisin (海鮮) is actually the Chinese word for “seafood”, however, the sauce does not contain any seafood ingredients, so it's naturally vegan. Why is it called “hoisin” then? Because the sauce was often used as an accompaniment to seafood dishes.
Is hoisin sauce the same as barbecue sauce? ›
Hoisin sauce, also known as Chinese barbecue sauce, is a popular ingredient in many Asian cuisines. It's used to marinate and cook meats, and many people add it to vegetables and stir-fry dishes for a sweet and tangy burst of deliciousness.
Can vegans have BBQ sauce? ›
So how do you know? Well, unless the sauce includes a “vegan” stamp on the label, you don't, really. Either skip any sauce that contains sugar (beet sugar, agave, coconut sugar, and even high fructose corn syrup are all safe options) or opt for an “organic” BBQ sauce, since organic sugar is always vegan.
What is hoisin sauce used for? ›
Hoisin sauce is a thick, fragrant sauce commonly used in Cantonese cuisine as a glaze for meat, an addition to stir fry, or as dipping sauce. It is dark-coloured, sweet and salty. Although regional variants exist, hoisin sauce usually includes soybeans, fennel, red chili peppers, and garlic.
Why do vegans not eat soy sauce? ›
In theory, soy sauce is vegan, as it is only made up of soybeans, wheat, water and wheat which are all, of course, vegan-friendly. However, some manufacturers add ingredients that compromise soy sauce being vegan, using flavour enhancers which are derived from fish or meat.
Does hoisin contain fish? ›
The word "Hoisin" is Cantonese and translates to 'seafood sauce', although it contains no seafood. It was created by a chef as a dip to accompany seafood at a local food stall. It was so unique and tasty, that people refer to the sauce as "seafood sauce" and the name stuck with the sauce.
What makes barbeque sauce not vegan? ›
Store bought barbecue sauces can be great, but they are not always vegan (think Heinz and some of sweet baby ray's barbecue sauce recipes); some brands do contain anchovies or honey, both of which are not considered vegan.
Is Sweet Baby Ray's original barbecue sauce vegan? ›
You've likely come across Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue Sauce at the grocery store. So, you'll be happy to know that the majority of this budget-friendly condiment's flavors are vegan. We're talking Original, Sweet Golden Mustard, No Sugar Added, Hickory and Brown Sugar, and more. Just keep an eye out for honey.
Is Trader Joe's barbecue sauce vegan? ›
Trader Joe's Organic Kansas City Style BBQ Sauce
This plant based barbecue sauce works well as a marinade or served at the table as a condiment.
Which is better hoisin or teriyaki sauce? ›
They're both sweet, salty and sometimes spicy but hoisin has a distinctive Chinese five spice flavor that teriyaki lacks. If you ate something normally made with hoisin you would find the flavor to be noticeably different. If you can live with that, then go for it.
Once the sauce lid is opened, you should always refrigerate the sauce instead of leaving the sauce out on the kitchen countertop where warm conditions can easily form bacteria. If the sauce is refrigerated, the oyster sauce or hoisin sauce can be kept for up to three to six months.
Does hoisin sauce go bad? ›
Unopened hoisin sauce can be stored from the date of purchase in a cool, dark place such as the pantry, for 12-18 months—or by the marked expiry date on the bottle. Once hoisin sauce is opened always refrigerate in an airtight container. It will be usable for up 6 months.
Is there dairy in hoisin sauce? ›
This product is likely dairy free.
What sauces in Subway are vegan? ›
Which Subway condiments are vegan? Vegans customers have many condiment choices, including several non-dairy spices and seasonings, and plenty of vegan sauces: barbeque, buffalo sauce, fat-free sweet onion, guacamole, three kinds of mustard, oil, red wine vinegar, Subway Herb Garlic Oil, and Subway Vinaigrette.
What condiments are not vegan? ›
Worcestershire Sauce
Other condiments that are often beloved but aren't vegan-friendly include horseradish, fish sauce, and mayonnaise. However, if you do some digging, you can often find plant-based replacements for these condiments.
Why is oyster sauce not vegan? ›
Why Most Oyster Sauce Is Not Vegan. Oyster sauce is made by simmering raw oyster juices until they have caramelized into a rich, salty sauce with a hint of sweetness.
