If you’re a fan of Asian cuisine, you’re a fan of hoisin sauce (and soy sauce). But does it contain any seafood like oyster sauce or is it vegan-friendly?
Hoisin sauce is considered vegan. However, some brands of hoisin sauce contain “caramel color” which can be made using sugar that is processed with bone char. Also, some brands simply do not contain a “vegan” certification, so it is important to always read the label. The best vegan certified Hoisin sauce is Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos Hoisin Sauce.
As we proceed through this article, we will highlight which brands you should be cautious of while also providing vegan-friendly alternatives to these brands. Let’s dig in!
Contents
Is Hoisin Sauce Bad For You?
With a high sodium content, hoisin sauce isn’t considered the best for you. It can be enjoyed just watch out for portion sizes as it can easily boost you up past the daily recommended intake for sodium. Doing so can lead to an increase in blood pressure and can lead to hypertension (in the extreme case of eating too much sodium). If you have any issues with hypertension or other related health issues, make sure to watch your intake and have caution when consuming high sodium products.
The American Heart Association has recommended a daily intake of sodium be less than 1,500 mg a day. Too much sodium leads to your body retaining fluids, causing your blood pressure to rise (hypertension being a potential result).
Vegan Hoisin Sauce Brands
Coconut Secret, Coconut Aminos Hoisin Sauce
Ingredients for this flavor include:
- Chickpea Miso (rice koji, chickpeas, sea salt)
- Coconut Nectar
- Coconut Crystals
- Mirin (rice, distilled rice wine, water, rice koji, sea salt)
- Himalayan Salt
- Coconut Vinegar
- Garlic
- Toasted Sesame Oil
- Ginger
- Chili Powder
- Star Anise
- Organic
- Soy-free
- Non-GMO
- Vegan
Nutrition Facts (per 1 tbsp., 15mL):
- Calories- 43
- Total Fat- 0g
- Total Carbs- 10g
- Protein- 1g
A low-glycemic sauce, Coconut Secret’s Coconut Aminos Hoisin Sauce boasts vegan-friendly ingredients (as well as gluten-free, organic, and non-GMO!). And for any that are cautious around soy products, this Hoisin Sauce is also soy-free—so put your worries at ease!
Premier Japan, Organic Gluten-free Hoisin Sauce
Ingredients for this flavor include:
- Water
- Tamari* (Water, Soybeans*, Salt, Alcohol*)
- Apple Cider Vinegar*
- Cane Sugar*
- Molasses*
- Red Miso*
- Orange Juice Concentrate
- Tapioca Starch*
- Sesame Oil*
- Jalapeño*
- Ginger*
- Garlic Powder*
- Tamarind Puree*
- Xanthan Gum
- Cinnamon*
- Anise*
- Black Pepper*
- Fennel*
- Cloves*
- Gluten-free
- Vegan
- Certified Organic
- CONTAINS SOY
Nutrition Facts (per 1 tbsp., 15 mL):
- Calories- 15
- Total Fat- 0g
- Total Carbs- 3g
- Protein- 0g
Verifying its vegan and gluten-free status, Premier Japan holds onto the belief of using clean ingredients by using an all-organic assembly. The blend of ginger, garlic, and toasted sesame oil is just the sauce you need for grilling or dipping.
Soy Vay, Hoisin Garlic Marinade & Sauce
Ingredients for this flavor include:
- Hoisin sauce (sugar, water, soybeans, salt, modified corn starch, wheat flour, caramel color, sesame oil, acetic acid, spices)
- Sugar
- Soy sauce (water, wheat, soybeans, salt)
- Expeller pressed vegetable oil (soybean and/or canola)
- Dried garlic
- No preservatives
- Vegan
- Kosher
- CONTAINS SOY AND WHEAT
Nutrition Facts (per 1 tbsp., 19g):
- Calories- 50
- Total Fat- 1.5g
- Total Carbs- 10g
- Protein- 1g
A silver finalist for Outstanding Cooking Sauce for the NASFT Sofi Awards, Soy Yay’s Hoisin Garlic Marinade & Sauce is verified vegan and delicious. With notes of garlic, this salty and sweet sauce is the marinade you need to grill or stir fry you’re favorite foods.
365 Whole Foods Market, Organic Hoisin Sauce
Ingredients for this flavor include:
- Filtered water
- Organic cane sugar
- Organic soy sauce (water, organic soybeans, organic wheat, salt, organic alcohol)
- Organic apple cider vinegar
- Organic miso (organic rice koji, organic soybeans, sea salt, water, koji spores (Aspergillus oryzae))
- Organic molasses
- Organic cornstarch
- Organic orange juice concentrate
- Organic ginger puree
- Organic expeller pressed sesame seed oil
- Organic onion powder
- Organic garlic powder
- Organic caramel color
- Organic chili powder
- Organic garlic
- Organic tamarind
- Xanthan gum
- Vegan
- Certified Organic
- Fat-free
- CONTAINS SOY AND WHEAT INGREDIENTS
Nutrition Facts (per 1 tbsp., 15g):
- Calories- 15
- Total Fat- 0g
- Total Carbs- 3g
- Protein- 0g
Brought to the people by Whole Foods Market, 365’s Organic Hoisin Sauce is verified vegan and certified organic. No worries about toxic ingredients or hidden animal products here!
Non-Vegan Hoisin Sauce Brands
Kikkoman, Hoisin Sauce
Ingredients for this flavor include:
- Sugar
- Water
- Miso (water, soybeans, rice, salt, alcohol)
- Plum puree
- Soy sauce (water, soybeans, wheat, salt)
- Garlic
- Vinegar
- Caramel color
- Modified corn starch
- Salt
- Spices
- Xanthan gum
- Citric acid
- No high fructose corn syrup
- CONTAINS SOY
Nutrition Facts (per 2 tbsp., 39g):
- Calories- 90
- Total Fat- 0g
- Total Carbs- 21g
- Protein- <1g
Kikkoman is widely known for their soy sauce products that are found at almost every restaurant with dedicated Asian cuisine. Their hoisin sauce, unfortunately, does not boast a “vegan” label. Though there are no visible animal byproducts in the ingredients, we haven’t put this brand on the “vegan-friendly” list until the brand states otherwise.
The ingredient “caramel color” could be the reason for such, as sometimes caramel color is made with white sugar, which can be processed using bone char (not vegan). It’s safe to say this is up to the individual’s discretion, but we have put this on the “Be Wary Of” list just in case.
Lee Kum Kee, Gluten-free Hoisin Sauce
Ingredients for this flavor include:
- Sugar
- Water
- Salt
- Distilled vinegar
- Soy flour
- Garlic
- Modified corn starch
- Contains less than 2% of:
- Soybeans
- Caramel color
- Sesame oil
- Xanthan gum
- Spices
- Citric acid
- Gluten-free
- CONTAINS SOYBEANS
Nutrition Facts (per 2 tbsp., 39g):
- Calories- 100
- Total Fat- 0g
- Total Carbs- 25g
- Protein- 1g
With a wide variety of hoisin sauce flavors including original, garlic, lemongrass chili, lime-cilantro, and much more, Lee Kum Kee loves their hoisin sauce and loves spreading the joy of its wonderful taste. Their hoisin sauce, unfortunately, does not boast a “vegan” label. Though there are no visible animal byproducts in the ingredients, we haven’t put this brand on the “vegan-friendly” list until the brand states otherwise.
The ingredient “caramel color” could be the reason for such, as sometimes caramel color is made with white sugar, which can be processed using bone char (not vegan). It’s safe to say this is up to the individual’s discretion, but we have put this on the “Be Wary Of” list just in case.
San-j, Gluten-free Hoisin Sauce
Ingredients for this flavor include:
- Brown Sugar
- Water
- Red Miso (Water, Soybeans, Rice, Salt, Alcohol)
- Molasses
- Tamari Soy Sauce (Water, Soybeans, Salt, Alcohol)
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Garlic Puree (Garlic, Water)
- Ginger Puree (Ginger, Water, Salt)
- Plum Juice Concentrate
- Spice
- Arrowroot
- Inactive Yeast
- Non-GMO
- Kosher
- FODMAP-friendly
- Gluten-free
- CONTAINS SOY
Nutrition Facts (per 1 tbsp., 15 mL):
- Calories- 30
- Total Fat- 0g
- Total Carbs- 6g
- Protein- <1g
This particular hoisin sauce, by San-j, has been specifically made gluten-free while still keeping the aromatic flavor boasted from this brand. Their hoisin sauce, unfortunately, does not boast a “vegan” label. Though there are no visible animal byproducts in the ingredients, we haven’t put this brand on the “vegan-friendly” list until the brand states otherwise.
Alternatives to Hoisin Sauce
Primal Kitchen, No Soy Teriyaki Sauce & Marinade
Ingredients for this flavor include:
- Water
- Organic Coconut Aminos (Organic Coconut Syrup, Himalayan Salt)
- Organic Balsamic Vinegar (Organic Wine Vinegar, Organic Concentrated Grape Must)
- Organic Dates
- Organic Orange Juice Concentrate
- Sea Salt
- Organic Tapioca Starch
- Organic Ginger
- Organic Garlic
- Organic Tamarind
- Organic Sesame Seeds
- Organic Distilled Vinegar
- Organic Sesame Oil
- Organic Yeast Extract
- Soy-free
- Gluten-free
- Organic
- Paleo
- CONTAINS COCONUT
Nutrition Facts (per 1 tbsp.):
- Calories- 15
- Total Fat- 0g
- Total Carbs- 3g
- Protein- 0g
Reviewers on their page boast “no soy, but all the flavor”! Primal Kitchen as created this gluten-free and soy-free alternative to hoisin sauce that is great for stir fry’s, sauces, and seasoning your favorite foods.
Coconut Secret, Coconut Aminos Garlic Sauce
Ingredients for this flavor include:
- Organic Coconut Sap
- Organic Garlic
- Sea Salt
- Organic Ginger
- Organic Cayenne Pepper
- Gluten-free
- Soy-free
- Non-GMO
- Vegan
- Organic
- CONTAINS COCONUT
Nutrition Facts (per 1 tbsp.):
- Calories- 10
- Total Fat- 0g
- Total Carbs- 2g
- Protein- 0g
The perfect replacement for soy, Coconut Secret’s products boast soy-free and organic products that keep the flavor and get rid of the soy. This Coconut Aminos Garlic Sauce provides just the flavor you need for stir fries and sauce while being vegan-friendly.
G Hughes, Sugar-free Asian Miso Dressing
Ingredients for this flavor include:
- Vinegar
- Water
- Vegetable Oil Blend (Sesame and Canola and/or Soybean)
- Soy Sauce (Water, Hydrolyzed Corn and Soy Protein, Salt)
- Rice Wine Vinegar
- Pineapple Juice Concentrate
- Red Miso Powder (Fermented Soy, Salt)
- Spices
- Xanthan Gum
- Dried Garlic
- Sodium Benzoate and Potassium Sorbate (Preservatives)
- Sucralose
- Calcium Disodium EDTA to Preserve Flavor
- Gluten-free
- Sugar-free
- CONTAINS SOY
Nutrition Facts (per 2 tbsp.):
- Calories- 60
- Total Fat- 6g
- Total Carbs- 1g
- Protein- 1g
G Hughes has boasted a line of creations that are sugar-free and without any high fructose corn syrups. If you’re worried about carbs, don’t be! This Sugar-free Asian Miso Dressing only has one gram of carbohydrates per serving!
Related Questions
What is the best Hoisin sauce replacement?
If you’ve run out of hoisin sauce and really need an adequate replacement, I recommend checking out this article for The Top 5 Hoisin Substitutes.
What is the best Hoisin sauce uses?
Are you a sucker for some good hoisin sauce? If so, you need to check out this Six Tasty Hoisin Sauce Uses article. From making a glaze to using it in a stir fry, this article goes over the best ways to add your favorite hoisin sauce to foods.
Is Hoisin sauce the same as oyster sauce?
Similar in taste, oyster sauce and hoisin sauce are actually quite different when you check out the ingredients label. Oyster sauce is made from oyster extracts (so not vegan-friendly as it contains animal byproducts) and usually is just slightly sweet with a salty taste. Hoisin sauce, on the other hand, contains no seafood ingredients and more often than not, is vegan-friendly.