If you’ve ever eaten meatloaf, meat stews, or meat pies, there’s a chance you’ve eaten Worcestershire sauce without even knowing it. Worcestershire sauce provides a savory flavor and is used in many meat-based dishes. If you’re following a gluten-free diet, you have to be careful about potentially hidden gluten in Worcestershire sauce.
If Worcestershire sauce contains soy sauce and/or malt vinegar, it is not gluten-free. Otherwise, it is considered gluten-free. French’s, O Organics, and Simple Truth all offer gluten-free Worcestershire sauce. Other alternatives to Worcestershire sauce that are gluten-free include Primal Kitchen Organic and Sugar-Free Steak Sauce, Thrive Market Organic Tamari Gluten-Free Soy Sauce, and Thrive Market Organic Tamari Gluten-Free Soy Sauce.
If you want to learn more about Worcestershire sauce and its typical ingredients, keep scrolling!
Contents
What is Worcestershire sauce?
Worcestershire sauce was invented in 1835 by two chemists in Worcester, England. Worcestershire sauce is a fermented savory sauce similar to fish sauce and soy sauce. Its primary ingredients are vinegar, anchovies, molasses, tamarind, onion, garlic, and other seasonings. Many types of Worcestershire sauce contain soy sauce as an ingredient.
What is Worcestershire sauce used for?
Worcestershire sauce is commonly used in meatloaf, Caesar salad, cocktail sauce, and as a marinade. It helps add savory flavor to meat stews/casseroles, soups, sauces, and more. It can also be added to Bloody Mary’s.
Because it contains vinegar, Worcestershire sauce is a good meat tenderizer.
Is Worcestershire sauce gluten-free?
It’s hit-and-miss as to whether or not Worcestershire sauce is gluten-free. Original Worcestershire sauce used malt vinegar which contains gluten, but there are varieties with white vinegar which doesn’t contain gluten.
Some types of Worcestershire sauce contain soy sauce which typically contains gluten. To be sure, you should check the label or opt for Worcestershire labeled gluten-free.
What about tamari soy sauce?
Tamari is a type of soy sauce that contains very little or no wheat. You’ll likely see tamari soy sauce in gluten-free versions of Worcestershire sauce.
Gluten is easy to spot in foods that contain regular flour. However, you might be surprised that sauces like Worcestershire can have hidden gluten in them. Other foods that might have hidden gluten include:
- Soy sauce and teriyaki sauce – Traditionally made with fermented crushed wheat and soy.
- Corn flakes and crisp rice cereal – Some popular brands are made with malt from barley.
- Soups thickened with “roux” – Roux is a mixture of fat and flour so it likely contains gluten.
- Salad dressings – May contain malt vinegar, soy sauce, or flour. They may contain modified wheat starch.
- Marinades and barbeque sauces – May contain malt vinegar, soy sauce, and/or flour.
- Certain kinds of vinegar – Malt vinegar is fermented and made from barley.
- Specialty ketchup – Some brands may use additional ingredients like malt vinegar or miso, which may not be gluten-free.
- Mustard – Wheat flour could be added as a thickener or bulking agent in some specialty mustards like English mustard.
- Broth/stock – Some powdered or packaged broths can contain gluten, such as yeast extract derived from barley. Some may contain hydrolyzed wheat protein.
- Yeast spreads – Popular in the UK and Australia and available in the U.S., yeast spreads are made from yeasts derived from wheat, barley, oats, and rye.
- Beef jerky – Certain flavors of beef jerky (such as teriyaki) contain soy sauce which typically contains wheat.
- Meat substitutes – Seitan is a vegan protein made of wheat gluten. Other plant-based meat substitutes can contain gluten due to the use of vital wheat gluten or yeast extract, which may not be gluten-free.
- Imitation crab products – Some may use wheat starch as a binder.
- Restaurant eggs – Some restaurants add pancake batter to their scrambled egg and omelet mixtures to increase fluffiness and sweetness so contain wheat. To be sure, ask your waiter to ensure the eggs are gluten-free (which they are naturally).
- Seasoned rice – Seasonings could be combined with gluten-containing ingredients like soy sauce solids, wheat flour, or wheat starch.
- Rice pilaf – Could be made with orzo (a small wheat pasta) or contain wheat flour.
- Battered fried foods – Crunchy and battered foods usually have flour in the batter to make them extra crispy.
- Pickles – Some brands are made using malt vinegar which is derived from barley.
- Some milkshakes – If a milkshake is made with malt – a malted milkshake – it contains an ingredient derived from barley so has gluten.
- Licorice – Licorice typically contains wheat flour to bind the rest of the ingredients together.
- Cocktail mixers – Certain Bloody Mary mixers might contain wheat (from Worcestershire sauce!)
- Hard lemonades and wine coolers – Some wine coolers and other hard drinks could also use a malt base.
Worcestershire Sauce Nutrition Information
Annie’s Naturals Organic Worcestershire Sauce
This Worcestershire sauce is not gluten-free.
Ingredients:
- Water
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Molasses
- Soy Sauce (Water, Soybeans, Wheat, Salt, Alcohol)
- Cane Sugar
- Tamarind
- Sea Salt
- Corn Starch
- Xanthan Gum
- Dried Onion
- Dried Garlic
- Clove
- Dried Chili Pepper
Nutrition facts (per 1 teaspoon):
- Calories: 5
- Total Fat: 0 g
- Sodium: 65 mg (3% DV)
- Total Carbohydrate: 1 g
- Total Sugars: <1 g
- Protein: 0 g
Edward & Sons Organic Vegan Worcestershire Sauce
This Worcestershire sauce is not gluten-free.
Ingredients:
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Tamari (Water, Soybeans, Wheat, Salt)
- Molasses
- Filtered Water
- Agave Syrup
- Salt
- Lemon Juice Concentrate
- Ginger Puree
- Tamarind
- Chili Pepper
- Garlic Powder
- Xanthan Gum
- Shiitake Mushrooms
- Allspice
- Cloves
- Orange Extract
- Lemon Extract
- Natural Smoke Flavor
- Natural Onion Flavor
Nutrition facts (per teaspoon):
- Calories: 5
- Total Fat: 0 g
- Sodium: 130 mg (5% DV)
- Total Carbohydrate: 1 g
- Total Sugars: 1 g
- Protein: 0 g
Lea & Perrins Original Worcestershire Sauce
This Worcestershire sauce is gluten-free in the USA. However, outside the USA, including in Canada and Europe, the ingredients in Lea & Perrins include malt vinegar which contains barley and is not gluten-free.
Ingredients:
- Distilled White Vinegar
- Molasses
- Sugar
- Water
- Salt
- Onions
- Anchovies
- Garlic
- Cloves
- Tamarind Extract
- Natural Flavorings
- Chili Pepper Extract
Nutrition facts (per 1 teaspoon):
- Calories: 5
- Total Fat: 0 g
- Sodium: 65 mg (3% DV)
- Total Carbohydrate: 1 g
- Total Sugars: 1 g
- Added Sugars: 1 g
- Protein: 0 g
French’s Worcestershire Sauce
This Worcestershire sauce is gluten-free.
Ingredients:
- Distilled Vinegar
- Water
- Molasses
- Sugar
- Salt
- Spices
- Citric Acid
- Anchovy (Fish)
- Celery Seed
- Natural Flavor (Contains Soy)
- Xanthan Gum (Thickener)
- Garlic Powder
- Tamarind Extract
Nutrition facts (per teaspoon):
- Calories: 0
- Total Fat: 0 g
- Sodium: 65 mg (2% DV)
- Total Carbohydrate: 1 g
- Total Sugars: 1 g
- Protein: 0 g
O Organics Worcestershire Sauce
This Worcestershire sauce is gluten-free.
Ingredients:
- Organic Distilled Vinegar
- Water
- Organic Molasses
- Salt
- Organic Sugar
- Less than 2% of: Organic Garlic (Dried), Organic Spices, Xanthan Gum, Organic Onion (Dried)
Nutrition facts (per 1 teaspoon):
- Calories: 5
- Total Fat: 0 g
- Sodium: 140 mg (6% DV)
- Total Carbohydrate: 1 g
- Total Sugars: 1 g
- Added Sugars: 1 g
- Protein: 0 g
Simple Truth Organic Vegan Worcestershire Sauce
This Worcestershire sauce is gluten-free.
Ingredients:
- Organic White Vinegar
- Organic Molasses
- Water
- Organic Cane Sugar
- Salt
- Organic Caramel Color
- Organic Garlic Powder
- Xanthan Gum
- Organic Black Pepper
- Organic Allspice Powder
- Organic Ground Nutmeg
- Organic Clove Powder
- Organic Ginger Powder
- Organic Cayenne Pepper Powder
Nutrition facts (per teaspoon):
- Calories: 5
- Total Fat: 0 g
- Sodium: 75 mg (3% DV)
- Total Carbohydrate: 1 g
- Total Sugars: 1 g
- Protein: 0 g
Wan Ja Shan Organic Worcesterchire Sauce Biologiqui
This Worcestershire sauce is gluten-free.
Ingredients:
- Organic Vinegar
- Organic Gluten-Free Tamari (Water, Organic Soybeans And Salt)
- Organic Evaporated Cane Juice
- Salt
- Organic Spices
Nutrition facts (per 1 tbsp.):
- Calories: 4
- Total Fat: 0 g
- Sodium: 150 mg (7% DV)
- Total Carbohydrate: 1 g
- Total Sugars: 1 g
- Protein: 0 g
Gluten-free alternatives to Worcestershire sauce
If a recipe calls for Worcestershire sauce and you don’t have any (or the kind you have isn’t gluten-free), one of these options might be a suitable substitute.
Primal Kitchen Organic and Sugar-Free Steak Sauce
Ingredients:
- Water
- Balsamic Vinegar (Wine Vinegar, Concentrated Grape Must)
- Tomato Paste
- Distilled Vinegar
- Sea Salt
- Tamarind
- Tapioca Starch
- Orange Juice Concentrate
- Ground Ginger
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Mustard Flour
- Sage
- Black Pepper
- Allspice
- Cloves
- Celery Seed
Nutrition facts (per 1 tbsp.):
- Calories: 10
- Total Fat: 0 g
- Sodium: 300 mg (13% DV)
- Total Carbohydrate: 1 g
- Total Sugars: 0 g
- Protein: 0 g
Thrive Market Organic Tamari Gluten-Free Soy Sauce
Ingredients:
- Organic Tamari Soy Sauce (Water, Organic Soybeans, Sea Salt, Organic Roasted Soybeans)
- Salted Shochu (Water, Organic Rice, Salt)
Nutrition facts (per 1 tbsp.):
- Calories: 10
- Total Fat: 0 g
- Sodium: 890 mg (39% DV)
- Total Carbohydrate: <1 g
- Total Sugars: 0 g
- Protein: 2 g
Red Boat Fish Sauce
Ingredients:
- Anchovies
- Sea Salt
Nutrition facts (per 1 tbsp.):
- Calories: 15
- Total Fat: 0 g
- Sodium: 1430 mg (60% DV)
- Total Carbohydrate: 0 g
- Total Sugars: 0 g
- Protein: 4 g
San-J Gluten-Free Asian Glaze & Stir-Fry Orange Sauce
This sauce is higher in sugar than Worcestershire sauce but offers the flavor found in orange chicken.
Ingredients:
- Organic Sugar
- Water
- Tamari Soy Sauce (Water, Soybeans, Salt, Alcohol)
- Orange Juice Concentrate
- Rice Vinegar
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Tomato Paste
- Honey
- Arrowroot
- Garlic Powder
- Canola Oil
- Xanthan Gum
- Red Pepper
Nutrition facts (per 2 tbsp.):
- Calories: 60
- Total Fat: 0 g
- Sodium: 340 mg (14% DV)
- Total Carbohydrate: 14 g
- Total Sugars: 12 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Vitamin C: 15% DV
Related Questions
Is Worcestershire sauce fish sauce?
Fish sauce and Worcestershire sauce are similar. Worcestershire sauce often contains anchovies, but it isn’t fish sauce.
Is Worcestershire sauce vegan?
Worcestershire sauce typically isn’t vegan because it contains anchovies. There are vegan versions of Worcestershire sauce, though.
Is Worcestershire sauce the same as soy sauce?
Worcestershire sauce contains soy sauce, but they are different. Some types of Worcestershire sauce contain tamari, a type of soy sauce that is gluten-free. Additionally, Worcestershire sauce is much lower in sodium than soy sauce.
Is Worcestershire sauce healthy?
Worcestershire sauce isn’t a significant source of calories, sodium, or sugar per serving. It’s not nutrient-dense, but it certainly doesn’t hurt the nutritional value of foods you use it in.