Hoisin Sauce Substitute

Hoisin sauce is a condiment that is used extensively in Chinese cuisine. Read this article to know about hoisin sauce substitute.
Chinese cuisine gets its distinctive flavor and aroma from the use of different types of condiments and sauces. No Chinese dish can be said to be complete without the use of either soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce or hoisin sauce. These sauces are an integral part of their cooking and it is these sauces that give Chinese dishes their unique character and taste. A sauce that is used for many such dishes like pork tenderloin or vegetable stir fry is hoisin sauce. Hoisin sauce also known as duck sauce is made with fermented soy beans, vinegar, chilies and garlic. It is a thick pungent sauce and the flavor is a complex mixture of sweet, salty and spicy. It is usually available in the Asian section of the supermarket but if you are unable to find it and your dish specifically calls for hoisin sauce, then you need a hoisin sauce substitute. Is there a substitute for hoisin sauce? Well there are a few things that you can use as hoisin sauce substitute. Here, we will give you various hoisin sauce alternatives that you can use in your dish.
Hoisin Sauce Substitute #1
This is a very easy and simple recipe for hoisin sauce substitute and the best part is that all the ingredients are easily available in your pantry.
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon light soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon white pepper powder
- 2 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoon hot chili sauce
- 1½ teaspoon honey
- 3 tablespoon peanut butter Method In a medium sized bowl, mix together the dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic powder, peanut butter, chili sauce, honey and white pepper powder to form a smooth paste. Use as much as required and store the rest in a clean jar in the refrigerator. You might also like to know about balsamic vinegar substitute and rice wine vinegar substitute.
Hoisin Sauce Substitute #2
A very good alternative to using hoisin sauce is this recipe which uses prunes with sherry.
Ingredients
- ½ cup pitted prunes
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1½ tablespoon dry sherry
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 cups water Method Simmer the pitted prunes in 2 cups of boiling water for 15 to 20 minutes till the prunes are soft and tender. Remove the prunes from water and let them cool down. When the boiled prunes are cool enough to touch, whisk them into a soft puree in a food processor. Add the soy sauce, crushed garlic and dry sherry and whisk again until you have a smooth paste of a thick consistency. Read more about substitutes in cooking.
Hoisin Sauce Substitute #3
Canned Apricots, plums and peaches are used in this hoisin sauce substitute recipe to give it a slightly sweet taste. This substitute for hoisin sauce is great for making barbecued ribs or for pot roast.
Ingredients
- 3 cans plums
- 1 can peaches
- 1 small onion, chopped fine
- 2 red chili peppers, chopped
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup water
Method
Drain the peaches, plums and apricots from their liquid and discard their seeds. Chop them into small pieces and place them in a small saucepan. Add water to the saucepan along with chopped red chili pepper, chopped onions, red wine vinegar, sugar and black pepper. Cover the saucepan with a lid and let this mixture simmer over low heat for an hour until the sugar is completely dissolved and the fruits have softened. Remove the mixture from the flame and allow it to cool. Puree this mixture in a food processor or blender and store in clean jars. Refrigerate to store.
Read more on:
- Worcestershire Sauce Substitute
- Soy Sauce Substitute
- Oyster Sauce Substitute
So, this was all about hoisin sauce substitutes. Now that you know what to substitute for hoisin sauce, you can make many exquisite Chinese dishes even when you don’t have hoisin sauce stock in your pantry.


